General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhat kind of person gets a thrill out of lighting fireworks for several hours?
Light it, Clem.
*Boom*
Giggle
Do it again, Clem
*Boom*
Giggle
Do it again, Clem
*Boom*
Giggle
Do it again, Clem
*Boom*
Giggle
Do it again, Clem
*Boom*
Giggle
Do it again, Clem
*Boom*
Giggle
Do it again, Clem
*Boom*
Giggle
What kind of simpleton finds 4+ hours of the repetition enjoyable?
How long does it take to burn through their paycheck?
At least they'll clean up all that garbage.
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walkingman
(11,363 posts)
bif
(27,435 posts)We have someone who lights off what sounds like a stick of dynamite every ten minutes or so. For at least an hour. Thank god it just started raining.
WhiskeyGrinder
(27,443 posts)the weird uncle lights the scary ones, you start up the grill, etc.
hamsterjill
(18,023 posts)First of all, spending the money is ridiculous. I mean, you're literally spending money to watch it burn. The majority of the ones who spend the $250 (average) on fireworks could and should use that money for a more mature purpose.
The childishness is absurd. I mean, okay, once you've seen some lights in the sky, you've seen lights in the sky. It's not like one REALLY looks any different than the last one or the next one. They're the same damn thing.
The danger and the aftermath is horrible. Have you driven down the road the morning after and seen all the dead bodies of the animals who panic and run? Do these people realize the responsibility that they bear for this? Nah, they don't give a shit. They're gonna have their fun and fuck everybody else.
The fires do happen. Then they run and hide and swear they weren't the ones doing the popping.
The ER visits do happen. Fingers and hands get blown off. Why chance it?
If you absolutely must - then at least go to a professional event.
Otherwise, if you pop these things, you're just an asshole.
Melon
(1,987 posts)I had my neighbors over. You can see all of those people shooting fireworks…thousands. They…are having fun. Versus poo pooing on having fun one evening a year with fireworks.
hamsterjill
(18,023 posts)Do you care at all how your actions affect other living creatures? Obviously not since you’ve followed me to two threads now to boast about your firework exploits.
I didn’t enjoy watching the deer running panicked last night or the feral cats not knowing where to go to be safe. Didn’t enjoy my dog shaking uncontrollably.
But hey - you and your friends had fun and that’s all that matters.
LuckyCharms
(23,488 posts)Not just killing, but actually torturing them first. Because that is what fireworks are to animals...torture.
I'm amazed that you can't give that concept even a bit of thought or consideration.
You seem to be highly focused on your neighbors "having fun" at the expense of other beings.
hamsterjill
(18,023 posts)It's always shocking to me when I learn that someone on a Democratic board is actually that way. I am happy to see (by the replies and the post recommendations) that people like him are highly outnumbered.
RandomNumbers
(19,388 posts)This is a serious question, and I hope you will consider it.
Perhaps you feel a bit attacked here ... it seems there is a deep divide between the "love fireworks" and "despise fireworks" groups.
You should not feel personally attacked ... people who despise fireworks have strong reasons that they are trying to communicate. I don't think anyone has provided a counterargument other than "we have fun and it is our right to do so".
I would only ask for you to think of possible alternative ways to enjoy your time with others.
(as I mentioned elsewhere, it is far more than "one night a year" in some locales. Those on the "despise fireworks" side have this forced on them and do not understand the justification for it.)
Stargleamer
(2,862 posts)and that's about all we can do--unlike what you indicate in a post below, we can't control you. If you insist on causing harm, there's nothing we can do.
