This depressing news was found tucked away on page 6 of todays Canberra Times, 15/2 – a putrid sign of the nanny-capital many people want Canberra to be.
“The ACT Government has backed away from banning backyard firecrackers, saying it will give Canberrans one last chance to behave on cracker night this year, ” says the CT.
“The Government has been considering a ban to start next year over protests about terrified pets, property damage and noise”
I agree that things can get a little out of hand, particularly as the Government can’t seem to stop the illegal crackers entering the ACT, let alone Australia, but the vast majority of people who buy crackers are young families who use them responsibly and purchase them to delight their children (and most of the legal ones are so tragically tame any hoo!).
Next to Christmas and possibly my birthday, firecracker night was the highlight of the year for me as a kid. I still get a kick our of seeing my kid relatives enjoy a fireworks show.
But now we’ll get to the crux of the argument, and i will doubtless win any friends here…….but I don’t give a hoot about your scared dog, I really don’t. Just like my two neighbours (i’m surrounded on both sides by dogs) don’t give a hoot about my right to peace and quiet when they leave their dogs tied up all day barking and howling.
And I expecially don’t give a hoot about your terrified cats, who stalk the suburbs day and night looking for birds and reptiles to slaughter.
The list of things people want to ban in Canberra just gets longer and longer……….ban GMC (banned), ban smoking, ban Summernats, ban battery hens, ban meat, ban GDE, ban cyclists, ban alcohol……and so the list goes on.
Some people need to be reminded that JUST BECAUSE YOU DON’T LIKE SOMETHING, DOESN’T MEAN IT SHOULD BE BANNED!
Can you imagine the OUTRAGE that would occur if the Government told pet owners all dogs would be banned – just because a minority allowed their dogs to bark all day, maul children and other animals and soiled peoples lawn???
Hell man, firecracker night is the one night of the year i can get back at my doggy neighbours……….and I should have that right!