Most oppose
fireworks ban,
says online poll

Forty percent of Hawaii residents,
however, say fireworks
should be banned

Take our online fireworks poll

By Richard Borreca
Star-Bulletin

We have a leave-'em-and-love-it attitude toward fireworks in Hawaii.

People who once lived in Hawaii think fireworks should be legal, according to a new straw poll.

And tourists are almost all in favor of the state's New Year's Eve fireworks extravaganza.

But a large segment of those who live in Hawaii think fireworks should be banned.

The results are from an unscientific sampling of 425 readers who stopped by at the Honolulu Star-Bulletin's online newspaper. The sample was from Feb. 2 through yesterday morning.

The survey shows that nearly 40 percent of those who live in Hawaii would ban all fireworks.

Tourists who have been to Hawaii or hope to visit are 95 percent in favor of having no limits on any fireworks.

Meanwhile, only one-third of those who once lived here are in favor of a ban.

Readers were asked to add their comments while filling in the survey.

Honolulu resident Dawn Miyashiro summed up the feelings of many, saying that fireworks have just become too dangerous.

"We need to provide safety for all the people of Hawaii," she said.

"Students bringing bombs to school and people are losing fingers. . . . Let's ban the fireworks before the Fourth of July, before someone dies from homemade bombs or loses their life from a house fire," Miyashiro wrote.

Others, however, recall fondly the brilliant News Year's Eve displays and the backyard pyrotechnics.

Keli'i Martin, who is attending college in Daytona Beach, Fla., wrote to say it is a meaningful memory.

"I have lived in Hawaii all my life, and I have participated in all New Year's Eve fireworks events in my neighborhood of Waipahu. . . . I really enjoy the tradition, and it is something that is almost unique to Hawaii," Martin said.

Anna Naeole moved to Erie, Pa., 10 years ago, and she still misses the fireworks.

"We remember how beautiful the fireworks are there and the togetherness of family and friends being with each other," she wrote.

"Where we live here there is no fireworks. . . . Please appreciate what you have, and don't lose the love and aloha and traditions."

Pamela Rodrigues also considers the time spent popping firecrackers as a "very precious" part of growing up in Hawaii.

It would be OK to limit fireworks by issuing permits and leaving aerials to professionals, but simple firecrackers should be left to the public, she said.

"Fireworks are pretty cool," Marc Orbito of Honolulu said. "But they lug around too many negatives -- smoke sucks -- too many people are abusing their privileges, and people are getting hurt."

Take our online fireworks poll