HERO
-or-
NERO Caesar?
In 1997, Dennis Walaker was bolstered into the limelight as a defender of Fargo that eventually landed him into the mayors seat. As a resident of Fargo in 1997, I held the same regard for Dennis Walaker as many others.
Dennis Walaker was a city employee that served his community with distinction and was ultimately the reason why I voted for him.
Fast forward to present day. Dennis Walaker and the entourage stumbling over themselves to remain in the favor of his “my way or the highway” persona may be the political demise for the Fargo mayor.
Mayor Walaker’s recent comment:
“If it fails, I don’t think any of you want to go on the front page of the Forum as I point fingers at the people who stopped this project. That’s a warning as far as I’m concerned,” – Mayor Dennis Walaker, Fargo, ND
The mere inference that mayor Walaker can dictate front page content of Fargo Forum speaks volumes about an ability to co-opt critical components to push an agenda.
Is this really Fargo’s “hero” or Fargo’s modern day version of “Nero Caesar”?
Aside from the fact that the United States is in the midst of an economic crisis and may never get funding, the misnomer of the Locally Preferred Project (LPP) isn’t the correct solution for Fargo Moorhead for a multitude of reasons. Not the least of which being the 2 billion dollar plus project, that has a 99.98% chance of never being utilized to its full potential, which won’t fully protect Fargo, according the the Corps of Engineers.
It seems strangely coincidental that Nero Caesar attempted to have a canal dug at the Isthmus of Corinth. Which, according to ancient historians, helped exacerbate a drain on the State’s budget.
Despite the chest beating, self aggrandizing comments and sentiments from Dennis Walaker, Darrel Vanyo, Tim Mahoney, USACE Col Price and the Fargo Forum towards opponents ( the real stakeholders ), that stand to lose their homes and/or lively-hoods have a constitutional right to defend their interests without the fear of being harassed or terrorized by a public servant and his entourage that appear obsessed with crafting a deficient Swan Song at taxpayer and landowner expense.
No warning…, just a direct message to you Mayor Dennis Walaker.
Your lack of civilized empathy and recent coercive attempt at the State of the Cities event to incite contempt towards the true stakeholders and victims of the Fargo Moorhead Dam and Diversion is shameful. You’ve personally destroyed the respect that I once held for you by your actions, deeds and comments. You’ve not had the decency to personally face the people you intend to force from their homes and lively-hoods and look them in the eye, yet you continue to pander to a dwindling number of supporters that are realizing the magnitude of devastation, economic and socially, that your proposed Fargo Moorhead Dam and Diversion poses. It would be beneficial, for the sake of justice, that you never serve as a juror in a rape trial. It appears that you’d blame the rape victim for being raped. Where would be the justice in that?
Marcus Larson
Hickson, ND
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