Hawaiian Telcom is currently running a commercial that shows typical activities of locals here in Hawaii. Unfortunately one of the things they currently portray is now illegal. Sparklers.
Part of an old tradition of sending out the old spirits and bringing in the new is no longer apart of Hawaii’s New Year tradition. Sparklers are now illegal because of the fireworks ban, which went into effect on January 2, 2011. The ban is justified through reports of fires and complaints of those with asthma.
Aerials and explosives… those I can understand. While sparklers make the most smoke, they are very safe under parental supervision. It’s the misuse of sparklers, using the shavings to make homemade bombs. It’s those fools that have given sparkles a bad name.
Fireworks will still continue thanks to the black market and such. However I can’t imagine someone paying top dollar for some primo sparklers.
Sparkler Scene #1
So why bring this up in March when I should probably reignite this issue in July or next December? Because Hawaiian Telcom is jamming it down my throat. That’s why. Not with just one sparkler scene… but three! For me, it’s a constant reminder that my daughter will never get to celebrate a beloved holiday tradition the way I used to in my youth.
Hawaiian Telcom shouldn’t stop there. They should keep the illegal train going in their commercials. In coming ads, I hope to see people texting while driving, doing lines of cocaine, killing sea turtles… then doing a line of cocaine off the shell of a slain sea turtle. The possibilities are endless.
Sparkler Scene #2
Sparkler Scene #3
