I find this article to be not only sexist, but rather unfair to the many people who every year are able to enjoy personal fireworks safely and without any potential problems.  There are plenty of us who use proper protocol when handling such things.

Can we still fire our guns in the air?

It does't matter if you ban fireworks or not because the problem will still continue.  People are going to find them somewhere.  Drugs, automatic weapons and other things that are "banned" are still around and people still use them.  People misuse vehicles all the time by speeding or driving drunk.  Are you going to ban vehicles too?  The Fourth of July only happens once a year and I don't have much sympathy for the fire department when other public safety departments have to deal with stupidity every day.

There is no cure for stupidity and there is no pill for common sense.

NINE:  if fireworks are banned then whoever shoots them off at home is going to be seen immediately!!!!!  duhhh!

What makes you think the fire dept. doesn't have to deal with stupid every day?  Kids with matches, kids drowning in home pools, people shooting off fireworks catching someones home on fire (and it isn't just the 4th!!), someone having a heart attack/stroke, house fires deliberate or accidental.  I think the cops have a better chance dodging bullets then the firemen do dodging a roof falling in on them all on fire.

I can't agree with a total ban on fireworks.  I enjoy lighting fireworks in a "safe and sane" manner.  Plus, there's those charities that use fireworks sales as a fundraiser.  You don't think they won't want some of that Kern County money (yeah, I mean a lawsuit) if fireworks are banned?  As for the tweaking of fireworks, those rules will never be able to be fully enforced due to lack of manpower in the fire and police departments.  As for the illegal fireworks, such as bottle rockets, all the state needs to do is stop every vehicle that comes across each border crossing into California (including the Mexican border-well ok I guess that's the Feds' responsibility) and search for illegal fireworks and anything else that is illegal and take the contraband away.  I believe they have checkpoints at all (or at least most) highway border crossings already. 
 

I've lived in a county where fireworks were banned due to wildfire risk. I can't say the 4th was any less enjoyable because of it. The city threw a day-long party in the park followed by fireworks. The show was quite impressive given that it was a city of only about 50,000 people. You also had several larger cities within driving distance if you wanted a larger show. Nonprofits had to raise their money in other ways, but they seemed to make do.

All-in-all, it was actually far less stressful because I didn't have to putter around the yard for the week beforehand finding any dead greenery that needed to be cleaned up and soak down the yard in the early evening of the 4th like I have to do here. I just had to get myself over to the park or a nearby parking garage to watch the city's display.

" sagefever on Jul 6, 2008 at 01:13 PM <Edit><Delete>

 

This is just 2 min. of the Macy's show  http://www.youtube.com/watc...

I watched the Capitol show,then this and then the Boston show....they make fireworks that look like 3-D boxes,stars..pretty amazing stuff. For a ban to work we need bigger and better shows,with more venues available. Riverwalks seems like a great spot for public fireworks. Come up with a decent alternative,besides being the "enemy of fun" (LOL) and you might get more folks on board.

P.S. I watched,I think it was channel 23,asking folks why we celebrate the 4th as they were buying safe and sane fireworks~ all 3 got it wrong.Really wrong. "

I posted this weeks ago on Lois's blog about the subject,scary ! An out right ban will never work,but a really good show might help.Seven Oaks would have to step it up a notch or 3.

Witters~ by my house for the last 30+ years 3 separate individuals have shot the fairly big burst type of fireworks into the air. No one has been caught in all that time.

BRYAN:  Believe it or not there are check points - but when I have come through on my way back from San Diego, there is very rarely any officers even there - AM or PM!!! When there have been officers there, they just wave everybody through!  About the only people/vehicles they check are the truckers. Bloody hell! they can't stope the illegals from crossing how are they going to stop anything else!!!

SAGE:  That is probably because: 1) they aren't the only ones; 2) nobody has the guts to turn them in and/or take pictures.  I have turned in the people behind me 2-3 times as they tend to shoot off stuff ALL YEAR ROUND! The cops have come out and have spoken to them - they lay low for quite awhile then try again - I call again!! They don't do it so much anymore!!!

Marylee: It's probably too late but if you had a social conscience and wanted to help make a better world, you should have begged your brother in law to please, please, not reproduce himself.

Guys and their innate and uncontrollable urge to tweak and toy with fireworks.

