Blowing Up Over Fireworks

This appeared in the "Sidewalk Series " column in today's Moscow-Pullman Daily News:

Joseph Williams thinks restricting fireworks on the Fourth of July should be unconstitutional.

Setting off fireworks is “celebrating our independence,” he said.

“The booms are symbolic of the cannons... of the fighting back then. That boom, from every firework, is a reminder of what we’ve been through and overcome as a country,” the 26-year-old Pullman resident said.

I was in the Dissmores parking lot yesterday buying some fireworks from Palousitics contributor Ray Lindquist. Ray and I said pretty the same thing as Mr. Williams as we discussed the new Pullman fireworks ordinances in effect this year limiting the sale of fireworks to four days and restricting the discharge of fireworks to only July 3rd and 4th.

Ray said he saw three types of people against fireworks:

1. The statist nannies of our "Safety Culture" that want to ensure every citizen is protected by the government from him- or herself.
2. The animal lovers who complain the noise terrifies their poor little French Poodle.
3. The "Hate-America-First" crowd who wonder how we could possibly be celebrating while the U.S. is raping and pillaging Iraq, like this moonbat.

In my opinion, limiting the hours of fireworks discharge has only had the effect of making those hours that much more intense. Last night as I was out walking, it sounded like a Civil War reenactment.

If fireworks sales are ultimately banned, then people will be driven to go get illegal fireworks from the reservation that are even more dangerous. Remember Prohibition? If people want something bad enough, they'll find a way to get it.

It's a shame that the actions of a few have to ruin the fun for the 99.9% of the rest of us.

So go out this afternoon and pay Ray a visit at TNT Fireworks. Celebrate your "independence" while you still can.