Sometimes I wonder. I think it’s the right of every American to celebrate our nation’s independence by blowing up a small chunk of it. I tend to favor freedom, and letting people suffer the consequences of their own stupidity. When I was a kid, maybe about 5th grade, a friend of mine got a hold of a bunch of fireworks, stuff you can’t buy today, like M-80s. I seem to recall tossing them lit into the lake and watching them explode underwater. I can also remember larger pyrotechnics like quarter sticks that my Uncle would bring back from South Carolina, where fun wasn’t illegal. But that was before that other Uncle’s CPSC decided he knew what was best for everyone, and banned all the really fun stuff. Why am I not surprised that the same folks who advocate restricting or banning guns for our own good also support banning or restricting fun for our own good? It’s a certain philosophy, and a certain type of person who has difficulty minding their own damned business and leaving other people to pursue happiness in their own way.
10 thoughts on “Anti-Gun or Anti-Fun? Something to Ponder This Independence Day”
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Iowans had the fireworks taken away “For the Children” before I was born. It’s to the point that one local city is more motivated to catch rogue celebrations than they seem to be about actual crime.
I have come to the conclusion that one’s attitude toward the sale and legality of firecrackers is the litmus test for that same person’s attitude toward all other matters of individual liberty. If someone has no problem with making the sale and possession of firecrackers illegal, for whatever reason, than I can pretty much guess that same persons attitude toward gun control, free speech or any other matter of individual liberty.
I remember one 4th back home in Michigan. Me and the Old Man were setting off bottle rockets in the backyard in broad daylight. We purchased them just across the border at Shelton’s in Fremont, Indiana. Our assault on the sky was interrupted by a local police officer. We complied with his questions and showed him our stash. He informed us that he would not confiscate our bottle rockets so long as we promised to not set them off again. It was quite obvious he was just going thru the motions and did not care about dumb Michigan law or local ordinance. We gave it about 30 minutes and the fun began all over again.
I’ve generally found fireworks laws weakly enforced by the local constabulary. I think there can be legitimate reasons to restrict fireworks, such as if there’s a fire hazard, but I don’t accept restricting them because they are dangerous.
About a decade ago I entertained the idea of recreating some mirth of childhood by blowing some shit up around the 4th. I searched high and low and finally ended up on the internet, where I found the law prohibited me from childhood things. The nanny thing has gone a bit far.
But this post would not be complete without someone pointing out that there are good times to ban the things. Like in the whole tinder-box known as Colorado Springs right now, or San Diego County most months of the year. It sucks, but when having a little fun can destroy 3000 homes…you gotta realize the wookie suits don’t let us burn down entire communities, even if we didn’t meant to do it.
But the rest of should have some fun. My friends in the Springs and San Diego can come on out and enjoy.
OK, thought of a 2A link-in:
Gun Controllers point to 19th-century rules in Boston that banned firearms from urban areas. The point of those laws was not to ban guns, per se, but to ban the combination of black powder in dense areas due to fire hazard. Keep i mind they were starting to use gas lamps at that time. Boom.
I’m working from memory, so if I got this wrong I’d appreciate a smart correction.
Patrick: “Like in the whole tinder-box known as Colorado Springs right now, or San Diego County most months of the year. It sucks, but when having a little fun can destroy 3000 homes…”
That should fall under regulating its use- not possession or sale.
I have always been amazed that California, with its asinine gun laws and perennial problems with wildfires (so that many ranges ban steel core bullets going downrange, sees firework stands pop up, like toadstools after a rainstorm, the week leading up to the 4th. I’d venture a guess that legal fireworks cause more problems than all of the bullet-buttoned ARs in the entire state. I’m not against fireworks, mind you. It does show that politicians can be reluctant to act against something that is popular with their constituents even if they themselves stare down their noses at it disparagingly.
“But the rest of should have some fun. My friends in the Springs and San Diego can come on out and enjoy.
I don’t know about today, but my son lived in San Diego for about a decade and reported he could buy positively huge fireworks across the border in Mexico. He imported some, and set off some down there. The Mexican constabulary had other issues to worry about.