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Catholic League Wants Mother Teresa Honored With Empire State Building Lights
By
Jen Chung
Published Jun 8, 2010
Modified Jun 8, 2010
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By
Jen Chung
Published Jun 8, 2010
Modified Jun 8, 2010
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The Catholic League is planning a protest at the Empire State Building, because the city's tallest skyscraper won't pay tribute to the late Mother Teresa! The group asked that the building lights be blue and white (the colors of her congregation) on the 100th anniversary of her birthday, August 26, but the building refused.
The Catholic League points out, "The same persons who chose to stiff Mother Teresa decided to honor the Chinese Communist revolution last year, even though 77 million innocent men, women and children were murdered under Mao Zedong. By contrast, the U.S. Postal Service is honoring Mother Teresa with a commemorative stamp."
City Council Speaker Christine Quinn agrees with the Catholic League and wrote a letter asking the building's management to change its mind last week. Quinn, who said that she wasn't given a good reason as to why the request was refused, told Good Day NY, "I think it would be a great thing in memory and recognition of Mother Teresa. I am Catholic, but it's not a religious thing. The reason to do it- to have the Empire State Building blue and white - is to remind people of a woman who gave her life in service."
The Catholic League's president Bill Donohue, who has been parodied on South Park, also said, "I'm digging in my heels on this one. I have bishops from across the nation and from India who are behind us to celebrate Mother Teresa."
As for the Empire State Building's lighting schedule for the next few days, today it's purple/blue/white for National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and the United Nations, United Nations World Oceans Day, tomorrow it's yellow/yellow/yellow for Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, on Thursday it's white (no tribute), and on Friday through the weekend it's blue/green yellow for Caribbean Week/Caribbean Tourism Organization.
Tagged
catholic
Catholic League
china
christine quinn
communist
empire state building
mother teresa
speaker quinn
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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