We can try to educate though, knowing full well you might not give a shit:
https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/the-devastating-effects-of-fireworks-on-pets-and-wildlife/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-modern-brain/202507/why-fireworks-can-be-bad-for-our-brains
https://www.psychiatryredefined.org/the-unseen-battle-how-fourth-of-july-fireworks-can-trigger-ptsd-the-promising-role-of-nac/
You apparently live in a rural area. Look at how fireworks affect ponies, who were even sedated in anticipation of fireworks:
Rehomed Redwings ponies Dennis and Merry live with Redwings student vet nurse Kristi. Over the weekend a nearby fireworks display them both huge stress, and Dennis has required box rest for lameness as a result of his frantic running 💔
— Redwings Horse Sanctuary (@redwingsuk.bsky.social) 2025-11-12T02:30:12-08:00
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/738192?filters=418
If, after looking at this, you reply I don't give a shit about animals, at least we'll know where you stand.
Response to NightWatcher (Original post)
Name removed Message auto-removed
lastlib
(28,911 posts)I wish I had the money I see going up in smoke this evening. I can watch almost the entire east side of the Kansas City metro area, blowing their bangies, and it has been going on for over two hours now -- a cacophonous roar, like a freight train rolling through a thunderstorm on steroids, punctuated by rapid frequent gunfire.
I'm sure wildlife is thinking the world is coming to an end.
RandomNumbers
(19,388 posts)For instance.
flvegan
(66,721 posts)
Luciferous
(6,652 posts)
kacekwl
(9,326 posts)waking up tomorrow and the whole neighborhood smells like gunpowder.
professor_gains
(3 posts)My wife was in our bedroom from 8 pm on consoling both of our little dogs. She had two white noise machines going and soothing music playing on her computer. One of the dogs is a rescue who is about 7 years old. For most of her life she lived outside in the elements and is petrified of thunderstorms and fireworks. My wife had to hold her and comfort her for the entire night. The idiot neighbors are still shooting the fireworks off and it's almost midnight.
We hate the fireworks. It makes the 4th completely unpleasant.
Srkdqltr
(10,202 posts)moondust
(21,388 posts)It is disturbing for the neighborhood but especially for veterans of war, pets, and others that may have psychological issues.
Why Fireworks Can Be Bad for Our Brains
The Unseen Battle: How Fourth of July Fireworks Can Trigger PTSD & the Promising Role of NAC
RandomNumbers
(19,388 posts)
BaronChocula
(5,029 posts)I hated loud sudden noises as a kid. I grew out of that, but now I just don't get it. I was also thinking today of how terrible it is to honor our country by putting folks with PTSD through this. And the pets. My dog was fine with fireworks, but drop a pan lid in the kitchen and he was gone in a flash. I guess we all have different sensitivity levels.
Melon
(1,987 posts)Probably 4 families ended up sitting together with 5-6 others who walked down and spent time with us.
Do you not have memories of this when you were a kid? Kids loved it tonight.
DET
(2,696 posts)We went to the local county fireworks if we wanted to see fireworks. No fireworks were for sale and no one set any off. Personally, I think it sets a really poor example for kids to set off potentially dangerous fireworks which scare the crap out of wildlife and pets and your cowed neighbors who are probably too afraid to confront someone who sets off fireworks.
It’s bad parenting in my opinion and there are statistics that are undeniable about injuries and loss of limbs. But this poster seems to insist that we should all love it like him.
SMH…
Melon
(1,987 posts)No injuries. We’ve never had an injury in 30+ years. My “cowed” neighbors had a great time. Police drove through once and laughed and watched for a few minutes.
hamsterjill
(18,023 posts)https://www.instagram.com/reels/DaX_DuFE2mV/
https://www.facebook.com/WCJB20/posts/8-year-old-girl-dies-after-firework-misfires-during-fourth-of-july-display-autho/1435538048608068/
You have made it clear that you have no respect for others or animals, etc. So, why would you care if one of your own got injured? It's all about having fun, after all. You are probably one of those who blasts his stereo all the time. It would be interesting to see what your neighbors really think of you - and maybe not the ones who came to your party, but the ones near the area who are also affected.
Stupid to take the chance.
Melon
(1,987 posts)Of others.
Why do you have some overriding ambition to control others even if what they do has been done legally the last 249 years on the fourth?
What do your neighbors think about you on the fourth? Versus accepting what is legal fun do you go out and tell them how they should spend their money?
