[Peace-discuss] Schwarzenegger Name Removed From Stadium

[Lisa Chason]

Schwarzenegger Name Removed From Stadium 

By WILLIAM J. KOLE, Associated Press Writer Mon Dec 26,12:33 PM ET 

VIENNA, Austria - Officials in 

    <http://search.news.yahoo.com/search/news/?p=Arnold+Schwarzenegger>
Arnold Schwarzenegger's hometown of Graz quietly and under cover of darkness
removed giant metal letters spelling out his name on a soccer stadium. 

The California governor had asked for his name to be stricken from the
15,300-seat arena after critics in his birthplace, where opposition to
capital punishment runs high, scorned him for refusing to block this month's
execution of convicted killer Stanley Tookie Williams.

Late Sunday night or early Monday, authorities in the southern Austrian city
unbolted the 20 letters spelling out the action star-turned-politician's
name from Arnold Schwarzenegger Stadium. They timed the work to take
advantage of the Christmas lull to avoid attracting attention "and keep the
media from taking photos," a local city hall official who declined to be
named told Austrian television.

============================
Schwarzenegger to Hometown: Remove My Name 
 

By JENNIFER COLEMAN Associated Press Writer Dec 19 6:51 PM US/Eastern 
 
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Monday told officials in
his hometown in Austria to remove his name from a sports stadium and stop
using his identity to promote the city. The governor's request came after
politicians in Graz began a petition drive to rename the stadium, reacting
to Schwarzenegger's decision last week to deny clemency to condemned inmate
Stanley Tookie Williams. Opposition to the death penalty is strong in
Austria. 

In a letter that began "Dear Mister Mayor," Schwarzenegger said he decided
to spare the Graz city council "further concern" should he be forced to make
other clemency decisions while he's governor. Another inmate is scheduled to
be executed in California Jan. 17. 
 
"In all likelihood, during my term as governor, I will have to make similar
and equally difficult decisions," Schwarzenegger said in the letter. "To
spare the responsible politicians of the city of Graz further concern, I
withdraw from them as of this day the right to use my name in association
with the Liebenauer Stadium." 
 
The stadium was renamed for the former Hollywood star in 1997. He asked that
the lettering be removed by year's end. 
 
Schwarzenegger spokeswoman Margita Thompson said the letter was faxed Monday
to the Graz city hall. The city council was expected to take up the matter
next month. 
 
In the letter, Schwarzenegger also said he would no longer permit the use of
his name "to advertise or promote the city of Graz in any way" and would
return the city's "ring of honor." 
 
The ring was given to him in a ceremony in Graz in 1999. At the time,
Schwarzenegger said he considered it "a token of sincere friendship between
my hometown and me." 
 
"Since, however, the official Graz appears to no longer accept me as one of
their own, this ring has lost its meaning and value to me. It is already in
the mail," the governor wrote. 
 
Williams, co-founder of the Crips gang, was convicted of four 1979 murders.
He was executed shortly after midnight Dec. 13.
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