Letter to the Editor: Parade float

(The following Letter to the Editor was submitted by Cliff Carey of Decorah):

I and many other people of course were upset that the vehicle with the terrible banner and trailer with the cage on it was allowed in the Nordic Fest Parade.
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I concur totally with Jim Dale's letter and cannot accept any of Gary Rustad's excuses (it slipped past, or the banner wasn't attached prior to the parade, or I didn't notice it, or It came late)..

The white SUV photo (with the banner already attached) was taken while the parade was getting into position at the Fairgrounds, so it couldn't have arrived too late! I know from experience there are parade staffers in the area checking in units.

Also the fact that Rustad was following the vehicle when Jim Dale made his complaint means there was ample time to stop and remove the unit from the parade, but Rustad failed to act.

There were sixteen clients from the Des Moines area who rented our Roundhouse Retreat for five nights just to attend the Fest for the first time. They were at the parade and after seeing the banner they were very disturbed and questioned as to how and why that type of thing could be allowed. They were not happy and thought it cast a dark shadow on what was supposed to be a festive parade. I'm guessing other visitors took the same dim view.