One year ago today, half of Deseret celebrated the Fourth of July. A couple pious mayors decided that it would be inappropriate to celebrate a secular holiday on the Lord’s Day and proposed that the fireworks be held on the fifth. Some vaguely recalled something about Church and State being separate, but academic knowledge unused atrophies. Some, amazingly, suggested that to hold the public displays on the fourth constituted religious discimination against The Brethren because they would not be able to partake.

Those of us new to the area looked around and disbelief at the discussion it would never even occur to us needed to be had. Celebrating the fourth on the fifth?

Ultimately, they put on demonstrations both days.

I didn’t see either as I was out of state. Ironically, the rain was falling hard on the fourth of July, so I saw Fifth of July fireworks, too.