So, this years Independence Day celebrations were great. The weather wasn't sunny, but it was perfectly warm with some nice cool breezes. The 4th Of July Parade was fun, after all, it's mainly for the kids. One of our kids was even in the parade. The rest of the day was casual and low key. We played games, hung around in the back yard, chatted it up with the neighbors, and read the most nastiest emails sent to the whole community by one neighbor. That's right, one individual in the neighborhood doesn't take kindly to the fact that people celebrate Freedom by the tradition of shooting off fireworks.
Here's the first email that started the whole thing. I've deleted the bottom text of the PDF that was copied into the email to save some space. Now, I have removed email addresses, names, and street addresses off of these emails so that none of this is traceable to anyone.
From: MeanNeighbor
Sent: Thursday, July 03, 2008 10:51 PM
To: GroupEmail
Subject: Re: [GroupEmail] Re: U're terrorizing me and my animals!
To the neighbor(s) unloading fireworks...
It's rude and selfish of you to burn your fireworks in our neighborhood. They are loud, a fire hazard, etc. etc.
You terrorized my animals the whole afternoon and night. Since you were so rude, I will be rude too. I'll be calling the police / sheriff tomorrow to stop you. Go burn your fireworks some where else!
Snohomish County
THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY FIRE MARSHAL
425-388-3557
Fire Marshal Urges Caution and Common Courtesy for 2008
The Snohomish County Fire Marshal’s Office urges residents to use caution
[snip]
To give some context to this email: yes, one of our bone-head neighbors did cave into his son's pleadings to shoot off some fireworks. He lit about 4 of 5 mortars and other various fireworks. And it's illegal to shoot off fireworks on the 3rd of July in our area. It's posted at all of the local stands, so this guy should have known. Not sure what his excuse is.
From now on, this sender shall be know has MeanNeighbor.
Now, shortly after, another email literally burned parts of the Internet up as it passed through.
From: MeanNeighbor
Sent: Thursday, July 03, 2008 11:40 PM
To: GroupEmail
Subject: Re: [GroupEmail] Re: Driving Fast in the Neighborhood
One more thing to f---ing rude neighboors:
The streets in front and on the side of my house is NOT a freeking Race Lane! You better slow down, or else... I have pets who often escape the house and run to the streets. You better pray my pets don't get hit by you!!!!!!!!!!!!
Um, Yeah. I was actually up at this time doing some work and watching TV (yeah, I'm a workaholoic) and I noticed someone came from the major street which our neighborhood connects to and raced around our little neighborhood and continued out. I actually heard this jarhead's car drive past my house, then down, around, and out of our neighborhood cause his car was so loud. Naturally this person assumes it's one of us. Keep this one in mind, it's a minor theme in the emails.
Now, the first person replies:
From: FirstCalmNeighbor
Sent: Friday, July 04, 2008 1:08 AM
To: GroupEmail
Subject: RE: [GroupEmail ] Re: U're terrorizing me and my animals!
Everyone, this is just a good reminder that the acceptable time to fire off legal fireworks in unincorporated Snohomish County is 9A to 11:59P on the 4th. Here's the link from the fire marshal:
http://www.co.snohomish.wa.us/documents/Departments/Executive/News/NR_Fireworks_62408.pdf
For everyone with pets, this is another good reminder that there are ways to help them get through the evening of celebration. Even if nobody around our neighborhood fires off fireworks, we do have neighborhoods who fire of fireworks, so you will not be able to get away from the loud noises. Here's one site that I found that might give you some ideas to make the evening better for your pets: http://www.wral.com/lifestyles/pets/story/3090123/. There are lots of resources online.
I am in no way discouraging anyone from celebrating the 4th. That just wouldn't be right. I just want everyone to have fun in a safe and considerate way all around.
Happy Independence Day!
FirstCalmNeighbor
Again, notice the time. Notice the last sentence. Notice the word "considerate"? They just asked EVERYONE to be considerate. Also, notice the link that was sent. It has the correct times that you can shoot off fireworks in our area.
Early the next morning (and I mean early) another email from the MeanNeighbor makes Al Gore's red face look pale:
From: MeanNeighbor
Sent: Friday, July 04, 2008 5:13 AM
To: GroupEmail
Subject: RE: [GroupEmail] Re: U're terrorizing me and my animals!
