Remember the Fourth of July: Easy on the Fireworks
July 4, 2015If there’s one thing I think we all can associate with Independence Day, it’s a week’s worth of loud explosions around the neighborhood. Forget the time of day, it’s always fireworks time when the Fourth of July approaches. Like a lot of guys, I grew up with fireworks. My brother and I had a bagful of firecrackers in our room for years. We always bought Roman candles and assorted other sparklers around the 4th and New Year’s Eve, the other big occasion for fireworks.
My reading of American history makes me feel now like this was a poor way to celebrate such a serious holiday. I doubt there were a lot of Roman candles, let alone firecrackers, going off outside Independence Hall on July 4, 1776. We had just told the most powerful nation on earth where to get off. We had no way of knowing if we could defeat the British. The noise thundered across the battlefield. Despite a string of losses (if generals were scored by their wins and losses George Washington would have a losing record) we were able to hold on and win our independence. It’s that perseverance that we celebrate every July 4th. The noise is strictly a side effect of this nationwide party.
Maybe this is my “get off my lawn” moment but I listen to the neighborhood fireworks this week (you know, the ones that set off those useless car alarms) and wonder what the appeal is. From a tired old correspondent, a plea: go to the nearest fireworks display near you. Don’t bring it home.
– Louis Burklow (aka, Hollywood Country Boy), Senior Staff Writer, Phoenix Genesis
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