Fireworks and marijuana.
They have more in common than you may think. You light one end and hope that what comes out the other will make for an entertaining evening. Also, they’re both illegal.
Kind of.
Actually, you’re allowed to fire one up, as long as it’s OK with local regulations.
Lompoc should know. And I’m talking about the rockets’ red glare in relation to that city—not pot—in case you’re confused. After living under a longtime ban on miniature street explosions to celebrate our nation’s birthday, a majority of the council recently sat back and said, “You know what? Yeah. Let’s get some safe and sane flammable fun all up in this place.”
I’m paraphrasing. Or accurately quoting Mayor John Linn. One of the two.
I heard that Fire Chief Kurt Latipow wasn’t too thrilled with the direction toward combustibility, but I wouldn’t expect a different opinion from the guy in charge of making sure locals don’t get scorched and ashed.
And so what if Lompoc is surrounded by dry brush, aka nature’s kindling? It’s not like anyone is walking around the outskirts of the city, pumping kerosene into the brittle grass. It’s not like folks are sprinkling Sterno on the hillsides. It’s not like suddenly an entire town would have not just permission, but would be encouraged to flick open lighters so they can apply them to devices that spin, spit sparks, and sometimes explode—oh, wait. Maybe that last one is exactly what it’s like.
One argument—if not the argument—goes like this: People are already assaulting city streets with bottle rockets and cherry bombs, so opening up the doors to other fireworks will cut down on the black-market-based shenanigans.
And then maybe, just maybe, we won’t have so many illegals smuggled over the border from Mexico in the future. I’m talking about fireworks still. Not immigrants. That’s too many layers of metaphor for one column to handle.
Oh ye legalized fireworks supporters, I have a question: Do you think the same logic would apply to the drug issue? If the government were to say, “Well, yeah. OK. Everybody bring your joints out into the open. It’ll be good for the economy.”
Because money makes it all better. Legal fireworks sales mean schools can earn much-needed dollars. And nicotine and gambling revenues can support schools, too, when taxed properly. So what about marijuana?
This is our dilemma. This is our world. Do we stand, immovable, on the law and thereby allow a black market to flourish? Or do we legalize and regulate, condone and tax?
No matter what your answer to that question might be, I have a piece of advice for you. This July 4th, don’t get burned.
The Canary indeed can see by the dawn’s early light. Send comments to canary@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Jun 27 – Jul 4, 2013.