Thanks, [FirstCalmNeighbor] - u just encouraged the rude neighboor to go ahead with his fireworks today!
Make no mistake - I'm type A personality "eye for an eye", "sorry u had to die" type of personality. You take peace away from me, and I will take peace away from you!
Wow, just Wow. Sorry you had to die? Take peace away from me? Is that a physical threat? Is your last name "Soprano"? Another neighbor chimed in:
From: NeighborNumberTwo
Sent: Friday, July 04, 2008 8:38 AM
To: GroupEmail
Subject: Re: [GroupEmail] Re: U're terrorizing me and my animals!
This has been a fascinating discussion but I've lived in unincorporated Snohomish county for 10 years and every year there are fireworks on pretty much every street late into the night. This is specially called out as being legal during the 4th of July. Yes it can put some stress on pets, as it has on mine in the past, but this is truly a once a year occasion to celebrate the independence of this great nation (one that I am an immigrant to which makes me especially proud to be here). Feel free to call the police but they can't really do anything as this is all within the law. If you are really super concerned about your pets I would suggest an overnight trip up to Canada where they already had their celebration on July 1st.
To re-iterate 9am-11:59pm it is legal to set off fireworks where we live.
Now, I would like to point out the tone of both My email, and NeighborNumberTwo. Both emails were calm, non-accusatory, and easy going emails. In fact, all emails from all the other emails are far from rude or mean Contrast that with the reply:
From: MeanNeighbor
Sent: Friday, July 04, 2008 9:39 AM
To: GroupEmail
Subject: Re: [GroupEmail] Re: U're terrorizing me and my animals!
bite u'r toungue and then go hang youself, you sob. what started my anger was yesterday unconsideration, today's has not even started!
in addition to terrorizing me and my pets with the freaking loud noise, his fireworks were close to other houses (not even 100 feet away), and cars, which is a "no go"! In those buildings are small children, pregnant women, and pets!
U'r just the same type of beast/garbage, if not worse, as the one who discharged fireworks yesterday - which was illegal.
as far as I'm concerned, u can all go to hell!
Not being happy the insults in this email, MeanNeighbor sent another hot one. Recall how I told you to remember the 2nd email. It's the sub-theme of this story:
From: MeanNeighbor
Sent: Friday, July 04, 2008 9:48 AM
To: GroupEmail
Subject: Re: [GroupEmail] Re: U're terrorizing me and my animals!
oh, by the way, are u one of the a...hole who goes racing down my streets?
Now I consider 2 angry replies as a personal limit. I rarely even send a single angry reply. If I get real angry at someone's email, I'll type up a response, read it, throw it away and start over when I'm a bit calmer. The email response I send out, if I send one at all, is thoughtful and reasoning. However, this person, needs to take some anger management courses. You guessed it, a 3rd reply:
From: MeanNeighbor
Sent: Friday, July 04, 2008 10:45 AM
To: GroupEmail
Subject: Re: [GroupEmail] Re: U're terrorizing me and my animals!
don't be so sure the fireworks in Parkplace are legal today. even though our address is Bothell, our neighborhood is located in both Snohomish County and Mill Creek. fireworks in Mill Creek are banned!
Snohomish County
THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY FIRE MARSHAL
425-388-3557
Fire Marshal Urges Caution and Common Courtesy for 2008
The Snohomish County Fire Marshal’s Office urges residents to use caution when
discharging fireworks during the Fourth of July fireworks season and also to extend
common courtesy to their neighbors by limiting the hours during which they
discharge. Below is a general list of lawful discharge dates and times. Please
contact your local jurisdiction to verify before discharging any fireworks.
Bothell July 4 between 9am – 1pm
Everett Banned
Gold Bar Banned
Mill Creek Banned
go ahead and be rude, unload u'r fireworks today. i'll be calling the police, and if they can't do anything or won't do anything cause they're too bussy, u'll be dealing with my payback later!
@#$%^^&*!!!!!
