MARTINSBURG, Pa. (WTAJ) — If you’ve been in the the Martinsburg or Williamsburg area lately you might notice something unusual in town…Decked out in a full revolutionary outfit, is a man who is rallying for America. Everyday since the Fourth of July he’s been spotted marching, and singing throughout town – and it’s getting quite the attention. Our Morgan Koziar caught up with the man some are calling a patriot.
Some call him a patriot, some are calling him Paul Revere, but Williams Benetiz, says he’s simply a flag bearer who loves his country…”some people have even called me a hero or they’ve given me big titles, I tell them, I’m no hero, I am no full patriot, I’m nothing special, to me the people who are patriots the people who are serving right now or who would give their life and limbs for a nation that they believe in.”
Either way, people flock to see Williams sporting his full colonial attire…
“I’ve been trying to catch him just to take a photo and video for several days,” says Martinsburg resident, Monica Carlson.
Monica immigrated to the United States from Germany…she has nothing but praise for what Williams is doing “to show patriotism that way I think most Americans should be proud to do that – those who vilify it I absolutely do not understand especially as an immigrant.”
So why does he do this? — “On July 4th I saw the nation that I so loved, the nation that took me in when it had no obligation to do so the nation that extended her hand and said, ‘be free’ – be attacked by everyone be attacked by people who weren’t grateful, be attacked by people who don’t like this nation by people who come here and just hated for no reason at all,” says Williams.
Everyday since July 4th– Williams has marched through Martinsburg, Williamsburg and Roaring Spring– trying to bring Americans together. “We might not agree on everything, we might not agree on certain specific things but we can at the end of the day finally agree that we’re all together, we’re all in this United States,” says Williams.
Only 20-years-old, the immigrant from El Salvador – came to the U.S. in 2016, and is inspired to rally for America. “What keeps me going is just a dream, a dream called America, and I’ve seen some people that absolutely support me and I’ve seen people absolutely do not support me that however my goal is to remind everyone of what America is, what America has always stood for and what america will always stand for,” says Williams.
To Williams– no matter what your beliefs– If you stand for America– you’re a brother to him.
Williams says he plans to keep making appearances until the end of the month. He says his girlfriend even plans to join him soon.