Watching the daily smoke plumes on Camano over the past several weeks prompted me to remind my friends and neighbors of the burn ban in all of Island County. Funny, just one of them had any idea what I was talking about. Almost all of them had spent at least part of the weekend piling limbs in preparation of a huge bonfire in celebration (?) of yet another Whidbey storm.

Several made quite disparaging remarks about the ancestry or intelligence level of the governmental do-gooder who made the decision to implement this instance of nanny-state-ism. The rest looked at me like I had a third eye in the middle of my forehead.

The entire group, to a person, intended to fully ignore any burn regulation that government imposed. Most kind of giggled when I suggested that they wait until New Year’s Day so their fire could be, in effect, a pyre. I got a few real laughs when I furthered the idiocy with visions of another Boston Tea Party.

The quip was not lost on any of its recipients, most thinking that it was a great idea to thumb their noses at this unenforceable government regulation. None feared any retribution, citing the lack of personnel in the Sheriff’s Department needed to enforce these new regulations.

My point? None really, I was just out for a little fun tweaking my friends for their reactions. Besides, it’s kinda hard to have one when you can’t see through the smoke from your own burn pile.

Scott Smith

Oak Harbor