Pubdate: Fri, 01 Oct 1999 Source: Charlotte Observer (NC) Copyright: 1999 The Charlotte Observer Contact: http://www.charlotte.com/observer/ Author: Patrick Sweeney(Knight Ridder) VENTURA'S VIEWS DRAW FIRE IN MINN. Calls For Resignation Follow Playboy Article (St Paul, MN)-- In a storm of angry reaction, state political leaders and many average citizens rebuked Gov. Jesse Ventura on Thursday for his remarks in a Playboy magazine interview. Senate Majority Leader Roger Moe called on Ventura to apologize to Minnesotans for his comments about religion and sexual harassment, and the head of the state Republican Party said the governor should consider resigning. "I can less and less take him seriously," said Tom Duke, executive director of the St. Paul Area Council of Churches and one of many church leaders who spoke out against Ventura's comments. "And it's unfortunate that he undermines his own leadership." Ordinary Minnesotans -- including some who voted for Ventura last fall - -- also criticized the statements Ventura made in a long interview in the November issue of Playboy magazine. Marc Peters, a machinist from Savage who voted for Ventura, said he was fed up with the governor. "I'm a Catholic and I don't appreciate it at all," Peters said of Ventura's statement in Playboy that organized religion is a "sham and a crutch for weak-minded people." Another Ventura voter, Colleen Hauser of Burnsville, said: "I thought Jesse was going to be kind of a breath of fresh air, and some of the things he's doing are way out of line." Hauser, an apartment-complex manager, said she was particularly offended by an offhand comment by Ventura that if he were reincarnated he would want to come back as a brassiere. "I thought it was vulgar," Hauser said. "I'm a woman, and I don't appreciate that kind of comment." In the Playboy interview, Ventura said he has smoked marijuana and sees nothing wrong with that. He also said no one should be imprisoned for either prostitution or drug offenses. In an attempt at damage control, Ventura late Thursday afternoon issued a public letter to religious leaders. "While organized religion has not been a major influence on my adult life, I respect the beliefs and choices of others, including my close family members," he wrote. Ventura said he has no plans to apologize to anyone for anything he said in the interview. "I did the interview, and I said what I said in it," he said. "If people don't understand what I meant, I'm not going to apologize for it." Moe said none of Ventura's explanations Thursday changed Moe's conclusion that the governor owes an apology to the people of Minnesota. - --- MAP posted-by: manemez j lovitto