Fireworks tradition vs. law-enforcement insanity

When is the city of Greeley going to wake up to the need of opening areas around town where residents can go to enjoy setting off fireworks on our national holiday?Independence Day came and again we in Greeley were bombarded with news items on the airwaves regarding the illegality of fireworks in our fair city. "Big fines await those scofflaws who disregard the warnings," we are told. I already knew how it was going to go down and you did, too! We'd see the rockets red glare and bombs bursting in air (over our homes) from one end of town to the other the night of July 4.Why do we continue down this path of insanity (defined as doing the same thing over and over expecting different results)? Trying to stop fireworks on July 4 everywhere in any U.S. city is pretty much impossible. Keeping families from enjoying fireworks on this holiday is almost like trying to ban gift giving on Dec. 25. Why not designate areas where it is legal?I've heard the excuses and promises from the fire marshal and police about how they'll round up the "lawbreakers" by sending out fire trucks and police cruisers to patrol the streets. Then, note this, whenever they drive through a neighborhood where fireworks discharges have been reported, they are seen coming, the activity stops and they don't catch anyone in an illegal act. They can't prove anything, of course, because they can be seen coming from blocks away. Besides, how fair is it to have such stiff fines leveled against a few you may catch while thousands of others are getting off scot-free all because they celebrate Independence Day traditionally!Most everyone of my generation who is reading this (born in the 1950s) can plainly remember, as a child, setting off fireworks as a major part of the Independence Day celebration. City ordinances banning fireworks, if they existed at all, were designed to tolerate people's desire to celebrate the tradition. Today in Greeley -- an all-American town and host of the largest Fourth of July rodeo and parade in the country -- we have a big inequity. People who prohibit themselves or their children from the use of fireworks are forced to see and listen to fireworks set off by people who don't obey the law. That always irritated me when my children were younger. I'm sure there are plenty of young families out there going through the same dilemma.I complained of this whole matter in a column for the Tribune several years ago. Nothing has changed. I have a couple of steps to take and submit them as follows:« Designate a portion of our city parks to be fireworks legal areas on July 4 each year. This will ensure that people wanting to abide by the law will be able to do so.« Send out police or firefighters in plain clothes (and plain cars) around neighborhoods to prosecute illegal firework usage.With the first suggestion in place, the number of scofflaws should be reduced and easier to spot.I am tired of the same old same old. It is past time to try something new for this problem. Please stop talking about enforcement of laws that you have no good way of enforcing.Frank Copeland was raised in small-town Kansas by a flag-loving World War II combat veteran. He and his wife are proud of their four children, two pairs of twins, and five grandchildren, all living in Greeley and Fort Collins. The Copelands are 16-year Greeley residents and glad to call it home.