File photo by Joan Paylo.
The Trump name is on several buildings and public concessions on the Upper West Side, and now some people want it erased.
Since he entered the presidential race, Donald Trump has gone barely a day without stirring controversy, for comments about undocumented Mexican immigrants being “rapists,” to statements about John McCain not being a hero because he was captured in Vietnam. He’s lost contracts with NBC and other companies.
After the comments about immigrants, local Councilman Mark Levine, chairman of the council’s Committee on Parks and Recreation, started pushing for the city to cancel all of Trump’s contracts with city parks — including Trump’s deals to run Wollman and Lasker Ice Rinks and the Central Park Carousel.
“Mr. Trump’s racist comments are despicable even by his already low standards. Our parks are public spaces where everyone should feel welcome and an association with Mr. Trump directly contradicts this spirit. All of Mr. Trump’s parks concessions include terminate-at-will clauses. The Parks Department should exercise this option to sever all ties with Mr. Trump immediately.”
Mayor de Blasio said “We’re certainly not looking to do any business with him going forward,” but it doesn’t sound like he’s supporting the move to terminate the contracts now.
A Trump campaign spokesperson didn’t respond to our request for comment, but a Trump spokesman told the Wall Street Journal that the city should be thanking Trump, not trying to dump him. “A spokesman for Mr. Trump said the presidential candidate has repeatedly come to the city’s aid to keep the concessions running smoothly when the city couldn’t. Mr. Trump won a contract to run Wollman and Lasker rinks in the 1980s after the city struggled to manage the attractions.”
One local activist is also pushing for Trump’s name to be pulled off of the buildings he developed on Riverside Boulevard below 72nd street. Batya Lewton of Coalition for a Livable West Side sent around an email on Monday demanding that the Trump name be removed from the towers.
“Freedom Place was named for the three boys murdered in Mississippi. It is criminal to have a sign that reads TRUMP PLACE on the same site.”
Freedom Place, a street that borders the Trump buildings, is dedicated to the memory of James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner, who were killed in 1964 while trying to sign up black voters in Mississippi.
Photos by Barry Solow and Andy Ihnatko.
Just when you thought that the skins of liberals couldn’t possibly get any thinner, along comes a story like this one, so skewed, so EMOTIONAL, so……no, I’d better not say it.
And yet again…..so revealing about the psyche of the deranged “offended”. The thing is, is that Trump told the truth about illegal Mexican invaders, and in this insane world, that puts a target on his back.
What Liberals?
This is a moronic term used by anyone nowadays.
You are a Liberal Off duty
Trump and his family are racist SCUM
They need to be deported to Jersey!
No what he said about illegal immigrants is not true and your belief in his words let’s us all know who you are. Nuf said….
My exact thoughts as I read this article. Liberal free speech is defined as whatever they agree with. No one else has any right to say what they think.
No one said he can’t say those things. Did he get arrested or something for saying that?! We don’t just want that racist guy’s name plaster over public properties!
ugh so true
It has been proven that Trump lied outright about illegal Mexicans. Most of them are not rapists, thieves and murders. Simple as that. And anyone who disagrees with Trump is ‘deranged’?
Better be careful next time you order in – many of the delivery guys of them are (gasp….) Mexicans! And illegal, too!
@ UWS Wally – Dropped on your head at birth, eh? Show us where Trump said “MOST” illegal alien invading Mexicans are rapists, thieves and murderers.
C’mon smart guy. Enthrall us with your veracity.
BTW…..I don’t order in….and I cut my own grass as well.
Exact quote “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending the best. They’re not sending you, they’re sending people that have lots of problems and they’re bringing those problems. They’re bringing drugs, they’re bringing crime. They’re rapists and some, I assume, are good people.”
Seems to imply MOST in that quote! If you want to stand up for a racist/bigot then say “I support that racist”. Don’t pretend that he didn’t say anything offensive against a race. SMH.
He also never said illegal
I don’t respond to name calling. Content and substance only. Sorry…
@ UWS Wally – Aaaaahh…..That response qualifies as a “cop-out”. You’ve been “outed” pal, as a distorter, an exaggerator….basically as a falsifier.
I’d used more colorful words to describe what you are and what you’ve said, but I fear I’m walking on eggshells here…..so I have to behave myself.
You cut your own grass on the UWS? Seriously OD, are you from Long Island or Upstate? You don’t sound like an urban guy.
