Freedom, Fireworks and Fun on Fourth of July

With the Fourth of July over and done with, you may have no interest in reading more about fireworks. However, I feel I must respond to the editorials written on this subject (“Safe and Sane,” July 1, and “4th’s Big Bang is Fading,” July 3), which I strongly disagree with.

A statewide ban on all fireworks may sound very impressive, but in truth, it simply does not work. It hasn’t been working in states which have such a law, and in recent years several of these have decided to start allowing the public to buy and use certain items legally, to lead them away from dangerous home manufacturing and bootleg merchandise, which tends to thrive when that is the only option. It seems much more sensible, with an item as popular as fireworks, to control the great demand by allowing factory-made, carefully tested devices for the people to use if they want them, rather than having them resort to other means.

You note in your July 3 comments that you believe most of the fireworks-related fires were attributed to the “safe and sane” kind. This seems to contradict most of the published reports I have read, which indicate that the illegal types cause the large majority of fires and injury.

The fear of sparklers which you and at least one of the fire officials seem to have is a little odd. Some states sell nothing except sparklers, and others still offer them for sale year-round, not even considering them much of a firework, but more of a novelty or party item. They do burn at a high temperature, but the idea is that you don’t touch the glowing wire. And there are different types of sparklers, too, such as the “Morning Glories” which are on a wooden stick. Not all sparklers are made of metal rods.

Safe and sane fireworks require no professional training to use, but I feel most people do handle them in a professional manner. Thousands are used throughout the state every year. If what you said about them being “mishandled on a mass scale” were really true, the injury rate would be astronomical. In truth, it is extremely small.

The main force behind your arguments seemed to be the fear of fireworks being handled by small children. If lawmakers feel they must do something to prevent this, I would not strongly object that they be sold at an age level considered “adults only,” though you must already be at least 16 to buy any in most, if not all parts of the state. But unless they consider everyone, regardless of age, to be a careless fool at Fourth of July time, I request that they continue to allow at least a few items to be legally available for those who wish to purchase them.

CHRIS SQUYRES

Orange