Liberty? What is that?

The local Black Hills (South Dakota) edition of the online Newsbreak published this notice a few days ago:

Residents may legally discharge fireworks in Pennington County from June 27 through July 5, 2026, under South Dakota Codified Law 34-37-16.1. The Pennington County Sheriff’s Office requests a voluntary 11 p.m. curfew for fireworks use in Rapid Valley during this period. In Rapid City, fireworks are prohibited except for novelties like sparklers, and police, fire, and code enforcement will have extra patrols for fireworks complaints. Citations of up to $500 or 30 days in jail may apply for illegal use. Fireworks are banned within the Black Hills Fire Protection District, covering areas west of Highway 79 from Hot Springs to I-90 Exit 61, and east along I-90 past Black Hawk and Piedmont. Residents are urged to follow the law, follow curfews, and clean up debris after use.

Thousands of people do not have the freedom to celebrate Independence Day and the liberties that were gained (or restored) and promised “for as long as the grass shall grow” and won in nearly eight years of war two and a half centuries ago. Why? A need for “security” and massive fears.

“All” of the nine AmerInd nations of South Dakota (Lakota, Nakota, Dakota) have declared that they are opposed to the fireworks display at Mount Rushmore National Memorial, which is in Pennington County. (Whether it is the fire danger that they cite or because they hate Donald J. Trump, who has just confirmed he plans to return to Mt. Rushmore for this 250th birthday celebration, is subject to argument. Or is it just because the Landback fanatics claim it is all stolen land (from the northern tip of Maine to Mexicali south of San Diego) and must be “given back” to the “indigeousness” or “native Americans”? This attitude is currently widespread because they (and others) just celebrated the 150th anniversary of the defeat and near-destruction of the 7th US Cavalry Regiment by the Lakota and Cheyenne in the Battle of the Greasy Grass (Little Big Horn), which ramped up long-held anger and seeking of “justice.”

But the various AmerInd nations and activist groups are not alone. Dozens of groups are decrying the fireworks displays put on in various communities in the Black Hills, including Hill City, Lead, Deadwood, Custer City, Hermosa, Sturgis, and elsewhere. Some cities have already cancelled their fireworks displays. The stated purpose is to prevent fires due to the severe to extreme drought which exists in the Black Hills, much of Wyoming, and the Nebraska Panhandle. (Which is being somewhat ameolorated by almost daily rainfall and thunderstorms for the last week or so. So far this year, only the fringes of the Black Hills (the southwest corner of Pine Ridge in northwest Nebraska) has had a major wildfire: the 40,000-acre Southfork Fire.)

The explosive series of fires recently in Nebraska (the Sand Hills and on the edge of the Black Hills in the Pine Ridge of far northwestern Nebraska), and currently massive and growing fires in Colorado and Utah have ramped up these fears still more. (As we write this we realize that the various courts still have another day or two of regular business hours, and no doubt legal attempts are being made to stop people from celebrating Independence day.

To make matters worse, The Donald is going to be in the Black Hills and at Mount Rushmore on the 3rd of July, when that fireworks display is to be held. So all of the anti-Trumpers are also on the warpath. Nothing that he does can be good, in their eyes. He never tells the truth about anything, so all he says about the Declaration of Independence, the American Way, and anything else is “nothing but lies.” (Oh, dear, I think he has said that the sky is blue – but we know better!)

Anyway, back to the primary point: these various governmental entities again see fit to declare that only organized, government-sponsored and -approved, fireworks displays are allowed to be used to celebrate our now-long-departed liberty. Rapid City itself will have three or four “sanctioned” fireworks displays, unless the Karens win in the next few days, as part of its “Real” celebration of the USA’s 250th birthday. But may the Lord forbid a ten-year-old light off a firecracker or a puny little Roman candle legally.

Are we free? Are we? Or has the world and humanity changed so much in 250 years that all that we must want and “enjoy” is submission to our rulers, to our neighborhood and all the other Karens?

Think on these things.

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