@ GrassFed – Clue? Two homes.
clearly Off Duty is native Lenape. Go easy, pilgrims.
Our elected officials really need to stay out of politics.
ha!!
Well said. Better, maybe, to say that our elected officials should *stick* to politics, and stay out of real life.
He might be a bad talker but he certainly knows how to do business. I hope they don’t terminate his contracts or prohibit him from doing more business in NYC. His really good at that. It’s up to us if we want to support and rent/buy his place.
If he “certainly knows how to do business”, how come his businesses have declared bankruptcy four times? Each time, creditors and investors lost millions and he walked away relatively unscathed. How come he’s lent his name to shoddy projects worldwide that never come to fruition, again costing buyers and investor millions?
What Trump does is buy properties, wait until they appreciate, leverage the hell out of them and then when the economy takes a dump he bolts, leaving banks (creditors) holding the bag. They’re auctioning off his buildings and he’s off investing in his next project with equity he stripped from his previous one. It’s actually kinda brilliant. He’s a guy who screws over Bank of America and Countrywide. You’d think that would make him a sympathetic figure with Mr. and Mrs. average American, who were victimized by bankers during the great meltdown.
You forgot his Atlantic City casino financial debacles.
Yet the “buyers and investors” keep stepping up to buy and invest, over and over. Clearly they don’t know what you know.
Then they need to read Forbes: http://tinyurl.com/7h6hnfn
Or perhaps the New York Times:
http://tinyurl.com/3kzuz58
Stepping up for expected losses as tax shelters may be more like it.
I believe in the Freedom of Speech, no matter how ridiculous or ignorant you want to appear. I agree with Gigi above , , , let the people decide who to conduct business with.
I agree. I consider myself independent politically, but am definitely getting liberal fatigue recently. Will be interesting to see if others agree in general when elections happen
Trump has zero economic interest anymore in the properties on Riverside Blvd. In fact he got screwed pretty badly by the previous owners who sold the project just before his equity stake would have jumped up (couldn’t happen to a nicer guy).
Equity Residential, which bought the property, refused to pay Trump for use of his name, but Trump let them use it anyway so it appeared as if he owned it.
Trump is a scumbag and so is Giuliani, shame on Donald
Thank you for that insightful commentary.
I’m sorry your heroes are imbiciles, talk about insightful commentary
Is there any insight to people moving out of the buildngs on Riverside Boulevardd in reaction to his political statements? I work in the area and there have been multiple moving companies loading up trucks everyday.Much more than normal.
Given the arm and leg Equity takes for breaking leases, and the requirement to provide 30 days written notice to vacate, I highly doubt these moves are related to Trump’s ugly mouth. Probably more like the annual departure of families who are forced to go to the suburbs in order to have any space for kids and any control about where those kids attend school. Happens every year.
That is good part of it. Plus, steep Equity rent increases for all!
I am not a Trump supporter. I do not agree with what he says but we do live in America, don’t we? I am talking about the America where everyone’s right is guaranteed.
You can’t gang up on one person.
Who will be next?
Read your history books. This kind of hate movement only leads to one unavoidable ending.
I hope you don’t mean everyone’s right to freedom of speech. That is most definitely an illusion. I mean, you can say what you want to, but there are consequences for some of them. There are definite limits to your free speech. Try yelling “fire” in a crowded theater, saying “bomb” in an airport, or threatening the President. If those are not to your liking, you can find yourself in hot water by slandering or inciting others to riot. Your phrase “everyone’s rights are guaranteed” has a certain guilelessness that indeed made me smile.
Here in America, your right to free speech is protected except for a very limited set of circumstances. You may not speak in a way that creates a clear and present danger and you may not engage in some forms of hate speech against protected groups. Slander is a tort, not a criminal offense, so you can be sued, but can’t go to jail; I don’t know if that fits your definition of “hot water” or not. In the 50-odd years I’ve been on this planet, I’ve never ran afoul of any of these limitations. Have you?
Of course the majority of people will not run afoul of these laws but some can potentially find themselves in hot water as I said, and yes I do consider being sued and the resultant headaches and hassle as just that. Facebook posts have burned many people who believed the “freedom of speech” myth. They have lost jobs, been jailed, investigated, etc. Now, stating an unpopular opinion might not be a criminal offense, but as Donald must surely know by now, people do have the freedom to protest, organize, and boycott what they do not like, just as others are free to support, encourage, and defend what they do. I am not, have never been, and hope that I will never be in the public eye, so refraining from comments that venture outside the limits of free speech is in my best interest.
