06/05/2008: "Letters On Fireworks Ban"

REVISED "Sparklers & Civil Rights: Letter(Editor's note: The following letter was sent in by Mr. Rosenfeld after his original letter [printed below this one] was challenged by Mr. Petersen as being unsupported by the facts. As a result, we received this revised letter that deletes comments on the content of Mr. Petersen's past columns) and includes this statement from Mr. Rosenfeld: I deleted the last sentence of the 1st paragraph over my misunderstanding of Gordy’s sarcastic style in one of his previous columns. My apology to Gordy.)

To the Editor,

Revised Response to Gordy’s FIREWORKS BAN Column:

Is it really more important to wrap yourself in the flag over the right to burn a sparkler one day a year, than be concerned with the assault on many of our basic civil rights these past 7 ½ years by the Bush Administration?

Many of the 4th of July fires I’ve been on here were caused by visitors. Even if we were responsible for our own kids, the problem would still be there. San Juan County joins many other, apparently unpatriotic Puget Sound counties, totally banning fireworks.

We have so much to lose. I’m reminded of one 4th of July fire on Mt. Dallas. We contacted the owner by cell phone to let him know we were protecting the house. He said, “Hell, with house, I can replace that! Save the trees!” We did.

Howard Howie Rosenfeld
Friday Harbor
ORIGINAL LETTER: Sparklers & Civil Rights
To the Editor,

Response to Gordy’s Fireworks Ban Column:

Is it really more important to wrap yourself in the flag over the right to burn a sparkler one day a year, than be concerned with the assault on many of our basic civil rights these past 7 ½ years by the Bush Administration? Which, if you check Gordy’s past columns, he not only supported the administration, he specifically supported the warrantless wiretaps!

Many of the 4th of July fires I’ve been on here were caused by visitors. Even if we were responsible for our own kids, the problem would still be there. San Juan County joins many other, apparently unpatriotic Puget Sound counties, totally banning fireworks.

We have so much to lose. I’m reminded of one 4th of July fire on Mt. Dallas. We contacted the owner by cell phone to let him know we were protecting the house. He said, “Hell, with house, I can replace that! Save the trees!” We did.

Howard Howie Rosenfeld
Friday Harbor-----------------------------------------Booo on Firework Ban
My public safety peers and the County Council have made a disheartening decision to ban all fireworks. As a public safety employee, I am perplexed as to why this issue is at the forefront of public safety concerns. While I sympathize with the issues related to fireworks--unsightly garbage, distressed critters, occasional injuries and uncontrolled fire--I am unable to agree that banning them is the answer, and I am concerned that real issues are being ignored whilst this non-issue is being addressed.

As for priorities in public safety, of the thirteen deceased friends and family of mine, none were caused by fireworks. In order, vehicles, unhealthy lifestyle, cancer, alcohol/drug abuse, homicide, drowning and suicide (gun), were the killers in my circle—so far. I can only think of one time when a friend was injured by a firework and it was unarguably a really dumb mistake and only mentionable because of that. This leads me to ask a direct and serious question: Is our public safety administrators and County Council providing this policy for their own interests or for us, the people?

I will take the liberty (as you took mine) of pointing a few things out; First, be tolerant (July 4th is 1/365th of the year). Second, don’t be grumpy (I have little respect for those whose inner-child is all growed up). And third, if you are sincere about your concerns of noise and safety, lead by example and walk. Vehicles, boats and planes are far more detrimental to humanity than 2000 degree sparklers.

My fireworks days passed many years ago, but I have been looking forward to my five year old daughter’s delightful expression when I light her first fountain, hand her a burning sparkler or flee from an out of control spinner, and thus, passing on a tradition that was passed to me.

A firefighter for fountains,

Noel Monin
Friday Harbor-----------------------------------------
Reader Resents Fireworks Ban
To the Editor:

I am really going to resent it if I can't buy fireworks this Fourth of July. As long as I can walk into a store and buy cigarettes, alcohol, hand guns and drive a car all of which are more likely to hurt me than a sparkler, I am skeptical of the goal of making me safer through this ban.

Sure, if handled carelessly fireworks can hurt you but so can alcohol, handguns, and cars. I don't know that there is any safe way to use tobacco. So why choose this way to make our community safer. Maybe because the people who sell fireworks don't have the clout of the tobacco lobby?

Margaret Thorson
Waldron, WA