We saw some real progress last night in restoring order to our communities, but
our communities are still on fire. After Mayors Frey and Carter having been
absent and leading from the rear and grossly ineffective in their leadership,
as their leadership has been nowhere to be seen. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz
on Friday acknowledged the 'abject failure' of the response to this week's
violent protests which left Minneapolis and St. Paul in ruins after hundreds of
businesses were looted and destroyed. Governor Walz has finally taken away the
keys to their clown car and in doing so through executive order and has vowed
to restore order and hold these criminals accountable who are destroying our
community.
St. Paul and Minneapolis needed strong leadership, but both Mayor Carter and
Frey have been AWOL in the defense of their city's small businesses and
employees in the fight against these thugs and criminals. I am not talking
about the peaceful protesters, but the terrorists who have burned and looted
our community. As St. Paul and Minneapolis burned Mayor Carter and Frey were
nowhere to be found. Their leadership and voices were nowhere to be heard.
If Governor Walz is unable to control the situation after the absolute failure
of Mayor Frey and Carter, then the Federal government needs to step in and
restore order. I have faith it will not come to this, as Governor Walz, Public
Safety Commissioner John Harrington, State Patrol Chief Col. Matt Langer and
Maj. Gen Jon Jensen, adjutant general of the Minnesota National Guard have been
leading from the front.
I am angry that George Floyd lost his life because Derek Chauvin failed to
uphold his oath and he has tarnished and sullied the good work of so many
members of our law enforcement community!
I am very angry that for far too long Americans of color continue to be
traumatized by inequality and inequity and violence from a system that
desperately needs to change.
Our police department in St. Paul has made great strides in connecting to our
community that is made up of many different cultures, and this multicultural
community makes our city a wonderful place to live and work! Police Chief Todd
Axtell and his senior police leadership team have been very proactive in making
these community connections!
When the looting subsides and the fires have died down and we take the boards
off the windows, St. Paul, the state and the country as a whole, will need lots
of healing. Perhaps St. Paul can lead the way for our nation as it has so many
times in the past in this healing process and rebuilding community trust in law
enforcement and to promote real change to a system that too often targets
people of color. I for one am willing to lead and work for this change, as we
will be a better and stronger community.
John Krenik
St. Paul, MN
PS A friend of mine also contributed to this post. We want a better St. Paul
and support those in our community who have lost so much!