If you read your Bill of Rights correctly, the “freedom of speech” part is not a myth. It does not offer complete free speech to everyone against anything they so desire. It’s is specifically directed toward people who want to protest against the Government. They have the right to protest government policies with fear of being jailed or harassed or arrested, the way it is in countries who are not democracies. It does not offer protections to people who defame other citizens. Those people are free to take legal action in a civil case as opposed to Federal criminal cases. It
Most of y’all need to go back to school to learn what the freedom of speech rights granted by the Constitution actually entail.
Knee-jerk replies that America is a free country and one can say anything because of freedom of speech are pathetically mindless.
The entire purpose of the freedom of speech rights is to protect citizens from governmental action when they speak their minds. That isn’t even remotely an issue when it comes to what Trump is saying.
Donald Trump is an attention-seeking blowhard who loves controversy almost as much as his mirror, because it means all eyes on him. I don’t think anything he says or does causes him shame since his opinion of himself is practically stratospheric.
My “loathe-fest” with him began long ago after noticing the derogatory comments he had towards women he was publicly “feuding” with. The man is narcissism personified, and a card-carrying misogynist to boot. Add the blatantly racist comments and yeah, that’s REAL presidential material, lol. I wouldn’t want to be caught in a lifeboat with him, and I certainly don’t want him leading this country—not that he has a snowball’s chance anyway. NEXT.
well said EbOnyx. He’s a publicity-obsessed idiot who’s blown through several inherited fortunes. Remember when he announced he was ‘saving’ Tavern on the Green, or shut down the Central Park ice rink with no notice? In my view, the only cautionary opinions he’ll pay attention to are his lenders. But wow, he deserves every bit of disgust coming his way.
Indeed he does, DMH.
Political vindictiveness by hypocrite liberals who like the First Amendment only when it fits into their brainwashed narrative. Shameful, but unsurprising.
Trump is free to say whatever he wants, but he’s not free from whatever consequences may result. I would never live in a building with his name on it. He’s free to make idiotic comments, and I’m free to not do any business with him or anyone associated with him.
And I’m a conservative, FWIW.
My husband being a conservative who dislikes Trump would definitely not stop him from moving into a Trump apartment if the apartment was free or falsely cheap 😉 Right, hon?
If it were a co-op I’d try to get on the board push for removal of the sign. 😀
If we took people’s names off of buildings simply because they were blowhards or jerks or racists, 99% of Manhattan’s real estate would have to be retitled.
Really Jeremy? How do you know that Augusta, Eveline, Eldorado, Beresford, San Remo, Endicott etc. etc. were not nice. Please give us the dirt.
Trump talks like a man with a paper ass.
Hillary Clinton is not much better then the Trump. Would like to see Rubio in there but Liberals don’t trust Cubans.
Silly, silly boy.
Liberals don’t trust Cubans? What on earth are you talking about? How about liberals don’t trust conservatives?
Guys
Please do not respond to TROLLS
The whole point of the blatant racist comment is to spark these lame threads
Whatever you think about Trump, he’s the most entertaining thing to happen to politics in forever. I am counting down the days until the first Republican debate. (T-minus 16 days and counting.) Anything could happen! John Stewart nailed it last night when he said that The Donald’s hair is “comedy entrapment”. And that he’d be America’s first “openly a-hole president”. Great stuff.
Yeah generally on point but if I lived in a building with A-Hole on the marquee I’d want to have the name changed.
Trump is a bad joke without punchline BUT WHERE IS De Blasio WHEN IT COMES to Sharpton and other thugs? Some free speech is more free than another, I see. De Blasio should just keep his oily moth shut for good because he is not a bright person.
I didn’t know moths were oily! Lol
Smiles. Better than their being *late*, no?
Let’s all chip in and buy Trump an AMTRAK ticket – westbound, one way/no return trip. See ya’ around, Chump.
No! The name should stay! Period!
I’m not a fan of his but I don’t care! I live in a Trump building and I couldn’t give 2 s**ts what he says… The name should stay!
