I was trying to work up some righteous indignation about Michigan’s fireworks laws and the decision in 2011 to allow in-state sales of the loud, semi-dangerous variety. Maybe it was being awoken at 1 a.m. Tuesday by somebody’s sudden need to express their patriotism very close to my bedroom window. Maybe it’s the messes left in the park and cemetery next to my house by people who apparently don’t like to explode things on their own property. Maybe I’ve begun my official decent into grumpy old manhood. I dunno. It’s hard to tell — I’m still kinda sleep deprived.
Whatever the case, I couldn’t seem to sustain a good righteousness or indignation. Truth is, I’ve done my fair share of setting off “Chinese explosives of questionable legality.” Not recently, but certainly in younger days. (I bonded with my eventual brothers-in-law by repeatedly strapping a hapless plastic army soldier we called Fritz to bottle rockets.) And fireworks are only the surface of a very deep pile of stupid things I’ve done.
I think that’s the thought that stopped me: We live in a free country, but freedom doesn’t necessarily align with smart.
So I wish you all a happy and safe Independence Day! We are all free to decide our own level of stupid (but let’s try to keep it to a minimum).
John Auchter draws cartoons. Lots and lots of them. You can find them at his incredibly popular website auchtoon.com.
Seriously?! We’re you rushed? I expected more writing and views on this one. Such as having manners and a sense of decent timing whilst being stupid! Happy Independence Day!
Too absolutely funny!!
My view…follow the law. Pretty specific as to which days, time to desist. Always someone who thinks its not meant for them. This could be repealed if enough people get tired of fires, noise,
I live on 47 acre Kearsley Park, when we had to purchase fireworks in Ohio or Indiana people mainly kept it to one weekend and lit them off in the park rather than all hours of the day in the neighborhood at their homes. Amazing part it is now much quieter here on the weekends, go figure.
When they were illegal the trash aspect of it didn’t bother me, you couldn’t expect people (including myself) to go down the hill into the firing zone at night to clean up their debris. I used to walk my dog in the park the next morning and fill a large trash bag then drop it in the dumpster by the pavilion, (or next to a full dumpster), then fill another one as I meandered my way home.
The old law was rarely enforced and never made sense, the problem with local sales and ease of access to fireworks is many people using them have no experience or concept of courtesy and respect. Maybe we should make people take a fireworks safety class before allowing them to purchase them, as a kid we used to have to have a bicycle safety sticker,…