Image via WikipediaI moved to Mississippi from the West Coast roughly 8 years ago. During the time I have been here, I have discovered some things I prefer about this area and many that continue to baffle me. At the top of the list of continuing sources of puzzlement are the widespread Christian extremism, anti-intellectualism, and pronounced social conservatism. Of course, I have come to realize in my time here that these three components are interrelated. Actually, that may just be an understatement. But I have another big pet peeve that has nothing to do with any of these components, and tonight is a perfect time to mention it: fireworksI grew up in a state where the sales of fireworks was heavily regulated. There were two main reasons for this, both of which pertained to safety. First, there was the issue of individual safety. Each year, many people would be seriously injured by home use of illegally smuggled fireworks. The laws made it more difficult to buy fireworks, but all one had to do was drive to a neighboring state to shop. The second reason, of great importance during the month of July, was fire danger. Part of the rationale for the law was the protection of forests and homes by removing one of the common causes of wildfires.
I didn't really get this as a child. Like many boys, I wanted to blow stuff up. I thought it sucked that my friends in neighboring states could buy all sorts of fireworks that I couldn't. I had to settle for the official 4th of July fireworks display that the city put on. Boring but safe.
Other than the 4th of July, the only other time during the year that anybody I ever met would have even considered using fireworks was New Years Eve. Even then, we are talking about only a tiny number of people.
The common thread that characterized home use of fireworks on both holidays was that those using them were generally respectful of their neighbors. Nobody would have dreamed of using loud fireworks after 1opm. If they did, the police would put a quick end to it. Similarly, nobody would have launched bottle rockets into their neighbor's yard and left the debris behind to occupy their neighbor the next day.
Boy are things different in Mississippi! If there is a holiday that doesn't involve fireworks here, I haven't found it yet. I was treated to a full three days of fireworks around Christmas, going on past 1:00 am. If the last several years are any indication, I'll be in for the same tonight (probably until at least 2:00 am), on the 4th of July, Halloween, and who knows what else. There seems to be no consideration for people who don't want to stay up until 1:00 am or do not enjoy picking garbage up out of their yard the next day. Public parks and school playgrounds are littered with garbage while the available trash cans are ignored.
As an adult, there is no way I'd waste my money on fireworks. However, I would sure as hell be respectful of others if I were to do so. Mississippi has far more churches per capita than anywhere else I've lived. Somehow this seems to translate into something of a "I'll do what I want and fuck everybody else" attitude. And if it isn't fair to blame the churches, and it may not be, then what are they doing to counteract this lack of respect for others?
I guess that's my New Years Eve rant. It feels good to get that out of my system. Now I guess I better give my dogs the tranquilizers that will hopefully prevent them from barfing all over the house from panic.
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