As I sit here in a certain unnamed city in Colorado, I hear the occasional pop or boom of fireworks. Fireworks almost certainly illegal in this municipality, which has so graciously permitted SOME legal fireworks (if you can call them that) for its inmates – excuse me, residents.

Of course, there are other nearby cities and towns who have publicly stated that ALL fireworks “should be left to the professionals.” Just like liberty and justice, peace and prosperity, defense, and more. Ordinary (mundane) citizens cannot be trusted with ANY of these things, and what a perfect day to remind them of this!

This evening, as the sun sets over the mountains about nine-thirty or so, I am sure that I will see numerous fireworks rising high into the sky and bursting in glorious colors with loud, resounding bangs. Even though I am on the other side of the urban area from the one LEGAL fireworks display, in a local government-run, tax-funded, government-owned park and grandstand.

What I will be seeing from the house I’m watching is, of course, ALL illegal. NOT professional fireworks firers or launchers or shooters – whatever they are called.

And GOOD FOR THEM! The people that are launching the fireworks, I mean – not the professionals, but ordinary everyday people. They are all breaking numerous laws. Numerous STUPID laws that prevent nothing, save no one, and do nothing to reduce the danger of fires. Not really, since so many people ignore those laws. Just like criminals also ignore gun laws, and all the laws against theft, false advertising, etc. Except that once again, the fireworks laws are supposed to prevent SELF harm, just like laws against suicide. Smoking, drugs, and other “bad” things.

Even though those fireworks are LEGAL in Wyoming (and South Dakota, and elsewhere), it is ILLEGAL to even have those things in your possession in Colorado. Sometimes punished by fines in the thousands of dollars. The city I am in right now has a fine of more than 2500 dollars. At $15/hour, that is 125 HOURS of slavery to punish you for having fireworks that are legal less than a hundred miles away. (Actually more, when you figure in the taxes stolen from that $15/hour.)

You see, in Colorado, despite Constitutional provisions allowing free trade (commerce) between states, IT IS ILLEGAL to IMPORT fireworks from other states that are made illegal by the wisdom of the General Assembly. Which is, of course, why Wyoming businesses (and government which collects sales tax from those businesses) make an absolute fortune each June and July selling fireworks to people from Colorado.

Because, of course, the best way to celebrate our independence, our freedom and our liberty from tyrannical government is to bow down and touch our foreheads on the boot tips of government tyrants: local, state, and federal. According to those tyrants, nannies, and other enemies of liberty.

Who are, of course, wrong. Americans should know better – even the Americans who have sold out their birthright of liberty for a mess of (liberal and/or conservative) security porridge. They should know, but too many do NOT – we have to educate them.

And get them to do SOMETHING. Even if it is like the Jews who for centuries prayed “next year in Jerusalem.” Perhaps more and more Americans will start praying “next year with MORE liberty” or (in too many places) “next year with SOME liberty.”

But only if we teach them.