I’m not in a city. We don’t hold things in our hands. Just like guns, I’d much rather set a safety example on how to do things correctly versus abstinence 😀. Happy fourth!!
Raine
(31,288 posts)children to be so irresponsible.
Fireworks are completely legal in my county and we take full advantage. The entire neighborhood shifted between 3-4 houses with food and drinks. Dropped a solid $200 and the kids started at about noon, and I think the last were going off around midnight. We look forward to this all year. One of the few yearly occasions the entire neighborhood comes together. Kids had a blast.
NameAlreadyTaken
(2,352 posts)hamsterjill
(18,023 posts)Again, I'll ask the same question - do you not care what you put other people and all the animals through? Have you no empathy for others' suffering?
That $200 sure could have gone for some better things. In fact, we have some donation sites on DU for Democratic candidates. I know Talarico is in need of donations in Texas. Just a suggestion, of course. God forbid that someone do the moral thing just because the "entire neighborhood" was involved. Couldn't possibly go against the crowd and set an example that others might follow. Gotta be tough!!!!
SMDH...
I stand by my earlier post. People who do this are just plain assholes.
Lategame
(10 posts)But as I change computers, tablets, lose user names and passwords, so I'm on maybe my 5th account.
You sound fun. One thing I've come to understand quite well is "you can't please everyone". And you've made my case in point. Enjoy your day Hamsterjill!
hamsterjill
(18,023 posts)Too uncomfortable, I suppose.
No, you can't please everyone. If I could make that happen, it would be a helluva lot better world because people would actually care about the planet and all of the living creatures on it. It's a pity in my opinion when someone doesn't. But you don't seem to care.
You have yourself a good day, as well. Be sure and get out and clean up all of the crap from last night.
Melon
(1,987 posts)is righteous. Fireworks have been used to celebrate the 4th for 249 years in the US. They are legal and a good time. You can use your $250 elsewhere….lol…you can use any spending elsewhere.
Glad you had fun and created memories with your kids !
Stargleamer
(2,862 posts)like you point out, Talarico could really use it.
And like you I wonder about the the 5 (now 9) posts and the reason given being that usernames and/or passwords have been lost over the last 15 or so years.
hamsterjill
(18,023 posts)I've changed computers several times over the last twenty years, 
and that didn't mean I had to start over with a new screen name and account. Who knows.
Stargleamer
(2,862 posts)https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/the-devastating-effects-of-fireworks-on-pets-and-wildlife/
Look at how fireworks affect these ponies!
Rehomed Redwings ponies Dennis and Merry live with Redwings student vet nurse Kristi. Over the weekend a nearby fireworks display them both huge stress, and Dennis has required box rest for lameness as a result of his frantic running 💔
— Redwings Horse Sanctuary (@redwingsuk.bsky.social) 2025-11-12T02:30:12-08:00
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/738192?filters=418
If, after looking at this, you reply I don't give a shit about animals, at least we'll know where you stand.
Stargleamer
(2,862 posts)But the harm of fireworks goes far beyond the distress it causes our pets:
https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/the-devastating-effects-of-fireworks-on-pets-and-wildlife/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-modern-brain/202507/why-fireworks-can-be-bad-for-our-brains
https://www.psychiatryredefined.org/the-unseen-battle-how-fourth-of-july-fireworks-can-trigger-ptsd-the-promising-role-of-nac/
You apparently live in a rural area. Look at how fireworks affect ponies, who were even sedated in anticipation of fireworks:
Rehomed Redwings ponies Dennis and Merry live with Redwings student vet nurse Kristi. Over the weekend a nearby fireworks display them both huge stress, and Dennis has required box rest for lameness as a result of his frantic running 💔
— Redwings Horse Sanctuary (@redwingsuk.bsky.social) 2025-11-12T02:30:12-08:00
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/738192?filters=418
If, after looking at this, you reply I don't give a shit about animals, at least we'll know where you stand.
milestogo
(23,397 posts)
Xipe Totec
(44,608 posts)
SergeStorms
(21,157 posts)I'm retired now, and I did refuse several offers of work this week because of the added workload.
