Boom Goes The Dynamite And Common Sense In Cathedral City

Well here we go again. Another July 4th in the desert. I was driving today with an non-political friend of mine in Cathedral City and she remarked, "Why are they selling fireworks in the middle of a drought?" Why indeed?

I have been fighting the battle against "safe and sane" fireworks for at least a decade. It defies common sense. In the last few years, a lot of citizens in Cathedral City have joined in the fight. To his credit, Councilman Shelly Kaplan fulfilled a campaign promise to bring it to the Council's attention last year. It failed.

The reason give for that failure wass the fact that non-profits in the city raise money selling fireworks. A few years ago, St, Louis Church used the money they raised to send kids to see the Pope!! Today's Desert Sun even chimes in with a planted article on how a local church is feeding the homeless by selling fireworks. Ex Cathedral City Councilman Chuck Vasquez is prominently featured in the story. Is this the only way to raise money?

The Desert Sun, opining on this topic last year somehow equated fireworks sales with military service!!! Yeah there will be no Pulitzer for that editorial.

The sale of fireworks in the desert, suffering through a drought of biblical proportions is absolutely insane. Anyone with an ounce of common sense can see that. It is lunacy.

The city needs to work with non-profits to ensure that they can have safe and sane fundraising!! The sale of fireworks is an action that contains no sparkle. None at all

Steve Kelly can be reached at @skellynj or at skelly@rrbroadcasting.com

RIVERSIDE COUNTY SHERIFF DOES NOT PASS SNIFF TEST ON GUNS

As the fallout continues from the shooting at the Pulse Night Club in Orlando, once again responsible Americans are asking how did Omar Mateen legally purchase the AR 15 Assault Weapon that he used in part to slaughter 49 innocent people?

As usual; the NRA and their fellow travelers are trying to block any sensible look at stopping these weapons from getting into the hands of terrorists or lunatics or both. Somehow, this all Barack Obama's fault.

As a journalist, I am strong believer in the Bill Of Rights. But as a citizen of Riverside County, I am perplexed by the fascination with firearms by Sheriff Stan Sniff Jr. A look at his official, not private Facebook page show a complete and rather unhealthy obsession with guns. It contains ads for gun shows. NRA propaganda. Sniff uses both his official position and stationary to write letters opposing any attempts at sensible gun legislation. I didn't realize all this was part of his official duties. I am pretty sure it isn't.

Now even though he is Sheriff, Mr. Sniff doesn't lose any of his rights as a citizen. But his political positions belong nowhere on official stationery. It is baffling to me why the Board of Supervisors hasn't asked him to cut this out. This isn't his first time.

In 2013 the Sheriff attacked Senator Diane Feinstein for proposing an assault weapons ban after the massacre in Newtown. Connecticut. I wrote a Valley Voice piece on the subject then. I was attacked not be Sheriff himself but his pals in the Cowboy Action Shooting group to which he belonged. These people dress up like Wyatt Earrp and Annie Oakley and fire guns. Think Zane Grey on LSD.

As part of his vocal attack on Proposition 47. Sheriff Sniff constantly brings up that the stealing of a firearm is now treated way too leniently under the statue. You know what, I agree with him. I think the law should be changed in regards to firearms. What I do not agree to is a Sheriff who is using his office to further the objectives of a rabid band of irresponsible zealots. Who may one day use legally purchased Assault Weapons against the brave men and women he commands.

Steve Kelly can be reached at skelly@rrbroadcasting or followed on Twitter @skellynj

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