Madness

As I've mentioned before, in most of the places I've lived during my life, I've been able to see the Empire State building from my bedroom window. It's a landmark, a symbol to me. If it's there and ok, then I'm here and I'm ok. I used to feel the same way about the World Trade Center, but well you know... I think my personal relationship with New York architecture is what led to the Metropolitan Studies major.
The top thirty stories are lit at night, normally with white lights. For most of my childhood, the tower would be lit with mulit-colored lights only on special occassions. Thanksgiving, Christmas, the Fourth of July. Seriously if you didn't garner a day off of work, you didn't get tower light recognition.
Following 9/11 the lights were red, white and blue for a good six months. The next March they went back to "normal." Except now they are hardly ever white. Everyone and their mother has the lights lit in their honor. Today for instance, tonight the lights are blue for "Keeper of NY Harbor." On November 9, they will be white and yellow for something called "NYC Honors County Music Awards." I have no idea what either of these things is and I doubt that other New Yorkers do either.
Frankly I really hate it. I hate that such a symbolic part of New York is so subject to whimsy and caprice. Sure a little color is fun, but that's for the Chrysler building or Met Life. The ESB and by extension New York is stoic and unimpressed. Should it really be acknowleding Stop Red Light Running or Corporate Philanthropy Day?