To this day I don’t know who that man was but I’m glad I didn’t shoot him.
by Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator
Glenn Mollette
The recent murder of Minnesota state Representative Melissa Horton and her husband Mark has dropped jaws across the country. The couple was gunned down in their home by someone masquerading as a police officer. Obviously, he was able to fool them long enough to kill them. Moments before and only five miles away he had visited the home of Minnesota state Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette shooting them multiple times, most likely thinking he was leaving them for dead. At this writing they are expected to survive.
Such an intrusion scares citizens because criminals copy the acts of other criminals. How do we know if a legitimate policer officer is knocking on our door whether it’s the middle of the night or the middle of the day?
Two officers should make the visit and announce themselves as police loud and clear. They should clearly state the reason for the visit before entering a home. Flashlights or outside lighting should be on to help with visibility and identification. Uniforms should be visible with badges and IDs. The knock pattern should be a firm knock or doorbell press then they should announce themselves as police again. There should be a 30 second to one minute wait for a response from the resident before knocking or ringing the doorbell again. For a search warrant, the warrant should be shown before entry. Your local sheriff or city chief of police may have a different protocol and it needs to be made known.
Unfortunately, this still doesn’t keep a criminal from copying the protocol to achieve their criminal endeavor.
I believe 99 percent of Americans are good law-abiding people. However, no one wants to be caught off guard by a criminal invasion. Representative Horton would not have wanted to mistakenly shoot a real policer officer who might have been doing his job to protect her. Sadly, the man was there to kill she and her husband. He succeeded. This is why door knocking after dusk is a bad idea unless you have a pre-arranged appointment and everyone knows who everyone is and the reason for the visit.
When I was 12 years old, I was home alone while my parents were at church. About eight o’clock it was pitch black with darkness and a man started knocking on our front door. He then went to the back door and started knocking. He then came back to the front door and continued pounding the door. I was terrified. I didn’t know who it could be. I loaded our 12-gauge shotgun and aimed it at the front door in fear he would soon be coming through.
Like a fool, I opened the door but knew the outer storm door was locked. I had the shot gun close by. The man asked if my dad was home to which I replied, “No. he’s gone to church.” The man then inquired if my father still had hogs for sale to which I replied, “Yes, but you’ll need to speak to him about that.” The man said he would come back later. To this day I don’t know who that man was but I’m glad I didn’t shoot him. It’s too bad Representative Horton or Senator Hoffman didn’t shoot the man knocking on their door in the middle of the night.
Knocking on doors at night is a bad idea.
About the author ~
Glen Mollett is the author of 13 books including Uncommom Sense, the Spiritual Chocolate series, Grandpa's Store, Minister's Guidebook insights from a fellow minister. His column is published weekly in over 600 publications in all 50 states.
The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily representative of any other group or organization. We welcome comments and views from our readers. Submit your letters to the editor or commentary on a current event 24/7 to editor@oursentinel.com.
Over 3,000 people joined a peaceful protest in Urbana against Trump’s policies and rising authoritarianism. Here are 27 photos from Saturday's rally.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Protestors shout and cheer from the corner of Broadway and Main Street in Urbana at the "No Kings" rally on Saturday. More than 3,000 people were on hand to support and express their opinion on the president's policies and his administration's inhumane immigration policies. URBANA — More than 3,000 people gathered in downtown Urbana on Sunday for a peaceful protest against former President Donald Trump’s policies and what organizers called a growing threat of authoritarianism in the United States. Many participants said they came not just to protest Trump’s immigration policies but also to stand up for democracy, civil rights, and free speech. Organizers and attendees stressed that these issues affect everyone — and that standing together is more important than ever.
The protest, part of a national movement known as “No Kings,” was one of over 2,000 events held across the country and around the world. Similar rallies took place in large cities like New York and Chicago, and in smaller towns across Illinois, including Bloomington, Peoria, and Macomb. The event was co-sponsored by the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) of Central Illinois, Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center, 50501 Movement of Illinois and Mahomet Persisterhood.
The Urbana protest started at 4 p.m. with a packed rally outside the Champaign County Courthouse and people standing along Main Street. There were a wide variety of flags throughout the assembly, including Pride, Ukrainian, Palestinian, Mexican, and American flags. Exercising their First Amendment right, protestors carried or held up signs, many clever and a few others not so family friendly, displaying clear messages against Trump and his efforts to concentrate power in the presidency.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
A young woman wearing a crown waves the Mexican flag while standing on the median on Main St. with other protestors. The second most-popular flag behind the Stars & Stripes, flags from Ukraine and Palestine were also carried by demonstrators.
While many sought refuge from the hot sun in the cooler shade of the courthouse shadow, local leaders spoke to the crowd, including Urbana Mayor DeShawn Williams, Mica Light of the Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center, and Ricardo Diaz of the Champaign-Urbana Immigration Forum. They called for unity, equal rights, and more support for immigrants and working families.
The protest was a block party with a purpose. As protestors made their way through the crowd, there was no shortage of handshakes, hugs and comforting smiles exchanged between friends and acquaintances. One thoughtful woman pulled a foldable wagon filled with bottled water, handing bottles to anyone who needed one under the hot June sun.
After about 45 minutes of speeches and chants, the crowd began an impromptu march through downtown Urbana. Volunteers in yellow vests helped guide people safely through the streets using bikes, cars, and foot patrols. The march moved along Main Street, turned onto Race Street and University Avenue, then circled back to Vine Street and returned to the courthouse. Protestors began leaving the area around 6:30 p.m.
The turnout was conservatively more than five times larger than the “Hands Off!” rally held in West Side Park this past April. Despite the large crowd, there was no visible police presence, and the event remained calm and respectful throughout.
“Somewhere around 3,000 people turned out at the courthouse as part of a larger movement rejecting authoritarianism and the president’s attempted consolidation of power into the executive branch," Jeff Dougan, an organizer for Champaign county’s chapter of Indivisible, a progressive network organizing for democracy, said. "We the people have rejected a king once before, and were uniting our voices today to say ‘not again.’ We’re so grateful for the community showing up in unity.”
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
An estimated of more than 3,000 demonstrators of all ages and backgrounds crowded the sidewalk on both sides of the street between Vine and Main Street at Saturday's rally.
Saturday marked the largest rally since the record-breaking Women’s March in 2017, when President Trump began his first term in office. Organizers with 505051 estimated that nationwide protests drew more than 5 million Americans on the day of the president’s 79th birthday. There were 51 “No Kings” protests planned across Illinois. From Rockford to Carbondale, the majority of the rallies - 26 in total - were held in cities and communities outside the Chicago metro area. Chicago hosted three separate events in different parts of the city.
Some notable examples of estimated turnout in major cities include:
Los Angeles: Over 200,000
Philadelphia: 80,000
Seattle: 70,000
Chicago: 75,000
New York City: Over 50,000
Ezra Levin, co-founder and co-executive director of the nonprofit Indivisible, another No Kings coordinator, told NPR the atmosphere at the event was joyful. "Today what I saw was a boisterous, peaceful display of First Amendment rights," he said.
