Once again, the United States and its peoples are inundated with profound and provocative moments of choice. Since March, millions of individuals, families, and businesses have been impacted by the Coronavirus. Loss- of income, life, direction, stability- has suffused our lives and conversations. 

In the midst of these challenging times, the ending weeks of May also, again, tragically exposed the painful, unscrupulous treatment that our BIPOC family, friends, and neighbors endure, and have endured, for TOO MANY generations. 

With this petition there is the suggestion to reallocate the funds otherwise spent on a July 4th display, to a cause, organization, or severely effected communities. 

In 2011, the SF Gate documented that a 20 minute display can be upwards of $20,000, with labor for those safely orchestrating the fireworks an additional fee.

This year, there is a call to show our pride in our nation- and its beautiful, complex, and convoluted history- by continuing to reassess our priorities, to shift our resources from what entertains us, to what sustains us, and all of our communities. 

Being involved in the great changes of our time can be with small actions, perhaps like this, where we can recognize collectively what a meaningful act it is to support each other, and not outdated systems or stodgy, old paradigms. 

As both state and country face unprecedented demands, and incur rising debt in order to meet them, reallocation of firework funds could be a powerful way to reimagine together what it means to celebrate being American. 

The current tone of politics is pageantry; if we take this moment to choose anew, a new way forward may be discovered, one that buoys our spirits, while honoring, respecting, and supporting the people who live in it, and are it’s future.