Rockets Red Glare

When I was about 15 years old, my brothers and I spent the 4th of July firing bottle rockets at each other in my backyard outside Chicago.

We were armed and dangerous with a heavy supply of rockets, M-80's, firecrackers, aerial displays and sparklers.

My father, who owned a Ford dealership in Aurora (Wayne's World) , was friends with the guy that operated the exploding scoreboard at Comiskey Park (home of the White Sox).

Needless to say, we had an abundant supply of Independence Day explosives.

Once a year, my father would pull into the driveway with a large box filled with 4th of July fun.

There was no drought, only green lawns as far as the eye could see.

The only warning we were saddled with before the summer assault began was to make sure the fuse was long enough, and not to hold the firework too long after lighting it.

My father never thought we would actually carry the empty Pepsi bottle around with a bottle rocket in it to shoot at each other.

Yes, it was stupid and irresponsible, and not something I would ever let my own son do in this day and age.

Yet, when I listen to people argue against a ban on fireworks, using the logic that it's infringing on their freedom to celebrate the country's independence, I laugh.

There was no thought of our forefathers in 1979 when my brothers and I turned the backyard into a wasteland of firework debris.

Only MY father.

It was the chance to blow things up once a year.

Thankfully, no one in my family, or any one in my neighborhood was ever injured by a firework and no houses burnt down, despite our apparent disregard for safety.

But that's not the case in California, let alone Kern County.

A couple years ago, I went on a ride along with fire crews looking for illegal fireworks.

We responded to dozens of complaints and they put out a couple small brush fires, including one behind the Bakersfield Speedway at a LEGAL fireworks show.

What we're left with today is overpriced safe and sane fireworks that don't carry any punch at all.

Not to mention, bone dry conditions in Kern County and throughout the state.

The primary purpose of these legal booths is to make money for various charities.

People that operate the booth's have told ABC23 on numerous occasions that it's the biggest fundraiser of the year.

Maybe it's time to come up with some other way of making money.

I spent Saturday night at the Bakersfield Brigade game (which was very entertaining) and then sat through a very impressive fireworks display with my two sons that lasted 20 minutes.

It was far better than anything I could have produced back in my youth and a monumental leap above the safe and sane display on the street in front of my house.

There are a number of firework shows around the county.

People need to put down the legal, altered and illegal fireworks and rediscover the wonderment of a professional fireworks display.

Most of the at-home celebrations I've witnessed throughout the years had nothing to do with patriotism, only destruction.

With the price of gas, who wants to drive to Vegas to purchase the illegal variety?

Save your money and take in the show at B.C.

I could always dig up the old 8mm film of my brothers and I causing some holiday havoc.

It's good for a laugh, and that's about it.