| Fallacy of provincialism
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Aren't we supposed to be able to show
how proud we are of the United States of America by lighting off fireworks on
the Fourth of July? Then why is it illegal except at Minnesota State
University Moorhead?
I grew up in Granada Hills, Calif.,
and every Fourth of July the block we lived on would buy fireworks and the
adults lit them off and all the kids got to have lit sparklers. Nobody was
hurt. After all the fireworks were lit, we had a big bonfire in the middle of
the alley.
Here in Fargo we aren't supposed to
light off anything – I don't know what the harm is – a lot of people do
anyway. It's really sad. We are supposed to be proud of the United States and
everything that we as a nation went through on Sept. 11, but we aren't allowed
to do anything to show how proud we are except watch at MSUM. What's wrong
with this picture?
Karen Beltran
Fargo |
Source: The Fargo Forum, Sunday, July 11, 2004,
page A20
Issue: Should fireworks be legal in our area?
Evaluation: The first and third paragraphs give the argument
that we should have fireworks because it is patriotic to have them. But
patriotism cannot justify a practice if it has other problems, and the
ban on fireworks here is only a ban on projectile and exploding types.
These are banned for public safety, and her desire to be patriotic does
not outweigh public safety.
Because of the fallacy, Beltran's argument is unsound.
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