From this click-bait title, you’re probably wondering how a veteran can possibly hate a day that celebrates America’s victory in gaining independence.
On this day 240 years ago, the original thirteen colonies claimed their independence from England, eventually leading to the formation of the United States. So, Its truly ironic that a day to celebrate veterans and our independence that is sustained by them is often times hated by those very same veterans.
When a soldier returns home, everyone cheers for them, and rightfully so. They’ve helped to protect the nation and allowed us to live the lives we’ve had up until now. What most people do not realize is that simply because they’ve returned home safely does not mean that they’ve returned home the same. They rarely do, after all.
Many veterans actually suffer from various forms of PTSD and find it to be a nightmare to even be in the country during July 4th. it can be very difficult for them to live normal lives due to this. Often times, this will result in nightmares, flashbacks, and other inconvenient occurrences that make it hard for them to live peacefully once back in the nation.
If you’ve ever lived in a low-income area or just an area with a lot of violence, in general, you’ll often hear people joke how about hard it is to tell the difference between fireworks and gun shots. It’s a joke that actually holds a lot of truth. Example:
This is the same for the vets who’ve actually experienced shooting a gun and being shot. The constant fireworks often sound like gun shots or bombs and can bring back unwanted memories. Often times, whether a vet returned home safely or not, they’ve had a brother is arms die or be injured in combat. In a single instant, they can feel a surge of fear, agitation, guilt, and self-blame.
We all want to have fun on independence day, but this day is to celebrate the veterans. I think we can all agree that them not having a panic attack over fireworks is a lot more important than us not being able to shoot fireworks for a day. Granted, fireworks have been a tradition in America for generations, but I personally wouldn't want to launch fireworks if they have this kind of drastic effect on our veterans.
It’s one thing to launch fireworks in celebration of the nation, but if you’re aware that a veteran is in your neighborhood and you still decide to launch fireworks, then you’re an asshole. There are actually fireworks that don't cause any noise, though not many places decide to sell them. It's a shame that more people aren't aware of these, allowing them to be more widespread. So, please be considerate of the men and women who’ve tried to protect your freedom and independence within America.
Happy Fourth of July !
