As a boy, I loved the annual July 4th fireworks displays in my town. Then I realized they were socialist extravaganzas. Now I see them as expensive government propaganda, fire-setting and terrorizing to pets, not to speak of disturbing to the social peace. Only government could get away with it. In a private property order, no one would be setting off these things near neighborhoods, unless everyone agreed to it. A silver lining to the Southern drought: some parts of government are barring other parts from staging these militaristic shows.

The Best of Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr.