July 4th May Be Quiet On The Gulf Coast. Why Even Celebrate?

As July 4th draws closer and waves from Hurricane Alex's feeder bands continue to push even more oil and Corexit upon the shores of the coasts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, event planners working with local leaders are considering cancelling the fireworks displays traditionally used to commemorate the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.

Communities along the Gulf Coast, already struggling to keep summer tourists, face a new predicament: whether to go ahead with plans to launch fireworks over the oily waters on the Fourth of July.

At least a half-dozen communities, from New Orleans to Gulf Shores, Ala., annually stage over-the-water fireworks displays on Independence Day. But as oil continues to gush from the BP well, one community — Grand Isle, La. — already has canceled its fireworks. At least two others — Gulf Shores and Ocean Springs, Miss. — say they may have to forego plans to launch fireworks from offshore barges if thicker oil rolls in.

The reason: fears that sparks could ignite the oil. USA Today

These days, there is little reason for those affected along the coast to hold on to the ideals embraced by the Founding Fathers of this country, as those ideals persist on slipping through the fingers like the very oil that is contaminating our waters in a toxic stew only further spoiled with dispersant chemicals four times more toxic than the oil itself.

With the Federal government considered to be on the take in light of campaign contributions, Minerals Management Service's exemptions , and our President claiming to clamp down while allowing BP to be in charge, are we to really believe that we have claimed any independence from entities who at their very nature are in existence to make money and gain power?

Perhaps there is no need for fireworks, it is such a silly tradition to blow things up and let the garbage float in the water just for a quarter hour's worth of pretty fires in the sky, but it would be different if it was our choice not to do so because it was silly. We now may stop this tradition because of something much more sinister: an under-regulated company along with their associated companies pulling the natural resources from the earth will little regard to anything other than trumping a vast area's environmental health for the almighty dollar. All the while the leader of the country and his Vice-President make a couple of visits that end up bringing a little more publicity for that day before returning back to their worlds and feeling confident that they showed us they cared.

Through taxation we were held hostage by the British. People were fed up, a movement was started, we declared ourselves independent of British rule, and we celebrate that on July 4th. Now through sell-out politicians, our own political apathy and corporations, we are held hostage again, unable to celebrate in our traditional manner. I see no reason to say God Bless America this July 4th, and there will be no flags flying in front of my home. I'll be too busy volunteering my time to pour Dawn detergent from plastic bottles over animals and hope to save a few precious lives that the oil-based plastic car American Tradition has brought us to.

"We're American and we can do anything we put our minds to!" We sure did, and we have the plastic bottles and dead animals to prove it.

Originally posted by niteboy82

I'll be too busy volunteering my time to pour Dawn detergent from plastic bottles over animals and hope to save a few precious lives that the oil-based plastic car American Tradition has brought us to.

"We're American and we can do anything we put our minds to!" We sure did, and we have the plastic bottles and dead animals to prove it.

I am sad. The only part that heartened me was your continuing to help the animals. Thank you.

Out here for a few years now, it has been getting harder to find that traditional 4th of July fireworks show. Not enough money to put on a show anymore.

This just has to be the time when the entire nation, not just the gulf coast, has to rebuild their lives, our way of life, in order to survive. American has been the drunken captain of an oil based energy boat, and the country has run aground.

I know you don't feel like flying the flag, but, please, don't let anyone ever make you feel defeated, for then they have power over you. Fly the flag, because it really is your country, not BP's.

And when you are with your fellow citizens cleaning the birds, discuss what kind of future you want for your area. The clean seas and beaches are no more for the foreseeable future. What will it take to survive economically now? What new economy do you need to start building?

Ne laissez pas les salauds vous descendez! ... pardon my French, really....

These days, there is little reason for those affected along the coast to hold on to the ideals embraced by the Founding Fathers of this country ..

Yeah, it's probably best to drop that holiday altogether everywhere, since it is also kind of a slap in the face of those native Americans that were here first, before our illegal alien ancestors came along and stole and cheated this land away from those that it actually belonged to. It always felt like Hypocrite Day to me, considering what Americas citizens do to illegal humans themselves these days. Now we got oil invading these shores, causing the latest natives to run for their lives. Teach.

reply to post by Divinorumus



What you say makes more sense to me than anything I have read all day - thank you!

