Garden Grove Revisiting Fireworks Ban...Again

It's said the price of liberty is eternal vigilance. Given that it is in government's nature to expand its suzerainty over how we live our lives, that vigilance manifests more in pushing back incursions large and small rather than expanding the frontiers of liberty.

Such is the case in Garden grove, where the recurring effort to ban the use of safe and sane fireworks on the Fourth of July is recurring again.

The impetus is tragedy of the Matua family's house burning down after an illegal skyrocket landed on the roof and ignited a fire.

It is, without a doubt, a terrible loss for the Matuas. But how exactly would a fireworks ban have prevented it? The fire was ignited by an illegal firework landing on their roof. A fireworks ban won't make skyrockets any more illegal than they already are, or residents any less likely to use them.

Advocates will no doubt point to the Matuas' tragedy as a reason for banning fireworks, even though such a ban would have done nothing to save their home.

It would only affect law-abiding citizens, not to mention the community groups to whom operating a fireworks booth for a few days is their fundraising bread-and-butter.

If the Garden Grove City Council votes to place a fireworks ban on the ballot, we can assured of a battle royal at the ballot box, with the community and volunteer groups and fireworks manufacturers squaring off against the safety-uber-alles advocates and presumably the firefighters union.

I hope the citizens of Garden Grove would vote in favor of liberty and vote down any safe-and-sane fireworks ban.

Comments

[Jim Klein]

I wonder if disasters such as the Matua Family will truly be eliminated or reduced if safe and sane fireworks were bannned. If safe and sane fireworks were banned, fireworks stand permit fee revenues will not be available to beef up police and fire fighting forces during the Fourth of July while even MORE people resort to the use of illegal fireworks like the ones that burned down the Matua home.

I was at the council meeting last night. I am in favor of banning all usage of any fireworks at anytime. They are upsetting to me when they go off. (as they do all year in my neighborhood) I know I am at the very least...one of many who feel the same way. So the real question is this. If as we all agree...there are differing personal oppinions on this issue....why not have it put to a vote of the citizens. The problem is the Garden Grove Council members Mark Rosen, Bill Dalton and Steve Jones want to not allow this. Mark Rosen has already put it on record that he'd rather the pro fireworks ban people have to get a petition. Coinidentally his position is to have no ban. It was such flagrant abuse of power by both Mr. Rosen and Mr Dalton...at last nights meeting...it made me detemined that neither of these so called representatives of the citizens of Garden Grove...deserve to be on the Garden Grove City Council. Again...there is no good reason to not put this to a vote of the citizens....and the ONLY reason Mr. Rosen (slick transparent bad attorney stereotype) is doing everything in his power to keep this issue of any ballot of the citizens....is he likes fireworks personally. Even if you agree with him about fireworks..do you still want this type of man representing you as a councilman.. what hapeens when the next issue to come up he has an opposing viewpoint. Councilwoman Nguyen said it all last night. 2 words....democratic process...have you heard of that Mr. Rosen. At the council meeting last night I believe someone mentioned how our cities fireworks position is to be lauded by other cities. Do you really not see how this fireworks insistence only makes Garden Grove seem like a hick town full of rowdies, run by tyrannical council members....you really do'nt see that? You REALLY believe that its a coincidence that we have a house burn down in our city...and put the fault on illegal fireworks. I like to think our mayor really is'nt so naiive as to believe what he said last night. Again...the big question is ..Why are some of the council members imposing their will on all the citizens of Garden Grove. To Mr. Rosen (who will read this) Do the right thing here...to do otherwise may be a political career regret.....is getting your own childish way THAT important.