Legendary Minnesotan Jesse Ventura has mourned for his old neighborhood in Minneapolis, which has gone up in flames amid ongoing protests. The ex-governor told RT America that he sees no easy solution to end the social upheaval.
The demonstrations in the wake of the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man whose brutal arrest was filmed and went viral, have hit home with Ventura.
The former Minnesota governor told RT America’s Rick Sanchez that the rioting has been occurring just two blocks from his childhood home. “This is very personal to me because it’s a neighborhood I grew up in for eighteen years before I joined the United States Navy,” he said.
Asked about the authorities’ hesitance to file charges against police officers suspected of causing Floyd’s death, Ventura relayed his experience as a former governor and mayor.
This is the worst situation you can ever imagine as an elected official, because it puts you in a no-win situation. No matter what you choose to do, someone’s not going to like it.
He stressed that public servants have to follow their hearts and be able to look themselves in the mirror after making such difficult choices.
Ventura added that “as a white person” he is unable to fully grasp what the black community in Minneapolis are suffering through. He argued that police and other people in positions of power must be able to tell the difference between right and wrong, and act accordingly – even if they might face pressure from their peers.
The city has seen its third day of unrest, with harrowing photographs and videos showing rows of buildings and businesses set ablaze. A local police precinct was also set on fire, after law enforcement abandoned the area.
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