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People and Politics by Patrick Roberts

N.Y. Speaker Christine Quinn way over the top on Mother Teresa snub

Posted on Friday, June 11, 2010 at 11:28 PM

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New York City Speaker Christine Quinn is making quite a fuss - and this time it's Mother Theresa who's the subject of the Speaker's outrage.

At a press conference on Wednesday , the high powered politician proudly brandished two blue and white candles and held her head high after having been snubbed by Empire State Building owner Anthony Malkin.

Malkin refused to yield to the Speaker's request to have the building lit up especially.

But although the Empire State Building won’t be turning sky-blue any time soon, a city-wide day of service has been declared.

Which makes you wonder: isn’t that enough?

What would mean more to Mother Teresa? You know the answer Christine

For Quinn, who seems determined to make an issue out of a trifle, the answer is apparently no.

Although Bloomberg shirked the issue somewhat, saying that he didn’t want to make the issue any more controversial than it was, firebrand Quinn continues to make a song and dance over a few varyingly coloured lights.

And this all in the context of a city and State going through some of the most difficult financial times in recent memory with Albany's lawmakers recently passing a series of drastic financing proposals to try pull the State out of the financial quagmire it's found itself in recently. 10 weekly emergency spending bills were only recently passed to try help the State grapple with a budgetary gap that's closing in on $8.5 billion,..

There are plenty of important issues facing New York at the minute, and the second most powerful official in the City can certainly have her hands full if she wants to. But whether the Empire State lights blue-and-white for Mother Theresa or not this August simply isn’t one of them.

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hancock | Apr 12, 2011, 11:30 PM EDT

She's a ppitician, and this a no-brainer. This site is moronic for bringing it up. What else is new.

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Suivness10 | Apr 12, 2011, 10:18 AM EDT

It's not as simple as it might seem. If this was a precedent maybe, but it's not. The reason Malkin gave for not lighting the building is that they don't honor religious figures, but in fact that's not true. The building did give an honorary lighting for John Cardinal O'Connor as well as other religious figures, so one for Mother There really isn't out of bounds. I understand it seems over the top, but at the same time, why one over the other? I don't think that Quinn is letting her job suffer over this one. At least let's hope not!

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HBDuncan | Jul 01, 2010, 12:49 AM EDT

LOL It is pretty evident that pro-abortion Malkin is convicted or threatened by anti-abortion Mother Theresa even now. Besides a good King Kong poop he needs the power of prayer. That is what she would want and do. Never under estimate what prayer can do!

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pflynn70 | Jun 15, 2010, 10:37 PM EDT

May King Kong poop all over the Empire Stete Building and MR>MALKIN!

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phoenixnurse | Jun 15, 2010, 07:07 PM EDT

Mayor of Phoenix is termed out! He's no longer electable in Arizona soooo, He's trying to get a job in Washington! He does not speak for Phoenix nor the City Council and they made that clear! Boycott and watch how fast all those businesses will get them to light the building up for Mother Teresa!

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GuinnessGrrl | Jun 15, 2010, 02:35 PM EDT

@phoenixnurse...you do realize that the Empire State Building houses hundreds of different businesses & offices right? It isn't a single business to boycott. It is funny you should say "Arizona tough" when the mayor of Phoenix is against the "Papers, ve must see your papers" law!

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pflynn70 | Jun 14, 2010, 02:22 PM EDT

Well it is a BIG ISSUE, they do the lights for Communists China, the biggest killer of humans and their rights and they snub a woman who gave her full life to helping the poor regardless of their religious or ethnic background is very sad. Malkin does not want to do this because HE DONATES A LOAD OF MONEY TO PRO-ABORTION RIGHTS AND MOTHER TERESA WAS STRONGLY AGAINST ABORTION. Read Malkin's bio and learn the facts!

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slainte9 | Jun 14, 2010, 01:37 PM EDT

If you can light up the Empire State Building for Red China, where the communists slaughtered millions and supported war with America in Korea and Vietnam, you can light it up for Mother Teresa.

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phoenixnurse | Jun 14, 2010, 11:54 AM EDT

If they refuse to Honor Mother Teresa.... BOYCOTT the Empire State Building and Picket them! SHOW YOUR REAL POWER..... GET ARIZONA TOUGH !

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DuffsMot | Jun 14, 2010, 11:49 AM EDT

Mother Teresa was a great and good humanitarian who should, indeed, be honored and held in esteem. It would appear that the only reason she would not be celebrated in lights atop the Empire State Building is one of religious discrimination. Apparently, one cannot be a force for good AND religious without being excluded from the running. I find this to be a disturbing trend--or should I say "trendy"--way of looking at issues.

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thomregister | Jun 14, 2010, 10:33 AM EDT

I think everyone, especially the writer, has underestimated the American and world citizen's detain the very fact that Mao was honored but Mother Teresa doesn't make the grade. Yes, it is all symbolic. however, who for the world community is more worthy of our symbolic recognition and visual outpouring of love than Mother Teresa - the Humblest of the Humble!

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bfaulkner | Jun 14, 2010, 09:20 AM EDT

In my humble opinion, Ms.Quinn is fighting a battle regarding 'principles', and I agree with her~! The Empire State Bldg. was lit up to "celebrate" 50 years of The Peoples' Republic of CHINA [pure Communism] and many other such "events", so then WHY NOT celebrate Saint Mother Theresa??? After all, how many poor souls did this tireless Sister and her small band aid and comfort in the name of God...hundreds?? thousands??? SHAME on those boneheads who voted NO!!!

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mcnajmara | Jun 12, 2010, 02:45 PM EDT

I think that the paper takes every chance it gets to bait the catholic church and catholics in general. It was ok to pat the communist country of China on the back a short while ago, they have only killed over 25 million of their own people and Mr. Mallin thought they should have been honored. But then again Mother Teresa only tried to save lives. Which one will you meet later?

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brandyyue | Jun 12, 2010, 11:10 AM EDT

Who cares!!! My boyfriend thinks the same with me. He- is eight years older than me, lol. We met online at an age gap dating site [A_g_e_m_i_n_g_l_e @ c.//o.//m]---a nice and free place for Younger- Women and Older Men, or Older Women and Younger Men, to interact with each other. Maybe you wanna check out or- tell your friends

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donnymoss | Jun 12, 2010, 10:50 AM EDT

Of course Christine Quinn is going to pursue this issue. Not only does it launch her into the national spotlight (with stories on CNN), it also aligns her with Mother Teresa, who is perceived as a saint by many. Thankfully, many NYers are catching onto the fact Christine Quinn is much more of a crook than a saint: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXoANkQh93I

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