Thank you to those who did not light fireworks

The governor of Washington state, the mayor of Medical Lake and numerous fire officials asked that we forgo using Fourth of July fireworks this year due to the dangerous drought conditions. I was embarrassed and disappointed by the number of people who chose to ignore the requests and instead terrorize pets, traumatize veterans and risk the lives and property of their neighbors.

What may I ask is so “patriotic” about watching your hard-earned money disappear with a bang and a puff smoke? Wouldn’t it have been more patriotic and far more beneficial to donate that money to a charity like the Wounded Warrior Project to help heal our veterans rather than replicate the sights and sounds that caused their horrific wounds?

To those who displayed common sense and community spirit, thank you.

Eugene Ariz

Medical Lake