Letter to the editor: Reader calls for ‘bombs bursting in air’

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The Perry City Council voted Monday to permit the use of consumer fireworks only on July Fourth.

To the editor:

I was born and raised in Iowa and graduated a couple of times from Iowa State University, then moved out of the state for more years than I want to account for and moved to Perry two years ago.[wpedon id=”82220″ align=”center”]

I’ve spent that time trying to acclimate to my new hometown, and I have to say that the people I’ve met here are wonderful, open and friendly, welcoming and helpful. That leaves me even more baffled about the fireworks ordinance.

While gone from Iowa, I lived in a state where fireworks were legal for five days a year at the Fourth of July holiday and, at least in the town where my family resided, the vast majority of the residents and visitors followed the policies, had fun and celebrated the birth of our great nation.

Imagine my astonishment in moving here to discover a huge controversy about fireworks! I have lots of thoughts about the state level, too, but for my purposes here I will focus just on my new hometown.

I was deeply distressed to read the articles in The Perry News about the May 22 Council meeting and the discussion about the fireworks ordinance in response to the committee’s recommendations. Let me be specific.

Council Member Vicki Klein made comments about how dangerous fireworks are but from what I read didn’t once specify what the dangers are or how those dangers specifically relate to Perry or its citizens or real estate.

Or is it dangerous because it will overtax our police force or fire department? Or is it dangerous because there are citizens in town who go to bed before 10 p.m.?

Dangerous can mean many things to many people, and the ambiguous term of dangerous doesn’t persuade me that allowing fireworks for a set number of days is either going to negatively or positively affect the danger, whatever that means.

Klein also mentioned being opposed to fireworks because the fireworks were “flying over” her house. Again I’m not persuaded that is a reason to ban fireworks.

Is there particularly flammable material on the other side of her house that would be of specific worry? Or is it just a nuisance to bend over to pick up a spent firework the next day from your lawn? Is it because of the startlement that can happen when a firework is shot off unexpectedly and seemingly comes in your direction?

In the first case, it seems to me a special easement would need to be put in the ordinance as it is for the hospital and schools. And in the last two cases, if you haven’t already met your neighbors, it would be a good time to go meet them and either join in the fun of watching the fireworks from their house, or remind them that you expect them to be at your house in the morning to clean up any debris left there.

I’ve done both with good results.

Klein’s comment implying that an ordinance would not make any difference because they would “do what they want” also troubled me. Who is “they”? Is there a group of known “they” that is already a known problem, or are the citizens of Perry being labeled before an event has even happened?

I’m also troubled by the negativity implied by a council member. It sounds like giving up before even trying. If that’s the case, then why not just make fireworks legal year round, and then there would not be any need for any enforcement?

Overall, I thought the committee’s recommendations made a lot of sense, and the adjustments discussed by the council also made sense.

The one comment made by Police Chief Eric Vaughn that bothered me was when he responded to how this ordinance was going to be enforced, and he encouraged “eyewitness accounts, photos or videos of violators.”

I would just urge the council and city administrators to remember that we do not live in a police state, and turning in our neighbors for such infractions starts us down a slippery slope, in my opinion.

I also thought it was interesting that Vaughn said that the officers may be more willing to enforce a fine of $250, which is what is suggested for this year, since they seemed unwilling to enforce the $500 fine from last year. Seems to me that even the officers thought that the punishment didn’t fit the crime.

I think $250 is ridiculous as well.

I mean, come on. A majority of the council members are of the opinion that nothing that is put in as an ordinance will be followed anyway, so why make the fine so high as to be cruel? If the council is going to put in a fine, put it into the perspective of what it truly is, a nuisance — so make it a nuisance fine.

The message will get across that citizens should not be shooting off fireworks other than according to the ordinance without making it a household burden to pay the fine. Makes me think back to why the American Revolution was fought in the first place.

Council member Chuck Schott’s comments, “They’re the ones that’re going to take this away from themselves,” was another jaw dropping statement to me. Again, who are the “they” that keeps getting referred to? I’d like that verified.

Is every Perry citizen being accused of not following the rules? And if that’s not the intentions of Schott’s comments, then what he’s really saying is that based on rumors and a few neighbors turning in neighbors, the rare supposed violators are going to take away a celebration that is the foundation of this country.

Hmmm . . . I’m not okay with that.

Where are the statistics of the emergency calls that occurred last year because there were fireworks allowed? What’s the cost of the police coverage compared to the number of emergencies during that time? In other words, was it a good allocation of policing resources?

What are the specific dangers that have caused council members to be so opposed to fireworks? Who are the “they” that council members keep referring to?

Have positive measures and community-building activities been discussed to go along with a fireworks ordinance, such as safety lessons that include getting to shoot off fireworks or ways for block parties to be coordinated and organized on specific nights so neighbors can pool their fireworks and shoot the fireworks off all on one night as a planned event?

I know I haven’t lived in this community long, and I’m still learning about its culture and its people. I’m proud to once again be an Iowan and an American. I’m proud of my freedom and my right to speak up and express my opinion.

I’m extremely grateful to the Americans who fought for our freedom and created this country and celebrated it with bombs bursting to show that Old Glory still flew. And I honor all those who have continued and continue to fight for our freedom throughout our history and on through today.

I say, “Let’s celebrate our freedom with lights and color and sound that show our pride in being American. It happens once a year for a few days around the Fourth of July. Be safe. Have fun. And remember what it means to be American and to be represent your fellow Americans.”

Wendy Martin
Perry

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