Having thoroughly enjoyed a community reading of the Declaration of Independence at my local church July 4, I topped the day off with a family cookout followed by listening to hours of annoying fireworks.
Yes, you heard me — annoying. I know fireworks are just as American as cow tipping. They are a fundamental right of all people who feel they have a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. They are legal in some form in all states except the nanny states of Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York. They are cool and annoying.
Of course the bans in the four states do little to stop exploders from exploding stuff. We Americans enjoy noise. We are loud people. We have motorcycles that sound like they are loudly passing gas as they go down the street, and trucks and cars with irritating nonmuffling mufflers. We love our annoying fireworks.
Fireworks have been in America since the Europeans first floated their way across the Atlantic Ocean like a bunch of rebellious teenagers hoping to find a place where they could do whatever the heck they wanted.
When the first celebration of American Independence was held in 1779 in Worcester (thank you Albert Southwick for that bit of trivia), fireworks were part of the celebration. They are now blown off at just about every major celebration or dedication.
I have no problem with organized fireworks displays. They make a nice exclamation point to any major event. Occasionally someone gets killed, but they make us feel proud. When we see them, I think many of us imagine we are Francis Scott Key watching the star-spangled bombardment of Fort McHenry. They stir the soul.
It is nice enough to see these displays on July 4, although reading and hearing the words written into the Declaration of Independence was plenty for me to acknowledge the founding of our country. The words are stirring and remind us of the importance of freedom. Over the years, the reasons have been expanded, twisted and misinterpreted, but 237 years down the road, we are still a pretty solid, if fireworks-obsessed, nation.
Getting back to annoying, although I like the pomp and circumstance of public fireworks displays, I find private fireworks displays and the traditions people are developing to hold them every year to be annoying and intrusive.
Knowing I will probably insult many neighbors, relatives and friends, I have to say that running your own fireworks display is a bit pretentious.
At this point, I really should be perfectly honest. When I was a kid, my family probably blew off as many fireworks as any family I knew. A certain family member used to smuggle fireworks across the border from Canada. That person will remain anonymous, as I am not sure if the statute of limitations has run out on that crime. Where we lived, our nearest neighbor was a half-mile away, but we still worried we would disturb the cows.
Blowing off fireworks is fun, especially for teenage boys, who see them as the perfect plaything. They make a loud noise and potentially could destroy something. Parents like them because as long as the boys are blowing stuff up, they are not running around the house breaking things.
I always loved the noise and smell of fireworks. It was a novelty. These days there is a near consanguinity (weird word found in the Declaration) of fireworks exploders. Every person with a barbecue grill fashions him or herself an impresario, and they often brag to their fellow exploders about the size of their display. They throw parties and create traditions of exploding stuff and making noise. There are so many people doing it that it has become ordinary.
I enjoy celebration. I enjoy the idea of honoring the founding of our country. Does our pursuit of happiness have to be annoying?
Contact George Barnes at firstname.lastname@example.org
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