It’s true that Trump is at a loss when speaking in public (or in private). He’s not even a great businessman. Contrary to what Fox News and some others have referred to as a “self-made millionaire” he is the recipient of a very large Will or trust fund. He has declared bankruptcy at least a half dozen times to bail our one or another of his projects. He’s made the majority of his fortune leasing his very high profile name. And of course non-real estate side ventures like the beauty pageants, the TV show and just about anything else that will pay him a high and steady salary. He’s an idiot, a blowhard and is inarticulate. But like it or not he’s all ready part of the City’s history.
After stating upfront that he’s not a great businessman, you just detailed numerous ways he’s managed to become successful in BUSINESS.
The point was that he is not a self-made anything. He inherited LOTS of BIG money and his business strategies from his very successful father who was in the real estate business. Intellect-wise he is a complete imbecile. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He would have to have worked much harder to lose it all than he did to make more. His children will inherit whatever holdings he’s able to hang on to. Right now no one wants to pay to lease his name.
Bloomberg is a self made man and not a spoiled brat like Trump, but that has never stopped anyone from running for office.
He will be fodder in the debates, unless its true that he owns all the other Republicans
Well, every word you’ve just written, and every sentence you’ve composed, squarely and perfectly describes former President George W. Bush.
So none of it disqualifies Mr. Trump from seeking the same office.
no one said that bush qualified to be president either! uh..remember the Iraq mess?
Trump is no bargain (for any number of reasons). Being attacked by insufferably sanctimonious, preening, ethnomasochist open borders fanatics and pernicious Cultural Marxists, however, only ennobles him and drives me further toward supporting (or at least defending) him.
Critical commentary on Trump and his recent statements can be found at the VDARE web site:
http://www.vdare.com/
That is, “If you’re open minded on this — some people here are not,”*
(* https://www.westsiderag.com/2015/02/02/american-bible-society-to-depart-for-philly-as-building-sells-for-300-million#comment-259755 )
Keep in mind, he trashed the military service of Republican senator John McCain. Zero respect or understanding for the courage, selflessness, bravery and sacrifice of heroes like McCain and other veterans. Maybe you could point me to his apology, if he issued one.
For the overly alarmed illegal immigrant concerns, those are going to repel a lot of voters and paint the Republican Party into a nasty corner.
Last I checked, there were plenty of Americans in need of work (including in our area). Yet, as noted in some of the comments here, local businesses (along with big corporations) continue to hire illegal immigrants with impunity.
Have such preening “Social Justice Warriors” as Mark Levine or Batya Lewton ever said a word about this? Do these local, elected office-holders feel any sense of obligation in placing the needs of their constituents who are actually U.S. citizens before those who are here only as a result of breaking the law*?
*(and therefore have no real “rights” other than those to a humane and speedy deportation)
By the way, nearly all of the people who have delivered groceries to me from both FreshDirect as well as AmazonFresh have, by all indications, been U.S.-born citizens.
@ Independent. I agree that a lot of Americans are in need of work But I hardly think they are going to want to be porters in restaurants or dishwashers getting minimum wage.
Oh come on, really? Who cares?! Its not like he’s going to win. He’s Donald Trump — its his M.O. to say stupid things. He said them long before he ran for president and he’s going to say them long after he loses.
But that’s no reason to erase his name from the things he owns. That’s just ridiculous.
He does not own most of the buildings in NYC that have his name on the building. But it is true, many tourists are very impressed when they see his name. That is because outside of the NYC area people don’t know that he is regarded as a clown here.
I totally agree with you Leah!
It’s pretty ridiculous to care about whatever he says. People need to chill out! Everyone is way to PC and uptight! He’ll be on the back burner again soon enough!
being offended that he called mexicans rapists is being too PC?? wow..nice standards!!
There are 2different kinds of Political Correctness christianDoug. There’s the liberal kind and the conservative kind.
Sure, take his name off of every building and park in town. Go ahead.
Of course, I trust that you will return all of the money you took from him in return for putting his name in all of those places?
Much like the Enron debacle in Houston of a few years ago. You can’t voluntarily take someone’s money when it is convenient to do so, then cry foul when it comes time to hold up your end of he bargain. No one forced the city or anyone else to sign those contracts or to move into his buildings.
Not a peep about freedom of speech? Whether I agree with Trump or not, he should be able to speak his mind. If a private concern chooses not to do business with him because they disagree with his views, so be it–they have the right to choose who they associate with. For a local government to make decisions based on a citizen’s opinions is another matter and I have a problem with that. Ironic that Freedom Place would be a spot to attempt to censor speech.