U Mother Fu....s
If I had sent an email like this, I would expect people to slap me down all over the place. I'm sorry, but nobody has the need to be this rude. Now, at this point another neighbor steps in to try to calm things down:
From: ThirdNiceNeighbor
Sent: Friday, July 04, 2008 10:49 AM
To: GroupEmail
Subject: Re: [GroupEmail] Re: U're terrorizing me and my animals!
[MeanNeighbor],
Im sorry to hear that you've had such an unpleasant time here so far in our nhood but what you hear....cars racing, fireworks....others do to such as myself. i don't think people ever really intend to specifically "target" an individual. but most importantly, i think if something really...and i mean really bothers you and is making life miserable for you...have you talked to them? i mean, do they even know? i'd suggest just having a friendly talk to them. the 4th is a celebration. although i don't actually light fireworks...it makes me happy that people still do and honor the occassion. some may go about it the wrong way...but i do feel that for the most part...they are just trying to have fun. not trying to make somebody's life miserable with the loud noises. right now...i feel that you are upset because people are being rude and inconsiderate.
im sorry, but if you complain about something like that....you shouldn't act like that either.
many people here in this community have spent their own time working our HOA and trying to make it a better nhood (thanks all for doing that..as i know nothing about sprinklers so have to rely on the guys around here =P...), so i find it more rude and inconsiderate that you are not only pointing fingers....but making threats. while these "perpertrators" are being rude for racing and lighting fireworks...you are actually directly saying mean stuff to people who probably have no part in this...and telling them to go to hell. when all they were trying to do was be a mediator.
so if i can make a request....if you (and this goes to anybody) has a problem with a particular neighbor...please talk them personally...and in a friendly matter because they may not know they've done something wrong. please don't use this group email as a place to attack one another. most of us reading this....it comes as a shock with all the bad language. i find it offensive and to be quite honest...worreid now for the safety of some of the neighbors from your threats and telling people to go to hell. there's just a lot of aggression coming and it makes me uncomfortable. the sad thing is...there is nothing that can be done about the racing cars and fireworks. because just like the others mentioned...if not our nhood...there is still the other nhoods.
i am about to on a mission to another country to work with orphans and other oppressed people. im sorry, but there are just more worst things out there then racing cars and fireworks. and please don't tell me to go to hell. for i am a christian going on this mission to not only see what's outside of our bubble but also build my character and see how much help is needed out in the world.
happy 4th all! without this day...things may be different. lets be thankful =)
That's just another example of some of the nice people I live around. There's many more too, they just haven't replied to these emails. Good, level headed people. And then there's the reply...
From: MeanNeighbor
Sent: Friday, July 04, 2008 2:25 PM
To: GroupEmail
Subject: Re: [GroupEmail] Re: U're terrorizing me and my animals!
bite your tongue and then go hang too [ThirdNiceNeighbor]. it is stupid for u and others to expect people to treat [major street] as part of our neighboorhood. don't try to diminish the rude issue in the neighborhood by bringing on your [major street] issue! it isn't' my fault that u were not smart enought to think about the concequences of living right next to a main street.
you're are talking about me being rude to others, but now u are being rude to me without me provoking u. i didn't ask for your opinion, so go to hell too!
Now, are you confused? The ThirdNiceNeighbor did mention anything about roads did they. Well, in the fit of rage (going on 7 hours now) they weren't even able to keep the ThirdNiceNeighbor's email separate from this one...
From: NeighborNumberFour
Sent: Friday, July 04, 2008 12:07 PM
To: GroupEmail
Subject: RE: [GroupEmail] Re: U're terrorizing me and my animals!
Yesterday I called the police department to inform them of racing on [the adjacent major street]. This isn't [just our neighborhood] issue but all neighborhoods on [the adjacent major street]. The dispatcher I spoke to yesterday said she will notify the police who will start patrolling [the adjacent major street] between 11:30pm to 12:30am. My assumption is that motorcycles/cars racers like to use [the adjacent major street] because it is straight, no traffic lights, and about 1/4 mile from [the major intersection] traffic light to where it splits offs when heading to [another major street]. In my opinion a perfect street to use if I was a racer, which I'm not. My house is along [the adjacent major street] and it is really annoying to hear motorcycle engines revving high and seeing from my window a bike racing down the street going 80-90 miles per hour.
