WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND
By Scott Hennen
Host of “What’s On Your Mind?” Radio Show heard on KTGO-1090AM and KFYR-550AM
Co-owner of Flag Family Media and the McKenzie County Farmer
There are heroes among us. Every second of every day these heroes are protecting us. They never know when they might stare down an evil, sick monster that has no regard for human life. That’s just what happened on a recent summer Friday afternoon in July, in Fargo, North Dakota. An evil madman, Mohamad Barakat of Fargo, a Syrian refugee who was granted asylum to leave war torn Syria in 2011, unleashed a torrent of gunfire. We opened our arms and welcomed someone fleeing evil. And the thanks we get for that is evil. Barakat murdered 23 year-old Fargo Police Officer Jake Wallin, who was laid to rest on Saturday. Leaving his family, fellow officers and a whole lot of tearful citizens to mourn his loss. What was Officer Wallin destined to do? What was stolen from us? A hero!
Fargo Police Chief David Zibolski shared a story with me from Jake’s family. “They recognize that this is something that he wanted to do. He wanted to have meaning and purpose in his life.” Zibolski added, “In one of the conversations I had with Jake’s dad, he told me, ‘If I said, Jake, you know, you are gonna get shot tomorrow, he would have went to work anyway.’” Let that sink in a while. That is courage and character and yes, heroism. And it’s exactly what we need to defend us in this crazy world.