Editor,
It’s that time of year again. I oppose the selling of fireworks to individuals, but that’s a lost cause in Battle Ground. However, I do have some points to make:
First, there are more than a few who set off explosive devices at all hours. There are no lights and colorful displays, just window-rattling explosions. It is a big middle finger to the City Council and the residents. However, according to an article on the back pages of the Columbian last New Years, setting off these devices is a felony. I’m a lawyer, and I know that, unlike misdemeanors, the police do not have to witness a felony in order to make an arrest, if there are other witnesses. So, I urge all readers of this letter to drop a dime on these clowns. If one or two of them get arrested and convicted, carrying the moniker of “convicted felon,” maybe the rest will get the hint.
Second, we are told that the people in Battle Ground are too poor to feed their kids, hence the need for government-provided meals. However, they are not poor enough to spend several hundred dollars on fireworks. Doesn’t make sense to me.
Finally, who is the mental genius who said that people can set off fireworks until 1 a.m? I live where I can see most of the city, and after 11 p.m. there are only a half dozen or less fireworks going off in Battle Ground. Most of the time, July 5 is a work day. So, a half dozen people can keep the rest of the city awake until the early morning?
If we’re going to allow personal fireworks, we need to be a little smarter about it.
Rick Hauser
Battle Ground
