Hasta la vista.
Posted on 12/20/2005 9:33:17 PM PST by Hadean
VIENNA, Austria - The mayor of Arnold Schwarzenegger's Austrian hometown on Tuesday begged the California governor to reconsider his decision to end ties to the city after locals assailed him for his death penalty stance. Siegfried Nagl, mayor of the southern city of Graz, said he dashed off a letter to Schwarzenegger pleading with him not to return a ring of honor bestowed on him by officials in his birthplace in 1999 and reassuring him that most residents still admire him. "I hope that very soon we'll hear you say, 'I'll be back,'" Nagl told the actor-turned-politician, one of Austria's most famous sons. On Monday, Schwarzenegger caused a stir by turning the tables on Austrians who criticized the governor's refusal to block the execution last week of convicted murderer Stanley Tookie Williams. He sent Graz officials a letter asking them to remove his name from a soccer stadium and stop using it to promote the city, and said he was giving back the ring because it "has lost its meaning and value to me." His demands effectively pre-empted a drive launched by opponents in Austria who already were gathering signatures on a petition calling for the 15,300-seat arena to be renamed. The petition drive began last week amid a furor triggered by last week's execution of Williams. Capital punishment is illegal in Europe, where many people consider it barbaric. They are now waiting to see how Schwarzenegger deals with the scheduled Jan. 17 execution of a 75-year-old inmate. "Graz will not have problems in the future with my decisions as governor of California, because officially nothing connects us any more," Schwarzenegger told the daily Kronen Zeitung in an interview for Tuesday's editions. "The death penalty is law here, and I have to uphold the law of the land and the will of the people," Schwarzenegger was quoted as saying, adding that he still considered himself "Austrian with all my heart." Nagl, the mayor of Graz, about 120 miles south of Vienna, accused the Social Democrats, pacifist Greens and others who criticized Schwarzenegger of orchestrating an "embarrassing farce." Most locals, he said, remain proud of Schwarzenegger. "I will try to explain to him that the majority of Grazers stand behind him," Nagl told Austrian television, describing the letter he was writing to Schwarzenegger. At a minimum, he said, he hoped to persuade Schwarzenegger to keep the ring - though he conceded he didn't think the governor would change his mind. "Those who know him realize he sticks to his opinions," he said. "The chances are not good. I regret this deeply, but I understand." Schwarzenegger was born in 1947 in the village of Thal just outside Graz, where he began his bodybuilding career. He emigrated to the United States in 1968 and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1984, but has retained his Austrian citizenship. Kurt Flecker, a local official with the opposition Social Democrats, said Schwarzenegger damaged his own image - not Graz's - by refusing to spare Williams' life. There is no point, he said, in "glorifying anyone who supports the death penalty." Walter Ferk, the deputy mayor of Graz, said Schwarzenegger's decision to allow executions to go forward makes him "an unsuitable godfather for a public building." But Hermann Schuetzenhoefer, a tourism adviser in the province of Styria where Graz is located, said Tuesday he also wrote a letter to Schwarzenegger expressing regret "that some politicians who proudly bore your name a few years ago are dragging it through the dirt now." "We continue to stand behind you, and I hope to see you soon back in the homeland," he wrote.
BTTT
Good for Arnold.
Arnie should tell this bloke to go and get well and truly r**ted!!!
"I won't be back!"
LMAO
Formatting is your friend....
On the subject of Tookie Williams, Schwarzenegger did the right thing.
It's unconcionable for me to even consider Tookie being granted clemency. It was time to go.
If Schwarzenegger's home town can't understand that a quadruple murderer of this caliber should die, and wanted to excommunicate him, then Schwarzenegger was right to call their bluff.
Issue 1: The governator did to Graz what the W did to South Korea: He called their bluff! When the South Korean "youts" started demonstrating against the US military in South Korea, Rumsfeld told them we're thinking of removing them. They backpedaled so fast they broke all records!
Issue 2: (Schwarzenegger was quoted as saying, adding that he still considered himself "Austrian with all my heart.")
This is the main reason the Founding Fathers wrote in the Constitution that a person needs to be born in the US to become President. I am an American but born in Lebanon. Even though I am willing to die for the US, I should not be able to become President because I have a huge soft spot for Lebanon.
