Anyone seeing the video of George Floyd dying on the streets of
Minneapolis at the hands of the police has the right to be outraged. His death
was everyone’s loss.
I also take issue with those hijacking protests in his name to loot,
vandalize and commit arson. For whatever reason, the protests spilled over to
the Midway neighborhood of St. Paul. More than 170 businesses in that city were
looted, damaged, and/or burned to the ground. Such businesses set on fire included:
- Lloyd’s Pharmacy on Snelling Avenue – a store that served the Midway area and senior citizens for close to 50 years
- Big Top Liquors – A store that survived many changes in the area
- Footlocker – Looted entirely before burned to the ground
- Sports Dome – Business opened approximately ten years ago unique to University Avenue.
- Springboard for the Arts – On University Avenue close to the State Capitol
- Bole Ethiopian Cuisine – Owned and operated by an immigrant from Bole, Ethiopia
Wonderful establishments such as Axman Surplus and The Turf Club also
sustained substantial damage.A friend of mine, living in the Midway area with his wife and three
daughters for twenty years, said the following: “My neighborhood is gone.”
For those who believe they can justify such violence, there is no use
in speaking to me about it. Changing my opinion on the matter will not change
the circumstances. Preach it to the young Ethiopian woman whose dream, livelihood
and years of effort to open a restaurant on University Avenue just went up in
flames. But I truly hope nobody has the conceit to convey such a message to her.
Let’s honor the memory and legacy of George Floyd by protesting in his
name peacefully and with dignity.
May 30, 2020
© Robert S. Miller 2020
