4th of july. dark evening. the 5 of us standing on cool sand among 35K other people on santa cruz beach.
all around us were different groups sitting around bonfires or setting off explosives. it seemed like the ‘battle of the fireworks’. it was loud. it was beautiful. at times disappointing. especially the times when the fireworks were lit and flew sideways into neighbors standing by. people, mostly drunk, lighting up these explosives and people cheering on this american tradition. colors. explosions. fizzing. flares. it was a WARZONE out on the beach. just to think: people in other parts of the world are avoiding this action, yet we welcome it in celebration. it was beautiful but yet so ugly.
don’t get me wrong. standing directly beneath those beautiful flower petal fireworks was jaw-dropping, but what about the stupidity that carried through the air. drunk foos waving the explosives in the air then dropping it to the ground in fright, only to have it fly diagonal right into people. how dangerous. and let’s not forget all the pollution that this event was causing.
what makes this an american tradition? what was different this year that made me feel this way? what makes a tradition something to continue year after year though the meaning has been diluted?
i did not see this event as a celebratory and positive one as the rest on this beach? what lead me to be concious and not allowing me to enjoy this ‘independence ritual’? have i changed?
one thing’s for sure. my ideas of 4th of july has changed since then.
Hello Vanae:
Check this out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fireworks
interesting history and facts..
The sad story below pretty much sums up why it’s best to stay away from drunken fools with firework.
Were you in Dolores Park (San Francisco) last night [JULY 4]? PLEASE HELP OUT!!
Roisin (pronounced Row-Sheen) Isner, drummer for the San Francisco band Tinkture lost her hand in Dolores Park last night watching the fireworks. Her dad sent the email below to some local media outlets…
Subject: Roisin Isner, Tinkture drummer
Hello,
I am Roisin’s father. July 4th, Roisin and friends were in Dolores Park watching fireworks. Some stupid piece of shit threw an M60 at them. It landed on Roisin’s right hand and blew it apart. She will undego surgery later this morning but it doesn’t look good. Most likely she will lose her index finger; second and third fingers will also be permanently impaired and disfigured. Needless to say, her musical career is over.
I want this fucker. Media attention will help flush him out. People know who did it and I’m offering $20,000 for a name. Please do whatever is necessary to get the story out. Do so and I will reward you as well.
Thank you,
Chris Isner
chrisisner@hotmail.com
Well, it’s probably because of air pollution. Yeah , fireworks release heavy metals in the air, w hich can be dangerous.But they don’t constitute to global warming…Ok nevermind, I read the wiki article lol. The ones around my house (July 1st – Canada Day), sounded like bombs, but I couldn’t even see them.