Loud Tradition…

Dear Editor,

My new least favorite holiday is the Fourth of July. I am in the food service industry, so I didn’t get the day off. I was sooooo tired, and ready for bed at 9 p.m., because 6:30 a.m. is when I needed to start my next day. As soon as my head hit the pillow the bombs started going off. They went until around 2 a.m.

As I lay awake I had a lot to think about. I was grateful that I don’t have PTSD from war. That might suck to be reminded of that every year. I felt bad for my dog who was panting and shaking all night and didn’t understand it was just people celebrating. Then I thought of the deer who are having fawns this time of year and how scary that would be.

I read recently that in Italy they have adopted the use of silent fireworks to honor their animals. My thoughts went to threatening fires or injuries; then I thought about why Americans are celebrating so enthusiastically. Our ancestors escaped the tyranny of Britain to inflict tyranny on the people that already lived here. They murdered 100 million Native Americans.

I am ashamed of this country. How long are we going to pride ourselves on war. How long are we going to celebrate a travesty? Canada has finally at least apologized to the native people that remain.

Let’s forget the fireworks and do something else. This tradition sucks and the longer it is perpetuated the more I see us as a nation of selfish idiots. Let’s not teach our kids this mindless, rude and drunken day where we blow shit up, pollute and trash our sacred land and lake.

Let’s have July 4th be a meet your neighbor day where everyone in town who wants to, goes out in their front yard and engages with the people they probably barely know but live a few feet from. And around 10 p.m. everyone can just be quiet.

Charlotte Wright
Sandpoint