It's dumb to be stupid

Every now and then, lyrics to certain songs, most of them oldskool country, rocket through my mind in response to what I see as I career through the world.

This past week being the 242nd annual celebration of our nation's liberty, most Americans enjoyed parades, cookouts, hikes in the park, hugs in the dark, swims in the cove, snacks in the grove, and rented canoes. All good clean American fun.


And then some find it fun, in spite of pleas from dog owners and veterans dealing with PTSD, to re-enact great aerial bombardments of the past, with weapons of mass destruction smuggled in from Pennsylvania or points south. I am certain that if you asked the people who put on these Backyard Beiruts if they consider themselves to be law-abiding citizens, most of them would holler in the affirmative. And yet..

Backyard Fireworks Are Illegal In Maryland. The use of fireworks is illegal in Maryland, unless the fireworks are part of a public display for which the State Fire Marshal has granted a permit. ... Violators who possess or discharge illegal fireworks are subject to a misdemeanor fine of up to $250.

They go on, risking (and often suffering) burns, fires, amputation and blindness, just for the thrill of making a big loud boom.

And maybe you saw the meme going around that said, "Kids, don't mess with fireworks! Let the adults set them off after they've been drinking all day!"

Did you hear that as of this morning, nine world citizens have been injured by bulls in the annual Running Thereof In Pamplona, Spain, a week in which people who can't find enough stupid things to do in their home town travel to sunny Spain to have this happen to them:

All of this comes to mind on a day when we were on the way home from a shopping trip and wound up at the red light around the corner from our house.  We sat at the light, waiting to make our right turn, and before the light turned green, a guy in front of us, seeing no other cars around, suddenly hit the gas and zoomed off across Joppa Rd.

I've seen people run yellow lights that reddened at the very sight of them, and I've seen people completely fail to see that there's a signal whatsoever, but in all these years of pushing cars around this town I have never seen a guy who said, you know what, nothing's coming, I got to go and go NOW! The hell with the laws.

Maybe he was in a rush to blow up some fireworks.

The country song I have in mind today is "Georgia On A Fast Train," by the estimable Billy Joe Shaver.


I've been to Georgia on a fast train honey
I wudn't born no yesterday
Got a good Christian raisin' and an eighth grade education
Ain't no need in y'all a treatin' me this way

And Billy Joe could not pick and write like that if he had blown:
a) his fingers off with fireworks
b) the chance to avoid being gored by not chasing bulls and
c) one too many red lights.