Welcome to Earf!
Every year, around this time, I get the same offer; "Ay man, we're gonna go buy some fireworks and shoot 'em off! I got some shit today, we're gonna make fuckin' bottle rockets and shit and whoo dang! Git 'r done!" to which I usually accept being that I have nothing better to do. This year I realize that I do have something better:
Nothing.
Doing nothing is better than what I consider the most dangerous, jingoist, and offensive manner for which people celebrate their "patriotism." As we all know, blowing shit up is as American as apple pie - so I can only imagine how many apple pies will explode within the next week. It's safe to say that the majority of Americans who don't exercise their right to vote do so by purchasing the "Black Mamba" or the even more telling "Fuck Osama" firework brands and set them off outside their homes. Despite my having problems with the voting system and knowing that when I go to the ballots I am voting for a biased two-party Catch-22, setting off fireworks is like electing yourself as being asshole of the year.
Having three dogs, July 4th is, every year, without fail, a nightmare. Especially now with a new puppy, we cannot expect to have a decent night's sleep nor a clean carpet during this "patriotic celebration." This wouldn't be so much a problem if Independence Day wasn't an all week/month event. Just a few weeks back we had some rotten kid neighbors purposefully harass our puppy by setting off fireworks just as she neared during a walk. Their parents' response? "Come closer and we'll do it again! It's our right!" Needless to say, the police were'nt as passive given that excuse.
This isn't a matter about our rights to celebrate our freedoms, it's about consideration. If there were a day in which all garage bands were encouraged to play covers of Rush songs as loud as they could and continued throughout the week, I don't think a single person would allow that, yet fireworks (which are, believe it or not, more dangerous) are ignored. Therefore, I can without regret say that I hope enough children have their hands blown off this year in Florida so that fireworks may be banned.
Happy Fourth!
Alex
Nothing.
Doing nothing is better than what I consider the most dangerous, jingoist, and offensive manner for which people celebrate their "patriotism." As we all know, blowing shit up is as American as apple pie - so I can only imagine how many apple pies will explode within the next week. It's safe to say that the majority of Americans who don't exercise their right to vote do so by purchasing the "Black Mamba" or the even more telling "Fuck Osama" firework brands and set them off outside their homes. Despite my having problems with the voting system and knowing that when I go to the ballots I am voting for a biased two-party Catch-22, setting off fireworks is like electing yourself as being asshole of the year.
Having three dogs, July 4th is, every year, without fail, a nightmare. Especially now with a new puppy, we cannot expect to have a decent night's sleep nor a clean carpet during this "patriotic celebration." This wouldn't be so much a problem if Independence Day wasn't an all week/month event. Just a few weeks back we had some rotten kid neighbors purposefully harass our puppy by setting off fireworks just as she neared during a walk. Their parents' response? "Come closer and we'll do it again! It's our right!" Needless to say, the police were'nt as passive given that excuse.
This isn't a matter about our rights to celebrate our freedoms, it's about consideration. If there were a day in which all garage bands were encouraged to play covers of Rush songs as loud as they could and continued throughout the week, I don't think a single person would allow that, yet fireworks (which are, believe it or not, more dangerous) are ignored. Therefore, I can without regret say that I hope enough children have their hands blown off this year in Florida so that fireworks may be banned.
Happy Fourth!
Alex