To the Editor:

It's almost Independence Day again! Fourth of July!

Cookouts, beach parties, good times with family and friends topped off by beautiful fireworks displays by towns authorized to put on a show under a controlled environment.

Although fireworks are illegal in Massachusetts, and those highway signs flash FIREWORKS ARE ILLEGAL to make anyone think twice about setting them off, reality is that there is very little law enforcement directed at individuals. They basically have the freedom to do whatever they want wherever and whenever they want with no consequence.

What if those individuals were to respect our veterans who are beside themselves with fear as a result of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) every time fireworks are set off close by? These people are able to plan on not being around when the controlled displays are scheduled at a certain time. They can not deal with a barrage of fireworks or even one loud one set off at someone’s whimsy.

A tremendous blast set off at 2 a.m. beside a veteran’s home should never happen and should be penalized.

What if that kid or adult or group (that gets a big kick out of setting off whatever fireworks make the most noise possible for as long as possible) paused for a moment and thought about what our veterans sacrificed for ALL OF US so that we could enjoy our freedom every single day of our lives?

What if those individuals respected babies sleeping (and their mothers who have to deal with the after effects of fireworks noise), those who are seriously ill and the elderly who need peace and quiet?

What if those individuals thought about every dog, cat, horse and all pets, let alone animals in the wild, who only need to hear one BOOM to set them off in fear and spoil the duration of their day/night and the day/night of everyone who lives with them?

Why are we forced, in our own homes, to be totally distressed at the expense of these individuals?

NOT just on the Fourth of July. This is an ongoing issue from May through September at ANY TIME! Midnight, noontime, you name it. Especially for those of us who live on the waterfront. Any peaceful summer day or night can be rocked into chaos with just one loud boom, commonly known as a SALUTE (loudest, most dangerous one of all).

During these stressful times of unexpected violent attacks on human life, we all need our safe havens. And those safe havens should always be our own homes.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE give some thought to all of the above, share it as much as you can with everyone possible, and speak up against illegal fireworks.

You can google PTSD and Fireworks to further understand the effects. Here is just one link: http://www.military.com/daily-news/2016/06/28/fireworks-season-can-trigger-ptsd-veterans.html.

We can all help change this out-of-control situation together.

God Bless America,

Debbie Mackertich

Onset