Fireworks Suck: This Year's Leftist Attack on Independence Day

July 4th is practically sacred, so on this holiday, they can't come right out and call America a racist imperialist abomination without looking like total creeps.

Or can they? Yep. No problem, attack fireworks. That's a good proxy. It's the esthetics, you know. Scott Lemieux hates 'em. Freaking boring. And he gets a big rah rah from ... wait for it ... Matthew Yglesias! At least you can catch a good party!

Their inspiration is Slate (where else), "Fireworks Suck: They Really Do." Forget aesthetics. Go for full anti-Americanism (via Memeorandum):

... the professional fireworks display is an exercise in pomposity, aggression, triumphalism, and hubris. The pyrotechnician—and, more importantly, his patron—intends to ornament the night sky beyond the powers of God himself. He means to inspire awe for little purpose other than to demonstrate his power. The first great fireworks nuts in the Western world were Peter the Great (who put on a five-hour show to celebrate the birth of his first son) and Louis XIV (who, with a specially equipped sundial, used them to tell time at Versailles). Fireworks are imperialist and, as we used to say in school, hegemonic. That they are popularly believed to be populist entertainment does not say much for the populace.