I think this year there have been more complaints in the editorial page regarding fireworks. The complaints address the noise, mess, and danger. The revolution against the crown was also noisy, messy, and dangerous. I for one enjoy a good neighborhood show a few days out of the year to remind me how glad I am that those aren’t real cannons and mortars going off because we’re being invaded.
I’ve also heard that we should leave the shows to the professionals. This seems just plain wrong because of the United States’ long, proud history of citizen soldiers defeating some of the gravest threats to life, liberty and property.
As for Kathy Baran’s Aug. 5 letter, “Instead of fireworks, honor veterans,” posing the question of what Revolutionary War soldiers would think of how we celebrate, I think they would be impressed by the dazzling displays, our hot and cold running water, electricity, mechanized agriculture, vaccinations, repeating rifles and body armor, just to name a few. But more importantly, I think they would be impressed at how the country has grown and that we still celebrate something they helped start over 200 years ago.
Matt Malcom
Washougal
