Elmira Residents Want Brian Williams Welcome Sign Removed
When you drive into Elmira, New York you're greeted by a number of celebrities, including news anchor Brian Williams, who's face appears on the welcome sign. But some residents don't want that kind of welcome for their city and they're asking to have the sign taken down or Williams face removed from it.
Although Williams wasn't born in Elmira, he called the city his childhood home before moving to New Jersey. The sign features several celebrities from the area including author Mark Twain, fashion designer Tommy Hilfer and footballs star Ernie Davis. But Williams suspension from NBC News after being caught lying about his time in Iraq has some residents in an uproar.
Here's hoping this Brian Williams fiasco leads to the removal of this hideous sign welcoming people to my hometown. pic.twitter.com/716TIB8iJy
— Distilled History (@distlhistory) February 9, 2015
Elmira Mayor Sue Skidmore tells The Journal News, she isn't quite sure what to do about the complaints.
"I don’t really have a negative feeling about it, but I understand people’s point of view that they feel it is a negative against Elmira. The bigger question is where do you get the money to take it down and who decides who goes back up?"
Williams claimed he was in a helicopter in Iraq that was shot down in 2003. Those claims were discovered to be false and called into question other Williams stories, including his coverage in New Orleans after hurricane Katrina.
Skidmore says she's received dozens of calls to have Williams face removed from the sign but she's conflicted. "Everybody makes mistakes."
What do you think? Should he stay or should he go?