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Around here, one hot topic is the mayor's decision to
cancel the traditional July 4 fireworks show from
Tenderfoot Hill (one quick way to mark yourself as a rank
outsider is to call it S Mountain
).
Citing high fire danger, he made the announcement before the first discernible rainfall of the millennium last Sunday. It's not that the city fireworks display presents any special fire danger, since the firemen put it on, and so they're right at hand with plenty of equipment if a hot spark ignites some of the weeds and brush on that side of the tracks.
But Mayor Jaime Lewis said it might set a bad example.
People might think well, if the city can set off
fireworks, then why can't I?
At first, I was appalled by his decision. Generally, the city puts on a pretty good fireworks show, and that reduces my temptation to break the law by acquiring and igniting missiles and explosives smuggled from other jurisdictions.
Other people probably feel the same way, and it seems to me that we're safer with one monitored fireworks show than with thousands of unmonitored skyrockets, roman candles, ladyfingers, silver salutes, M-80s and the like.
Further, Independence Day fireworks should be good for the local economy. If we have fireworks here, we're not as likely to venture to Westcliffe (great show mirrored over Lake DeWeese) or Gunnison (perhaps the best show in the mountains, but do dress warmly, since it can and does frost in July there). Thus more money stays in town, and tourists are more likely to come to Salida and stay for a while, supporting our restaurants and motels, if it has fireworks.
Finally, a friend recently pointed out another benefit from the fireworks. At the recent 50th birthday party of a woman who probably prefers to remain unnamed on that account, some of us were discussing the means of preventing the unwanted photon bombardment of our property.
My pellet gun is real quiet, and it used to work
pretty well on those street and yard lights,
this
friend explained. But some of the new lights have Lexan
shields, and the pellets don't work any more. Now I have
to use my .22 rifle.
But doesn't the noise from the gun attract some
unwanted attention from the constabulary?
I asked.
I just wait until the Fourth, and shoot them out
during the fireworks,
he explained. There are so
many bangs and pops then that nobody notices me protecting
my property from trespassing light.
We wondered why, in a state with a legislature which
devoutly protects certain property rights -- mostly those
of developers and subdividers -- no one had bothered to
protect an ordinary citizen's right not to have his
property illuminated after sundown. If there's a make
my day
law, why isn't there a save my night
law?
All these considerations made me want to corner the mayor and give him an earful the next time I saw him wheeling down the street, but then I gave more thought to his announcement. As much as I enjoy fireworks, even more I enjoy the idea that government should not set a bad example.
Suppose, for instance, that a metropolitan police chief
announced that We really don't approve if an armed mob
kicks in man's door at night, then stomps into the house
and kills him when he's trying to protect his family. In
fact, we're totally opposed to such conduct. So we won't
do it either -- no more no-knock warrants.
Or an educrat announced that We have criticized the
governor's school-grading proposal because we think it's
unfair to use a single letter to characterize a complex
situation. And to set an example, we will no longer use
single-letter grades on our students; every parent will get
the kind of detailed report that we would like the state to
use when evaluating our work.
Or a governor said I wouldn't like it if I had a nosy
neighbor who insisted on overseeing my backyard garden, let
alone threatening to confiscate my land if he didn't like
my choice of plants. I think that sort of conduct is
really intrusive, and people ought to mind their own
business. So to set a good example, I'm taking the state
out of the garden-supervision business.
Or a president said We get really upset when other
countries attempt to meddle in our domestic politics, so to
set a good example, we're not going to meddle in other
countries' domestic politics.
If these things ever happened, I'd be glad to give up fireworks on the Fourth, although in that case, we really would have something to celebrate.
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