NYC Letter: Anti-Catholicism, The Last Acceptable Bigotry -- Anthony Malkin

Day 1,131 of CHOPE

The Catholic Church and New York City have a long history. The Archdiocese of New York extends over the southern counties of New York State and administers to over 2.6M Catholics, who comprise 45% of the population within the jurisdiction.

Typically the City celebrates its Archbishops, but nowadays the Church is on the wrong side of the progressive agenda. And those powers-that-be are not coy about withholding the little amenities that attend their approval. To wit.

Pope Benedict XVI elevated New York's Archbishop, Timothy Dolan, to the cardinalate on February 18, 2012. Alas, the outspoken Cardinal has fallen afoul of the left by not rolling over on abortion. No surprise then that his elevation gets the cold shoulder.

EMPIRE STATE BUILDING REFUSED TO HONOR
CARDINAL DOLAN WITH RED-LIGHTS TRIBUTE

NEW YORK February 25, 2012 (NYDN) - The Empire State Building refused to honor Timothy Cardinal Dolan — setting off a torrent of outrage against the iconic structure that has honored everything from athletes to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

In 2009, the building even honored the 60th anniversary of China’s communist takeover of China. But this week, they showed no love for Dolan — a global ambassador for New York City.

TIMOTHY CARDINAL DOLAN
Empire State Building Only Has Red For Mao
[Picture source: Claudio Peri/EPA/NYDN]

Port Authority officials came to the rescue after Empire State Building owner Anthony Malkin squashed a request by Rep. Michael Grimm (R-S.I.) to pay tribute to Dolan in lights.

The rising 1 World Trade Center began glowing red late Friday after the Empire State Building’s Dolan dis. It will continue until next Friday. PA Executive Director Pat Foye:

Cardinal Dolan has captured the hearts of all New Yorkers with his quick wit, street smarts and compassion for those of all religious faiths.

Port Authority officials said that bathing the building in red won’t cost the agency a dime.

... Malkin, whose rep declined comment Friday, caused a holy uproar in 2010 when the Empire State Building refused to honor Mother Teresa. During that controversy, Malkin said the building was privately owned and had a policy against "lighting for religious figures."

Critics were quick to point out that the skyscraper was lit to honor John Paul II and Cardinal O’Connor. And they bristled at the tributes going on at the Empire State Building over the next few days. On Monday, the lights on the 102-story building will turn green and blue to mark Corporate Philanthropy Day. A day later, the same colors will mark National Eating Disorders Awareness Week.

Anthony Malkin owns the Empire State Building and is free to color his lights as he chooses, turn them on and off as he likes. That he chose to slight New York's newly elevated cardinal is his business, so why lie about it?

Mr. Malkin is a liberal who donates heavily to Democrat campaigns ($86,200* in 2008 and $201,100 in 2010). It is not such a leap to suppose Democrat politics, not some secular building policy, is behind Mr. Malkin's animus toward the Cardinal.

CARDINAL-DESIGNATE DOLAN:
PRESIDENT OBAMA NEEDS TO STOP
‘INTRUDING INTO INTERNAL LIFE OF A CHURCH’
Contraception Issue Just Won't Die Down,
Much To White House's Chagrin
NEW YORK February 8, 2012 (CBS NewYork)

Religion itself is not a disqualifier for Mr. Malkin's light shows...

EMPIRE STATE BUILDING GOES
GREEN FOR MUSLIM HOLIDAY

NEW YORK October 13, 2007 (FNC) - The Empire State Building is aglow in green this weekend to honor the Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan. ... Thursday night marked the first time the all-green lighting was used to mark the kickoff of Eid-al-Fitr, a three-day celebration for Muslims around the world.

Not many religious holidays make the cut. Green and red are used every year to mark the Christmas holiday season, and blue and white -- the colors of the Israeli flag -- are used for the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.

...just churchmen making troublesome headlines in election years. Apparently.

Mr. Malkin's slight is a small thing. We doubt the Cardinal has given it a worry.

We on the other hand are annoyed, and what annoys us is not Mr. Malkin's pettiness. It is his dishonesty. We can bear the left's slights. Why can't the left be honest about their purposes? Mr. Malkin uses the means at his disposal to punish Cardinal Dolan for mussing the left's agenda. Yet Mr. Malkin will not admit to it and instead hides his purpose behind the fairy tale of building policy.

CHOPE.

Ad quem ibimus (John 6:67-68, KJV).**

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* The lone Republican was lucky Chris Shays (R-CT, 4th), $4,600, who went on to lose his seat.

** Cardinal Dolan's motto.

Posted by Damian at February 28, 2012 11:45 PM