Siegfried Nagl, mayor of the southern city of Graz, said he dashed off a letter to Schwarzenegger pleading with him not to return a ring of honor bestowed on him by officials in his birthplace in 1999 and reassuring him that most residents still admire him. "I hope that very soon we'll hear you say, 'I'll be back,'"
Nagl told the actor-turned-politician, one of Austria's most famous sons. On Monday, Schwarzenegger caused a stir by turning the tables on Austrians who criticized the governor's refusal to block the execution last week of convicted murderer Stanley Tookie Williams.
He sent Graz officials a letter asking them to remove his name from a soccer stadium and stop using it to promote the city, and said he was giving back the ring because it "has lost its meaning and value to me." His demands effectively pre-empted a drive launched by opponents in Austria who already were gathering signatures on a petition calling for the 15,300-seat arena to be renamed. The petition drive began last week amid a furor triggered by last week's execution of Williams.
Capital punishment is illegal in Europe, where many people consider it barbaric. They are now waiting to see how Schwarzenegger deals with the scheduled Jan. 17 execution of a 75-year-old inmate.
"Graz will not have problems in the future with my decisions as governor of California, because officially nothing connects us any more," Schwarzenegger told the daily Kronen Zeitung in an interview for Tuesday's editions.
"The death penalty is law here, and I have to uphold the law of the land and the will of the people," Schwarzenegger was quoted as saying, adding that he still considered himself "Austrian with all my heart."
Nagl, the mayor of Graz, about 120 miles south of Vienna, accused the Social Democrats, pacifist Greens and others who criticized Schwarzenegger of orchestrating an "embarrassing farce." Most locals, he said, remain proud of Schwarzenegger.
"I will try to explain to him that the majority of Grazers stand behind him," Nagl told Austrian television, describing the letter he was writing to Schwarzenegger.
At a minimum, he said, he hoped to persuade Schwarzenegger to keep the ring - though he conceded he didn't think the governor would change his mind.
"Those who know him realize he sticks to his opinions," he said. "The chances are not good. I regret this deeply, but I understand."
Schwarzenegger was born in 1947 in the village of Thal just outside Graz, where he began his bodybuilding career. He emigrated to the United States in 1968 and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1984, but has retained his Austrian citizenship.
Kurt Flecker, a local official with the opposition Social Democrats, said Schwarzenegger damaged his own image - not Graz's - by refusing to spare Williams' life. There is no point, he said, in "glorifying anyone who supports the death penalty."
Walter Ferk, the deputy mayor of Graz, said Schwarzenegger's decision to allow executions to go forward makes him "an unsuitable godfather for a public building."
But Hermann Schuetzenhoefer, a tourism adviser in the province of Styria where Graz is located, said Tuesday he also wrote a letter to Schwarzenegger expressing regret "that some politicians who proudly bore your name a few years ago are dragging it through the dirt now." "We continue to stand behind you, and I hope to see you soon back in the homeland," he wrote.
There's a reason Arnold left Austria in 1968.
Arnie should tell them it's sorta like the Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer story. Remember? They wouldn't let him join in any reindeer games? They shunned him because of his bright, red nose? However, when they needed him to light the way Christmas Eve Rudolph came through for Santa and everyone else. Well, we all know that was a story. This is real time.
Arnie should tell them now to "Guide their own slegh!!!"
Go Arnie. Proud of ya. Twice within a week or so you stepped up to the plate.
The mayor actually knows how much economically the city stands to lose by doing this and how really screwed up the Austrian economy and identity would be if the idiot liberals where put in charge completely.
The self-rightous mental diseased leftists on the city council only care about pushing their idiotic agenda and promoting a non-capitolistic welfare state.
I'm sure these morons have had it in for Arnie for years. He represents everything leftists hate.
A self made millionaire who did it via hard work and discipline. Everything welfare state leftists hate.
I really practice that. None of this "Give me another chance" crap. Ask the bums who've tried it. Wherever they are now.
He is from Ne'ander Thal.
The other valley.
(sorry. just a pun - I COULDN'T help myself.)
because he saw what Social Democrats and pacifist Greens where going to do to his country.
Ditto!
And now I know what a previous post I saw was all about when they said Arnold gave the ring back!
I don't know why the Grazians are so upset. They still have ol Tookie....well posthumously anyway...but that's something...isn't it?
An old lesson - posturing costs. I don't think this was an easy decision for Schwarzenegger and if he resents the flip moralizing of his former countrymen it's because he's actually had to stand and make the call instead of sitting aside and making the easy criticism. There's a metaphor there relating to the United States and Europe. Perhaps the Austrians might consider that.
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