Fireworks, fiery crashes and the fair

STEVE SMITH

Short stuff.

Fireworks are not the boogeyman. They’re used for about four hours

once a year. If we’re so concerned about the public safety in Costa

Mesa or Newport Beach, ban alcohol. Better yet, ban cars, too. Both

are responsible annually for far more injuries and accidents than

fireworks. But we can’t ban alcohol and cars so we look once again

for a scapegoat, something that will make us feel like we’re looking

out for the best interests of citizens, particularly children.

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I have read nothing but self-centered arguments for keeping the

Orange County Fair in Costa Mesa. Costa Mesa does not have any right

to retain the fair at the fairgrounds simply because it has been held

there for so long. If it makes more financial sense to move it to the

Great Park area, it should be moved.

Kim Pederson’s letter with plans for the fairgrounds upon

departure is right on -- use the space for more baseball diamonds

(after all, soccer players got the entire Farm Complex, now it’s

baseball’s turn). The new skate park should be located there, too.

Plus, I’m sure the hearing-sensitive residents of College Park

will appreciate the noise and congestion reductions and won’t miss

the gazillion free admissions they each get each time the fair rolls

around.

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As long as we’re on the subject of the fairgrounds, the Pacific

Amphitheater is due to receive a face-lift after this year’s fair.

Once that sprucing up is done, it’s time to steal the Pacific

Symphony Orchestra away from their summer home at the Verizon

Wireless Amphitheater in Irvine.

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Since there will not be an airport at El Toro and since the whole

idea of an airport at El Toro was to reduce the burden on John Wayne

Airport, it’s time for the El Toro hangers-on to take a page from the

anti-El Toro playbook. I suggest that they trot out the pollution,

congestion and safety issues raised by the anti-El Toro forces and

apply them to John Wayne. That place is an accident waiting to

happen. Oh, and bring up all that old stuff about the horrible

effects on the kids in the schools and playgrounds under the flight

path. Since we’re on the public safety bandwagon, the timing is good.

A repeat of my position: No El Toro airport and no John Wayne

airport, either. And if you think it can’t be done, get out of the

way of those who think it can.

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The burning big rig on the San Diego Freeway on Thursday was so

close to the baseball diamond for the Dodgers vs. Giants Minor A game

that we could smell the smoke. The smoke was such a distraction for

the Dodger players that they never asked the coaches who was bringing

the post-game snacks. But what I was amazed at was the super-speedy

response of whatever fire departments were involved. In no time flat,

the smoke was gone, reminding me once again to say “thank you” to the

firefighters and to all those who help keep our streets safe for us.

*

Fair redux: Admission tickets and ride tickets are already on sale

for this year’s county fair. If you plan to go to the fair this year

and you don’t buy them in advance, you are throwing away a lot of

dough. The reduced prices are good right until the fair opens but

having stood in line on the last day one too many times, I highly

recommend you buy them sooner rather than later.

*

I was out of town last weekend, giving a speech in Wilmington,

North Carolina. Among the casualties of my weekend was missing a

Little League game, only the second one I’ve missed in six years of

coaching. But I also missed the grand opening of the new Interpretive

Center at the Manzanar “Relocation” Camp in the Owens Valley. On our

way back from Mammoth, we stopped by and I managed to sneak inside to

check it out.

Manzanar should be the destination of a pilgrimage by every

American. Once there, you’ll see the story of over 10,000 people of Japanese descent locked away for as much as three-and-a-half years.

About two-thirds of them were American citizens. That’s right, the

United States government locked up its own citizens for years only

because they happen to be born in one particular country.

These people were not relocated, they were jailed. Despite losing

everything, they planted fields and orchards, organized churches, a

baseball league, their own newspaper and even manufactured camouflage

netting for the U.S. armed forces. Some of the eligible men even

fought on our side.

You cannot leave Manzanar without being moved in a very big way.

Do yourselves and your kids a huge favor and stop there the next time

you’re headed to Mammoth, Reno or Tahoe. Or just take that beautiful

high desert drive just to see Manzanar -- it will be worth it.

* STEVE SMITH is a Costa Mesa resident and a freelance writer.

Readers may leave a message for him on the Daily Pilot hotline at

(949) 642-6086.