Submitted by joshua lomask, Jul 4, 2007 10:49

CNN reports this morning that in Michigan a mother of 3 was killed in front of her family while setting off fireworks. Aside from the immediate dangers represented by this tradgedy, New York City is better off without unfettered access to fireworks. Perhaps you are new to NYC, or lived in a very sophisticated door-man building in Manhattan, so you couldn't remember what it was like before fireworks were taken off the streets. Back then, while it was exciting for teenage boys (myself included), NYC was generally a terrifying place on July 4th. In the midst of summertime and before the ubitquitous window air conditioner, people shuttered themselves in their homes, and closed their windows to keep out the unbelievable noise and for fear that an errant bottle rocket might zoom in. Even those of us who participated in the festivities knew that the next morning would bring news of someone around the neighborhood who had lost a finger or worse. For days afterwards, the streets would be littered knee-high with the remants of the nights activities. July 4th was by far the busiest night of the year for the FDNY. This was real. This is what it was like. This is New York City, not some staid mid-western town where families took an evening stroll down to the end of main street while waving sparklers to watch the volunteer fire department set off a couple roman candles. Despite your whining, your irresponsible advocacy for the proliferation of fireworks respresents a very real danger to the safety and well being of New Yorkers. You should be ashamed.

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