Pandemic and Fireworks on the 4th of July

My dog hates the fireworks.  Every dog I have ever known has hated fireworks.  They hide in the tub or under the piano - all good tornado spots, I might add.

Tonight, more neighbors have shot off fireworks than ever in the history of the 35 years I have lived here.  It is because they couldn't go anywhere because it is too dangerous to be in crowds.  People are staying home and making their own parties.  No parade in my town this year, another thing all of my many dogs over the years, are united in hating.  It is the sirens which I will admit I also hate.  The sirens hurt my ears.  

Furthermore, sirens warn of disasters, like houses burning.  How is that supposed to be a festive sound?  

And as for fireworks, tonight I was worrying that sparks were going to land on my roof and burn my house down.  And I was suddenly aware of fireworks as dangerous and I thought, fireworks represent "bombs bursting in air" - also not a very festive thing to contemplate.  You think of the siege of Fort McHenry, all those poor people crouching in whatever potentially safe corner they could find under the shelling.  You think of all the people in all the battles in all the wars huddled somewhere under skies full of fire and explosion.

It makes me think, "Why haven't we progressed further in learning to get along with one another.  All this violence is so primitive, destructive and archaic.  We should be using science and our brains and perfecting mediation and conflict resolution strategies.  People of limited intelligence are running the shows and all they can imagine is brute force as an answer to everything.  And the goal of everything is satiating the insatiable black hole of greed in the culture driving the politics in government.  They are cynical to a diseased degree.  There are layers and layers between abject weakness and violent conflict.

Maybe we could use some new heroes to look up to and some other aspects of our history to promote and encourage, acts of peace and problem solving.

Happy 4th of July
Jo Ann
ps.  Some aspects of the Revolution that I find hopeful were the many united acts of kindness when people fed the hungry soldiers and nursed the wounded ones, even the enemy.  Also the miracles of diplomacy created by Ben Franklin in France.  It is a start!  There are also the social reformers to remember.