I was born in New Jersey, one of the original 13 colonies. Every I stepped until I was 10 years old had historical Revolutionary War significance. I knew that and even as a young child revered that.

When I lived in Michigan I knew the history of Chief Pontiac and the battles and treaties between the Native Americans and the we want the land Americans. I knew that Michigan is an Indian word. I found arrowheads in my backyards in both cities. I loved growing up on these important to our US history.

In California I learned about the Missions, Father Juan Serra. The gold rush of 1949. The important part California played in WW II watching the coast.

I have always been proud to be American~except 4th of July. Here in the moronic county of King, the county Seattle resides in along with my family allows personal fireworks. We have several Native American reservations that sell very illegal fireworks that dumb men buy and bring home to our neighborhoods.

I suffer from anxiety and that has been under control recently. Until the guy behind us set off an M80 and shook my house 2 inches to the left and the noise of explosives assaulted my ears.

I live in a very diverse hood and the people setting off the most fireworks are new Americans or illegal Americans who don't know the laws which are printed only in English at the legal fireworks stands. There are plenty of dumb rednecks trying to burn all the neighborhoods down as well.

I feel as if I'm in the middle of the Iraq war and it scares the bejesus out of me. It makes me jump every time a loud one goes off. It's been going on since yesterday even though the laws limits are 9a.m. July 4 until 10p.m. July 4. It's 10:37p.m. and I feel like I'm living in a rice paddy in Vietnam.

Now I am a very peaceful citizen but my PTSD from today wants me to buy an RPG on the black market so I can take these people out in a jiffy and stop freaking out.

Maybe a few flash grenades would make them scatter like cockroaches. If I had use of a fire hose these folks would all be dripping, blasted into the storm drains and the fireworks would be wet and useless.

Maybe then I could stop shaking and get some sleep.

Is that too much to ask in suburban America? Is it?