You need a cosmetic surgeon to tweak and toy with that mug of yours.

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Banning fireworks is not going to solve the problem.  Ventura tried it and what ended up happening was neighborhoods chipping in to send someone to Mexico or here to buy fireworks.  People who break the law now aren't going to be influenced by yet another law.  If passing legislation worked, then you wouldn't have illegal fireworks that find their way into Kern County.  Furthermore, why should lawful, careful people be punished for the acts of people who will continue to break the law no matter how many restrictions you place on fireworks?

I very seldom disagree with you, possummomma, but in this instance I must take exception. Legislation for a variety of public health standards and policies has been successful in making a marked difference in behavior on the population. People who ride motorcycles were infuriated at legislation which forced them to wear helmets in an effort to cut down on head injuries suffered in accidents. The law worked. I can point to other safety measures introduced to modify behavior, like seat and shoulder belts that must be worn, or infant car seats that are also now required to be used whenever a child is driven in a motor vehicle. These laws have worked to cut down on needless injuries when accidents occur. That there are still knuckleheaded individuals who refuse to comply with these laws does not mean that these laws did not work.

I am surprised that you ignore the repeated comments from local fire and police who always note that legal fireworks make the job of pinpointing illegal fireworks in a neighborhood so much more difficult. Yes, I'm sure that there will always be a few individuals who mistakenly believe that explosive devices are their God given right  to ignite at any place and at any time, but the vast majority of people will obey the law and find better ways to celebrate our Independence Day with friends and family.

You argument that there should be no laws because people who break them are not going to be influenced by them is  a ridiculous position to take if you really stop and think about it. I have always appreciated your reasoning capacity on these blog topics, but in this instance I think your emotional attachment to this fiery ritual has clouded your logical thought process.

I really appreciate the column Marylee Shrider wrote regarding this issue. She nailed the Tim "The-Tool-Guy" Allen's make-up in so many men who like to tinker with the gun powder.  Home Improvement was a  laugh riot characterizing the pratfalls of a normal male's tendency to make ill-thought changes on acceptable standard products with predictable but outrageous results. The results of explosive tinkering in real life are not so humorous when it affects people and critters you are near and dear to.

Actually, I hear that Rosedale is great place to watch illegal fireworks since a lot of cops live there.  Just sayin...

 I am surprised that you ignore the repeated comments from local fire and police who always note that legal fireworks make the job of pinpointing illegal fireworks in a neighborhood so much more difficult

Because, frankly, I don't think it's as difficult as they're letting on.  As I said in another post, there have been people we've called in because of illegal fireworks.  We've left an address.  They do it every year. And, every year...no cops drop by.  Every year, the fireman don't stop.  And, I'm talking fireworks that are undeniably illegal because they go up in the air with a thump and burst into sparkles and showers.  It's not hard to compare fireworks that stay on the ground and won't clear a fence (in height) to illegal fireworks.  If one can't tell the difference, then there is someting wrong.  And, as Tom says...the worst pyros are firemen and cops. 

You argument that there should be no laws because people who break them are not going to be influenced by them is  a ridiculous position to take if you really stop and think about it... I think your emotional attachment to this fiery ritual has clouded your logical thought process.

My "emotional attachment" of four sentences? :)  There are people with far more damaging rituals than fireworks, Adam.  You know that.  Does that mean we can start banning swimming in the river because a few people are idiotic and take stupid risks?  Does it mean we take driving entirely out of the picture because some people don't use car seats or seat belts?  Should we ban motorcycles because some don't where the helmet?  Those are the logically implied steps that come from your proposition.  Banning an activity is a lot different than hanging safety requirements on those same activities. 

Playing with fireworks is one of those "by God we have a right to do it" type things no matter how stupid it may be. Back in the 1970s I had never given much thought to the subject until I was on a railroad yard switch crew and working on the fourth we were supposed to pull a cut of cars out of a track and switch (sort them into different tracks) them out. The foreman saw a beautiful dalmation cowering under one of the cars scared out of her wits by all the fireworks popping and screeming nearby.

The job got delayed while the yardmaster kept calling to see what was taking us so long while we worked at coaxing the dog out from under those cars. Aside from the stink of all the smoke that left me with the impression this is something we could do without. Notions about people's "rights" not withstanding.