The Fourth

Well it's that time of year again. My least favorite holiday. For those who don't know I completed my BA in History in 2004. So it's not like I don't understand and appreciate the meaning for the holiday. I am a conservative thus I understand patriotism, loyalty and sacrifice. What I don't understand is communities, counties, states and federal governments willingness, especially in light of the terrorist agenda, to put explosives in the hands of people who have a hard time deciding what side of the bed to get out of in the morning.

I guess it's not surprising. We allow them to get married without any impediment besides (in some states) a blood test. They are also entitled to breed indiscriminately without any kind of training at all. Unlike getting a drivers license, no evidence of common sense, skill or intelligence is required. Allowing these people to purchase fireworks is on the same level of stupidity, only the results are immediately disastrous instead of cumulative.

I guess having a father-in-law who was a volunteer fireman (back in the day) who spent the Fourth ferrying people to the hospital who had lost hands, feet, eyes, and suffered severe and extensive burns not to mention those who did not survive made him slightly strident on the subject. Then there were the house fires with their attendant loss of life and property that put the cap on it for him and his family. In my case I think of all that money spent simply to go up in smoke. If people are so willing to throw their money away I wish they'd throw it my way.

Don't get me wrong I love fireworks. I have had some of my best times watching fireworks. However it is comforting to me that the people in charge of large scale fireworks are trained and experienced in pyrotechnics. It's their job and they won't be in business long if they aren't safe. So I can enjoy and appreciate without a debilitating fear for my life and property.

I realize that my opinions do not mirror others in my community and that everyone is FREE here in the U S to make all manner of questionable decisions. I would not stop them from doing so, unless their doing so impacts on my freedoms. So if you are a fireworks fancier do your neighbors a favor.  Don't do them near their house and property and please, please, please don't do them all night long. Not everyone sleeps like the dead (especially the elderly and babies).

Of course if you did those things I probably would have a lot less angst about this whole subject, but then I'd have nothing to complain about. After all I am female  and everyone one knows we love to complain and bellyache.  It's what we do, right Frank.