City of Bellemeade

Are you telling me that a heart patient is immune to being startled awake on July 4th?  Are you saying my house will not catch on fire on July 4th?  Are you saying that one of those Class C rockets will not damage my car on July 4th?  Are you telling me that it is OK to violate the law on July 4th (noise ordinance, 200 foot distance ordinance)?  Are you telling me that a child who is scared of thunder will not be scared on July 4th?  Ladies and Gentlemen, fireworks are great - in the proper place and the proper time. - a dense residential area is NOT the right place - any place that results in another person's rights being trampled on is NOT the right place.  Any place where a person's health can be jeopardized is NOT the right place.  Any time that any of that happens is NOT the right time. 

Metro Council should re-ban Class C fireworks if people are going to be as irresponsible using them as people were in this area starting on Friday before July 4th and continuing through last night. 

I feel that are times to make exceptions.  It's wonderful to have a celebration and for such a good reason.  My dog was scared to death, but he got over it.  I enjoyed them.  I did not hear of any injuries or houses burning down - so that's good.

Once that first exception is made, where do we draw the line?  What if you draw the line after July 4th, but I want to extend it further?  Do we draw the line after one house fire or five?  How many good reasons are there to accept a death by heart attack of an elderly resident whose house is within 200 feet of the fireworks exploded at 1:00 am?

Better yet, is the exception entended until you are affected adversely or beyond that?

No injuries?  All of the news outlets reported car fires, house fires, field fires, AND injuries.

I don't have all the answers to your questions.  I do feel that citizens should not be so restricted that they can not enjoy things using their own common sense.  I feel like government controls so much of our lives already.  (The seat belt law for example.  What's up with that?  I don't have to have a seat belt on my motorcycle, but I am required to wear one in my much safer car?  Am I not able to decide if I would like to risk being killed if I do not wear my seatbelt?  Why should the government care if I decide to risk my life by not wearing a seat belt?) 

People will set off fireworks on Fourth of July and police would not be able to enforce any restrictions due to the number of citizens involved.  I think that if someone were caught on July 5th, they would be in trouble.  They have to be caught though.