Fireworks shows are highly technical now. It's not, "light the fuse, BOOM" anymore. They're most always fired electronically now, and designed to display a somewhat choreographed show. Mathematics and electronics come into play, along with the science of creating the shapes and colors of different shells. I'm talking professional shows, not Black Cat Fireworks bought at a roadside stand. 😉
That said, Trump's extravaganza was so far over the top it was ridiculous. You're asking for trouble with that long of a show, and with that number of shells. There can be serious health factors involved with fireworks overload, like stupid Trump's idea of a good foreworks show. An excellent display shouldn't last more than 30 minutes.
And most people love a well constructed fireworks show but, like everything else, there are exceptions.
eShirl
(20,575 posts)It'd be a shame if they woke to the sound of a lawnmower.
Vinca
(54,621 posts) Raine
(31,288 posts)
bucolic_frolic
(56,455 posts)
Emile
(44,276 posts)
Lochloosa
(16,856 posts)Just passed a house that must have had 2K worth of empty mortors in the front lawn. And a lot of empty Bud cans.
NightWatcher
(39,397 posts)
Beringia
(5,717 posts)
Rincewind
(1,368 posts)apparently. A lot of fireworks for hours. Fireworks, that are illegal here in Illinois, but we are only 40 some miles from Indiana.
D_Master81
(2,760 posts)The ridiculous coat of fireworks is the only thing that keeps me in check. I usually only spend around $100, which didn’t go very far this year.
BannonsLiver
(21,117 posts)It’s the same one I use frequently when referring to Trump supporters.
WhiskeyGrinder
(27,443 posts)
Oneironaut
(6,384 posts)Humans are a-holes.
Aristus
(72,801 posts)
Stacey Grove
(216 posts)LetMyPeopleVote
(184,508 posts)Last night's fireworks display was stupid. You could not see many of the fireworks due to the smoke and now there is dangerous pollution in DC
ðŸ‘‰ï¸ bit.ly/3RhtYTS
— Raw Story (@rawstory.com) 2026-07-05T18:01:53.848Z
https://www.rawstory.com/dc-fireworks-2677159680/
“Hazardous firework-induced smog continues to hover over Washington D.C. this morning. Avoid time outdoors if you can,” wrote meteorologist Matthew Cappucci Sunday in a social media post on X. “The air [is] so filled with microscopic particulates that it’s potentially harmful to exert oneself outside. CODE PURPLE alert in effect.”
Code Purple is one of six categories used by the Environmental Protection Agency to measure air quality, and is the second-most severe of the six, just behind Code Maroon, which is issued only in “emergency conditions.”
The impact of Trump’s fireworks show on air quality was predicted well in advance, with the National Park Service assessing that nearby residents should “wear an N95 mask when outdoors,” and “remain indoors as much as possible during and after the show,” according to internal National Park documents obtained by The Washington Post.
“Poisoning the air to own the libs after napalming our Capitol to ‘prove’ how ‘patriotic’ you are,” quipped Joanne Carducci, a prominent liberal commentator, in a social media post to her more than 1 million followers....
“Fireworks, like much in life, loses its aesthetic value the more there is of it; beyond a point, even the eye becomes bored,” Oates wrote Sunday in a social media post on X to her nearly 285,000 followers. “Presumably [Trump] wanted the ‘biggest, best’ fireworks in all of D.C. history without regard for air quality or anyone with respiratory problems.”
Link to tweet
senseandsensibility
(26,131 posts)I noticed a marked reduction in the number of fireworks going off here. I guess trump's efforts to make the holiday all about him were successful, at least here in a blue state!
LudwigPastorius
(15,321 posts)That was de rigueur in my old neighborhood.
I usually sat in my den with a cold adult beverage cringing and wishing that I had kevlar shingles on my roof.
