Hey all-
Just my take as posted on the NY "Fireworks" thread regarding the fact that they are too dangerous, and therefore are illegal in NY State. What do you all think??
I can't believe that our State and Federal governments haven't made them "safe", as they have done do to other hazardous but legal things: TAX THEM!!
I haven't researched the statistics, but I'd bet that the annual nationwide total of fireworks injuries is less that the total number of injuries from intoxicated drivers; not even bringing deaths into the equation. Our Big Brother could make them equally as safe and equally as legal as alcohol by taxing them too. If you wish, you can add tobacco as another biggie on the list of things that are legal and hence must be more safe than fireworks.
I checked up on some statistics regarding injuries incurred in some popular and legal recreational activities. I realize that more meaningful data would come from the number of persons injured per thousand whom participate in a given activity, however this was not available for fireworks. Therefore, these numbers represent the average annual number of persons in the USA whom are injured by participating in the following activities:
Fireworks: 9000
Skateboarding: 66,100 injuries per year.
Bicycling: 59,000 injuries, 725 deaths per year.
Soccer: 775,000 kids 14 and under treated per year.
Basketball: 20,000.
Swimming: 9 persons drown every day in the USA.
I guess I could go on and on, but there's no point. If an elected official wants to get on his platform and state that "I'm gonna make the world safer for "the children" and criminalize fireworks and "_____________" (You fill in the blank), they will be met with a welcoming reception and gain many votes with carefull selection of the evil being attacked.
I'm more in favor of personal responsibility; but much more importantly, personal accountability; (rather than laws and regulations designed (err....I mean "contrived") to protect me from myself).
Anyway, if you don't vote, (or don't vote Conservative, IMHO!!) don't complain when we become the Socialist country that we inch closer towards every year with each new law, regulation, and restriction of our abilities to simply do what the he** we want to do with our own lives (motorcycle helmet's, bicycle helmets for kids, cell phones in cars (This is a sore spot with me....what about car radios? I had my first crash while tuning a car radio and passing a red light 25 years ago); reading newspapers while driving (yep! I've seen this a lot), female make-up application while driving, eating while driving, having unruly brats in the back seat, AND, what about the On Board Navigational Screens that are becoming standard equipment in many popular SUV's??; Are these screens disabled when the vehicle is in "drive"? .. NOPE!! Etc., etc, etc ............................... Why cell phones then , (at least in NY)??
Anyway, sorry all for of my ultra conservative pro "less law's" right wing rant, but .............................................
Scott out.............................................. ...................