I live on the coast and am just waiting for these idiots to go ahead and have their fourth firework and the gulf goes BOOM.
These people are so dependent on tourism that they will do just about anything to get just one buck if they can.
I hate it that the beautiful place I loved became so over grown with condo that you can no longer see the gulf while riding down the beach road.
After hurricane Fredrick investors invaded the gulf while nobldy was looking and got permits to build and they built right on the dune line. It just kept on growing until it has become a land eating monster.
The only city official that I see that is really trying to do the right thing is Mayor Kennon of Orange Beach.
He has since the beginning realized that tourism is going to have to put on the back burner, that protecting the environment comes first. He has had the beaches closed to swimming for a month and has not lifted the double red flags once.
Unfortunately the boom system he had across Perdido Pass has come apart in the storm surges from Alex. I am sure the man is just crying.

It makes little sense to celebrate America's Independence with Chinese fireworks anyway, IMO. I've always been partial to spend that day hiking or fishing with my family, enjoying the beauty and serenity of the land our Founding Fathers and generations of patriots fought and died for us to enjoy. But that seems to be just me...

Originally posted by desert I know you don't feel like flying the flag, but, please, don't let anyone ever make you feel defeated, for then they have power over you. Fly the flag, because it really is your country, not BP's.

Not this year. I believe that most patriots that lived here if truly informed would at most be flying their flag upside down as a sign of distress, and while I agree that it can be used to represent the fallen patriots of past, I disagree with that on a point that I will go into later (most are made in China.) Mostly because of early age brainwashing on the flag, but I still see how others would get wrapped up in it. The National Anthem gets me more, only because I remember my grandfathers and it pains me to think how they would feel if they saw what the country has turned in to after the years they served in the US military.

Originally posted by Divinorumus It always felt like Hypocrite Day to me, considering what Americas citizens do to illegal humans themselves these days. Now we got oil invading these shores, causing the latest natives to run for their lives. Teach.

I agree with your thoughts. While I do have a harsh perspective internally on how I feel towards this subject, and humanity in general, I was leaving this at current events on a generalized recent perspective.

Originally posted by dead shrimp blues
I live on the coast and am just waiting for these idiots to go ahead and have their fourth firework and the gulf goes BOOM.

That is a bit too real for me. We don't need that happening, but I honestly can relate to the bitter sarcasm.

Unfortunately the boom system he had across Perdido Pass has come apart in the storm surges from Alex. I am sure the man is just crying.

I'm sure he is, if only internally. Those that "get it" and hurt over the losses we face are not so few and far between as others would make you think. There are many here not in political office, but that work for the local government who did not start out as white-collar associates. Some haven't forgotten their roots and remember what to use the non-shrimp from their trawling days for.

Originally posted by burdman30ott6 It makes little sense to celebrate America's Independence with Chinese fireworks anyway, IMO. I've always been partial to spend that day hiking or fishing with my family, enjoying the beauty and serenity of the land our Founding Fathers and generations of patriots fought and died for us to enjoy. But that seems to be just me...

I'll agree, and honestly as above, I say the same thing about the US Flag all the time. Sounds to me like you are totally on track and enjoying it how they would have hoped you remember it.

Originally posted by niteboy82
I believe that most patriots that lived here if truly informed would at most be flying their flag upside down as a sign of distress.
.....
I still see how others would get wrapped up in it.

Flying the flag upside down....desert smacks her head, doh! I forgot about that one....Yes, yes!! That's a good idea!

All this pro/anti flag stuff started during the Viet Nam years with the anti-war group burning the flag because it no longer represented what the country stood for. The pro-war group then said, Love It Or Leave It, and took the flag as a symbol of exclusivity, to be used only if you matched their definition of patriotism. Either you were RedWhiteBlue like them or you weren't patriotic.

Funny, but once the extreme right started using Saul Alinsky tactics, he was no longer put out there to be demonized. And he's the one who tried to tell the young anti-war demonstrators back then NOT to burn the flag, but keep it as their symbol, too, because he understood the power of symbols and the power you gave to the other side if you let them co-opt that symbol. He was correct.

I think the fireworks represented "the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air". And there's a great tradition from Europe of fireworks in America, for different kinds of celebrations.

But...I'm getting too far into that topic....the main thing for me is that I hope you can get some temporary relief from grief this weekend. Whatever way you need to do that.

If anything, America is about going through tough times and coming out better. Past generations would grieve over what has happened, but they would grieve more if we couldn't go through this hell, defeat the enemy, and be better for it.