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To: Valerie Davey MP, Bristol West, United Kingdom
From: "Ban the Bang!" at Looking-Glass and VeggieGlobal
20th November 2003
Dear Valerie...
... I was honoured to have been asked to join yourself and
John Woodhead for a discussion (on The Politics Show BBC1
Sunday 9th November); however I was unfortunately unable to
get to the studio due to prior commitments that couldn't be
altered.
I have now watched a recording of the program and would like
to respond to your comments (in this letter).
I completely understand and respect that as an MP you have
many social / community based issues to contend with; the
firework issue being just one item on your busy agenda.
This clearly makes it difficult to focus on the finer aspects
of the firework problem. In fact, the complexity of the social
argument along with the compassionate and psychological aspects
of this sensitive issue requires a 360 degree insight into
the subject.
With this in mind, I was not that surprised at the naivety
of your answer when you were asked your opinions about an
overall ban on the public use of fireworks. You said that
people will only end up making their own fireworks.
But do you seriously think that a comparative percentage of
the population is going to sit down with a concoction of chemicals
and explosive materials and attempt to construct their own
fireworks?!
Most kids who misuse fireworks, (which will still be easily
available to them after this feeble and clearly un-enforceable
new law takes effect) will otherwise find alternative ways
to get their kicks. The minute percentage of those who might
even be bothered to explore ways to make their own explosives
are the kind of disturbed individuals who will be inclined
to practice extreme destructive activities anyway - just a
handful of the thousands of kids who are currently creating
havoc with easily obtained ready made fireworks.
So what do you consider is worse? The odd extremist attempting
to cause disquiet with a home made firework, or the millions
of kids (and ignorant householders) terrorizing neighborhoods,
frightening pets and wildlife literally to death through the
use of commercially available fireworks?
Besides this, the chemicals and compounds readily available
to create the home made "fireworks" you mention would only
produce very weak imitations of today's commercially available
alternatives.
All in all, this answer you gave is incredulous … an unrealistic
and unconvincing reason to dismiss the outweighing positive
effects of a complete ban.
So far, I'm sorry to say that I have been unimpressed by
any MP's rather vague under-researched proposals on firework
limitations. They are far from being realistically enforceable
and acceptable, both socially and environmentally. Discussion
and agreements should be more objective and circumspect based
on real-world experiences and globally inspired solutions.
I recently heard the UK Prime Minister, Tony Blair say that
he was looking into additional proposals for the new firework
laws. I would certainly be happy to discuss this with either
him - or relevant ministers - to determine how a new law,
with a low reproach factor, can be sensibly and effectively
implemented.
It may interest you to know that I receive comments from
New Zealand, who banned the public sale and use of fireworks
some years ago. These comments all say that nobody misses
the "hands-on" use of fireworks and happily enjoy the well
organized professional displays. I was surprised to learn
that a temperate region of the world like New Zealand had
in fact taken this bold step to ban them completely, since
most of Australia and some arid areas of America have banned
them, primarily to prevent fire rather than social and animal
based reasons.
If a ban in many other countries works with no "killjoy" affect
whatsoever, then why not in the UK?
However, with that said, Ban the Bang! has laid out a well-balanced
set of proposals for the UK governments' consideration (and
other countries where fireworks are still available to the
public). These proposals are also based on extensive research
and voter's feedback. It boils down to a common-sense compromise,
which should keep the community, animals (pets, farmed and
wild) AND firework manufacturers happy.
For the sake of social balance I have carefully compromised
with the majority of voters who wish for a total ban on private
sales, by introducing proposals that provide a step towards
a total ban on public sales and use - but only if absolutely
necessary.
The Ban the Bang general proposals are as follows:
1. Ban
the private use of fireworks and public displays except
for three festival days per year (plus Saturday nearest
to each festival day). (I.e. in UK, November 5th, New Year
and Diwali)
2. Fireworks
that bang and rise more than 2 metres (average garden fence
height) would be banned outright for use by the public.
Only bang-free ground based fireworks (with a dispersal
range of no more than 2 metres) could be sold to / used
by the public - and only sold for two weeks prior to festival
days (see 1.).
3. Outside
of festival days - the public would be able to apply for
a private party / wedding reception licence (restricted
to one licence per household per year). With this one-day
licence, the licence holder would be able to purchase no-bang
ground fireworks from licensed all-year firework shops.
(These shops will not be allowed to supply loud / aerial
fireworks to the general public at any time - see 2.)
4. Sensible
restrictions should also apply to professionally organized
public displays. For example, enforcing a maximum threshold
on noise:
No public firework displays louder than 85db.
Locations of displays must be carefully planned (and revised),
whereby they can only take place in open, strictly designated
areas least likely to affect wildlife. Displays must be
a minimum distance of around 1.5 km from rural habitat areas
such as trees, woodlands, heathlands etc. and at least 2km
from stables, zoos and farm animal locations.
I would recommend that you also read the comments on the
Ban the Bang site, sent in by a very broad band of the UK
and global public - young and old.
Exploring the many layers of how fireworks affect lives -
both socially and environmentally - is a major task - as is
structuring a detailed map of comments, incidents and broad
concerns from ordinary citizens of the UK and elsewhere around
the world. To get this new fireworks law right, a stratum
of administration and insight is essential from a strong compassionate
aspect. I don't feel that politicians in general are knowledgeably
positioned to compile a realistically enforceable set of proposals
on this deeply heated subject from such a viewpoint.
It can be applauded that you are in strong favour of banning
hunting with hounds. However, I would like to point out that
the term "compassion" seems not to have been brought up once
during your Politics Show discussion. Compassion, in this
sense, refers to the well-being of pets, wild animals, farm
animals, the elderly and peace-loving neighborhood communities
in general - many who have been affected in numerous, horrific
ways by "explosives" sold across the shop counter under the
name of fireworks. The toll on the many animals frightened,
maimed and killed for the "fun" of fireworks should be considered
as of equal importance as those hunted for "sport".
Finally, I am also concerned that there seems to be no intermediate
body involved between the BFA and politicians in establishing
a sensible compromise when fine tuning this new firework act
for "progressive" implementation. At present, the new law
seems more-or-less a superficial and therefore ineffective
adjustment rather than a definitive implementation which communities,
animals, firework users and manufacturers will all comfortably
tolerate.
Thank you for taking the time to read my response and views.
I look forward to your reply.
Yours sincerely,
Ban the Bang,
at Looking-Glass and VeggieGlobal
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