[EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is a Letter to the Editor, submitted by a verified resident. It does not necessarily reflect the opinions of South King Media, nor its staff:]

Ever since the arrest of Ethan Nordean, the Des Moines City Council has maintained a blatant attitude of…silence. There has been no hue and cry over a restaurant owned by the parents of this man, while Nordean is now on trial for seditious conspiracy, nor has there been any suggestion that the license for said restaurant could be rescinded on the basis of the overt racism and misogyny of the ownership, not to mention the son participating in an insurrection against the United States and Congress. While the family should not be tarred with the same brush as the son, Nordean’s mother has been, as stated in an earlier NY Times article, a virulent supporter of The Big Lie.

Is this lack of a stand, and therefore complicity in said racism and misogyny, how the City Council (and the City Manager) wants to be known? Is that how White you are in Des Moines? If so, it is a tragedy for the many immigrant and American people of color in Des Moines, who have no one who speaks for them on the City Council.

With the exception of Gene Achziger, who had not yet been elected to the City Council at the time of Nordean’s indictment, the rest of you are a sorry lot.

– Lorie Lucky

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7 replies on “LETTER: ‘Des Moines City Council has maintained a blatant attitude of…silence’”

  1. Lorie, what an interesting web of conspiracy you have woven. Please site the city ordinance or codes that would enable the city of Des Moines to rescind a restaurant’s business license for the reasons you have cited. I guess it might feed your angry soul if the city council made a “righteous posturing” statement? The people of the area will vote with their pocket books if they want the restaurant to go out of business. Perhaps you should ponder this proverb: “Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?”

  2. Lorie,
    Please get your facts straight. Gene and I were elected to the council at the same time. So neither Gene nor I were on the council at the time of Nordean’s
    indictment.
    There is no legal basis for the city to take action against Wally’s and any actions would have profound First Amendment concerns. Your desire to have the city do “something” is unfounded.
    You are welcome to spend your dollars somewhere else and that is the choice of people who are concerned, like myself, about the connection to the Proud Boys.
    Harry S. Steinmetz,
    Des Moines City Council
    Position 1

  3. Lorie, are you crazy? or just a liberal? I have never read such a stupid letter in my whole life! A city cannot run on virtue signaling…well they can, look at Seattle and the sh*t show it is because of it. Perhaps you should move there.

  4. Lorie
    What a blatant assault on all the good people that work at Wally’s. Are you that oblivious that the Wally’s employees work and live in our community and depend on Wally’s for their livelihood, some are of color also. You are an arrogant selfish person to think that it’s ok to destroy these employees’ livelihoods. Mr. Nordean and his wife have disavowed their son and removed him from the family business years ago when this came to light. You have no idea what Mr. Nordean background is and what he has done for the betterment of the community. I’m sure that Wally’s pays a great amount in taxes to the city via sales and B/O tax that goes to support our community. I’m also sure that Wally’s contributed funds to the city plan on updating the allyway next to Wally’s. If you want Wally’s to shut down then start a business to compete with Wally’s and hire all the employees that work at Wally’s to show that you are putting your money where your BIG mouth is.

  6. 1. It’s not the city’s role where no crime was committed. 2. While I personally find the wife’s personal statements and values repugnant and offensive, as well as the son, I fault the citizens of Des Moines, who keep the volume on this so high, but do nothing. The business is always busy and the waiting crowds appear diverse, however, to this day, I have yet to see a single protest. As citizens, we vote with our dollars and our presence. Sorry to turn the mirror around but put up or move on. You either care enough to organize or you’re just lazy.

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