Tookie clemency debate rages on
2005-12-20 21:53
Graz - Austrian officials predicted on Tuesday that a flap with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger over the use of his name to promote his hometown of Graz could cost the Austrian tourist industry hundreds of millions of dollars.
Schwarzenegger on Monday told Graz mayor Siegfried Nagl to remove his name from the local football stadium after politicians there criticised his decision to refuse clemency for convicted murdered Stanley Tookie Williams, who was executed last week.
The politicians, led by the Social Democrats, Greens and Communists, called for Schwarzenegger's name to be removed from the stadium despite opposition from Nagl.
Nagl said damage to tourism might be "hundreds of millions of euros" and Austrian television quoted him as saying he would try to persuade Schwarzenegger to change his mind.
'A difficult decision'
But in his letter faxed on Monday, Schwarzenegger sounded adamant.
"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."
Schwarzenegger said he rejected the clemency plea of the convicted four-time murderer "after a very conscientious examination" and allowed the execution under "the laws of our country".
Schwarzenegger also said he would no longer permit the use of his name to advertise or promote the city of Graz and had returned a "ring of honour" the city awarded him in 1999.
The stand taken by Graz politicians meant that " this ring has lost its meaning and value to me. It is already in the mail," the governor wrote.
Schwarzenegger response professional
Graz tourism chief Dieter Hardt-Stremayr said: "The name Schwarzenegger has the status of a world brand name. Graz has a relatively modest name internationally." There would certainly be damage, he said, although he could not say how much.
The Alliance for the Future of Austria said there would be "incredible harm to the city" and said a petition to stop the stadium's renaming would continue. The City Council should apologise to Schwarzenegger, it added.
SP politician Karl-Heinz Herper said Schwarzenegger's reaction had been "at least professional", if not particularly polite. He regretted it had not been possible to engage the California governor in a discussion about death penalty.
Greens spokesperson Edith Zitz said Schwarzenegger must understand that there would continue to be criticism from his homeland if he allowed "death sentences contrary to human rights".
But the head of Graz football club, Harald Suekar, was not too upset at Schwarzenegger's decision. He said a sponsor should be found who would be willing to pay good money for the privilege of having the stadium named after them. - Sapa-dpa
- SAPA