I'm sorry I may have started your house on fire.
Pat Powers over at the South Dakota War College went on a rant about Brookings not allowing any fireworks to be discharged within the city limits. He doesn't feel very independent without fireworks. I don't think any part of the Declaration of Independence refers to the freedom to spend a lot of money to make loud noises and watch sparkles. I agree with Jason Folkert's cartoon, Independence Day, like Memorial Day and Veteran's Day have lost their meaning. It is now about how much can you outspend your lake home neighbors on fireworks.
Pat stated that he just might have to ask a city official why the ban was enacted. Hey I'm a city official and I'll answer. First of all it would take a lot of research (or a call to Chuck Cecil) to find out why it was done many years ago. So I'll work through my thoughts on it. Fireworks are on fire. Fire isn't always controllable. Shooting something on fire into the air (hopefully it doesn't just fly sideways) in a neighborhood means it could hit someone or a neighbor's house. One of my fondest fireworks memory was watching my grandfather knocking on the neighbors door and explaining that a rocket he shot off has landed on their roof and was still burning.
Tim Reed
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Reader Comments (4)
That's why.
The ban on sparklers makes as much sense as the ban on cell phones at gas pumps (which has been long proven as an urban legend).
"It [Independence Day] ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shows, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more."
Actually, illuminations may very well be fireworks in 17th century speak. Right wingers will no doubt claim this shows the original intent of the founders was for Brookings residents to discharge weapons and build giant fires in their backyards. Of course Adams was also talking about July 2nd (the day independence was voted for, it took a couple days to draft the document) so I trust they will actually advocate changing the date as well. If they'd pushed for it this year we could have had a three day weekend so they might have had a chance to get it changed.
It annoys me that I often get funny looks when I call it "Independence Day" . "You mean the 4th??" Duuuh....