Safety Ninnies

Just a quick link today as I head out the door to start the Tour de California. Consumer fireworks have been banned in most of Orange County for many years, and I've always felt bad about that for the sake of my kids. Lighting off fireworks on the Fourth was always a big deal in my youth, and my kids have never had that experience. At best, we've snuck a few sparklers in the back yard and had to watch out for the cops as though we were running a crackhouse in South Central.

There's a move by the safety ninnies to ban consumer fireworks nationwide, and thus deprive everyone of the joy of sparklers, fountains and the like. Not only will we lose some of the impact of the Independence Day holiday, but fireworks sales are a big fund raising tool for many organizations. Granted, every year there are some injuries and property damage that result from fireworks, but if you abuse just about anything you can hurt somebody or damage property.

I wish the crowd that would have us all bound in bubble wrap would just go away and bother someone else with their phobias.