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China Critics See Red as Empire State Changes Color

Building lit to mark 60th anniversary of Communist rule

By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff

Posted Oct 1, 2009 1:22 AM CDT

(Newser) – Critics of the Chinese regime cried foul last night as the Empire State Building was illuminated with red and yellow lights to mark 60 years of Communist rule. The move is "outright, blatant approval for a communist totalitarian system," said a statement from Students for a Free Tibet, who were represented among dozens of protesters as China's New York consul attended a ceremony at the building yesterday.

"China gets treatment that other dictatorships can only dream of—a free pass on human rights," one history professor told Fox News. "Would we have lit the Empire State Building for the USSR knowing what we do about the Gulag?" Managers say the building is illuminated in different colors almost every week to honor various occasions, but the lighting is never used to make a political statement.

The Empire State Building is lit in red and yellow to honor the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.
The Empire State Building is lit in red and yellow to honor the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.   (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)
The Empire State Building is lit in red and yellow to honor the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China in this photo taken from across the East River last night.
The Empire State Building is lit in red and yellow to honor the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China in this photo taken from across the East River last night.   (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)
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I am strongly opposed to it or any commemoration of the Communist Chinese revolution. It's one thing to acknowledge the government; it's totally immoral to
honor it. - New York GOP Rep. Peter King

China remains strongly oppressive—but we make a lot of money, and we have a tendency to romanticize the country, confusing her brilliant cultural heritage with the current communist regime.
- History professor Arthur Waldron

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 7 comments
George_Taylor
Oct 1, 2009 9:12 AM CDT
@jayster, yep i agree. too bad so much of our junk is from china, we've become dependent on them.
riffran
Oct 1, 2009 9:12 AM CDT
fox news AND the associated press...that is
riffran
Oct 1, 2009 9:11 AM CDT
as long as it isn't red white and blue ...right?..(sarcasm)

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