Firework noise to me is a minor inconvience to our neighborhood's peace and quiet compared to the racing which is constant and seems never ending. We should be working together towards finding a solution to this instead.
Now, you see where this person gets the issue about the major street, but just associated it to the wrong person. But reason doesn't stop the insane...
From: MeanNeighbor
Sent: Friday, July 04, 2008 2:47 PM
To: GroupEmail
Subject: Re: [GroupEmail] Re: U're terrorizing me and my animals!
another thing [ThirdNiceNeighbor], u going on a missionary trip doesn't make u holy. for all i know u are the devil in disguise. the first time i saw u, and said hi to you, you were aloof and hardly responded, u acted like u were better than me. that's not the kind of behavior of a so called cristian person.
u shouldn't be using this group email as a place to advertise u'r deeds. for all i know u have alterial motives behind those trips...
Now, that's just plain being rude. I mean, this has NOTHING to do with fireworks, pets, or the occasional octane caused loss of reason. It's just plain vindictive and mean. The next email is a reply to the 10:45 email (the, don't be so sure... email)...
From: NeighborNumberTwo
Sent: Friday, July 04, 2008 3:00 PM
To: GroupEmail
Subject: Re: [GroupEmail] Re: U're terrorizing me and my animals!
The Snohomish County Sherrif says that the fireworks are legal in our area from 9am-11:59pm today. I encourage everyone not to be intimidated and to exercise your rights as free people. We are certainly going to be setting off plenty of fireworks tonight in our usual tradition.
So, just a point of clarification: NeighborNumberTwo already purchased their fireworks before these emails were sent out. They showed me a photo of their pictures taken via their cell phone. They didn't have the time to go out and buy that many in the time these emails started to fly and when I chatted with them.
Now, the replies get short and unimaginative.
From: MeanNeighbor
Sent: Friday, July 04, 2008 3:03 PM
To: GroupEmail
Subject: Re: [GroupEmail] Re: U're terrorizing me and my animals!
who did u talk to and what's the phone number? i would like to ask about the type of fireworks being unloaded and the proximity to cars and houses.
And one last one...
From: CrazyPerson
Sent: Friday, July 04, 2008 3:33 PM
To: GroupEmail
Subject: Re: [GroupEmail] Re: U're terrorizing me and my animals!
yeah, NeighborNumberTwo go ahead and encourage the neighboors to race through the neighborhood too so that some children and pets can be run over!!!!
Now, this is where the paper trail ends, and action takes place. While we're out side enjoying the mild temperatures, I see MeanNeighbor driving around and stopping at all of the people's houses who replied to their rantings, writing down their house numbers. I assume so that they can tell the cops where to go when they hear fireworks.
At this point, there are several members of the neighborhood who are livid at the rudeness and out right brazenness of this person attempting to stop us celebrating our independence. One is so upset that they do call the Sheriff's office. We chat with the deputy and let him know that we are now uncomfortable with the threats MeanNeighbor has made. We also confirm our rights to set off fireworks tonight. The deputy then drives over to MeanNeighbor house and talks to them. He makes sure that they understand that we are in our right to shoot off fireworks and then asks what they meant by their threats. They confessed that they didn't intend to do physical harm to body or property, but that they would basically let their house go to crap and cause the property values to go down (including buying farm animals!).
So, to celebrate the 4th of July, there were people setting off fireworks in the neighborhood. No less than those who had originally planned to. Nobody backed down from their original plans that I am aware of. During the celebrations, MeanNeighbor precedes to take pictures with their point and click digital camera (at night no less, using a flash, at about 150 feet, good luck in getting those pictures to come out).
This morning, MeanNeighbor who threw their childish fit commenced to dump dirt and what not on the grass between the sidewalk and the lawn. Then, wandering out to the street to take pictures of the marks on the street from the fireworks AND the guy who's cleaning them up (while he's cleaning none the less). I sure hope he smiled for his picture.
Now, if MeanNeighbor had actually called the police on the evening of the 3rd, I and the rest of the neighbors would be behind them. The guy broke the law. Plain and simple. But to act like a child throwing a temper tantrum and being rude to anyone crossing their path really makes people go against them. There are ways to get people on your side. This is an excellent example of how not to do that.
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