By Judith Gayle | Political Waves
I’m writing this on the evening of the Fourth of July. The windows are open and I can hear fireworks, music, laughter. It’s well past nine, and I expect there are some very annoyed seniors out there, unwilling to flex their schedules or stay awake a little longer, indulge a younger set of weekenders. It’s not that these people are cranky by nature, they’re just set in their ways and value countryside peace and quiet.
This year, they’re in for a ride. With the Fourth landing mid-week, there will be discounted fireworks at the stands well into the weekend, when the community will present its yearly light show, shot from the little island in the middle of the lake. Most of us probably aren’t aware that the founders directed the nation to celebrate this day with parades, fireworks and speeches from the very first. It was, to quote our own Vice President, “a big damn deal,” a rebellion that lost many a citizen his home, family and fortune, and could have gotten all the participants hung if they had failed. Somewhat miraculously, they didn’t, so no less than Sam Adams made it public policy to bring on the fireworks.
Sadly, that’s easier said than done this year. Some spots on the map have found that sequestration has taken a big bite out of the holiday, resulting in canceled fireworks displays and parades and disappointing those who can’t imagine a Fourth without them. Used to pulling our own weight in the Pea Patch, the young, and the young at heart, have been filling collection cans since early in the year. We’re not a prosperous county, but, well, the Fourth is the Fourth!