Shooting artillery shells over Interstate 5 — how perfect a symbol of potentially lethal dumbassery was that?

© 2025 Peter Free

 

20 October 2025

 

 

President Trump's . . .

 

. . . careening administration is making even California's (long proven 'idiot') Governor Newsom look mildly credible in comparison.

 

 

Perfect example

 

Did the Marine Corps really need to celebrate its 250th anniversary by shooting artillery shells over southern California's Interstate 5?

 

From the BBC:

 

 

Shrapnel from artillery that was detonated during celebrations for the US Marine Corps hit at least two vehicles on a California highway on Saturday, officials have said.

 

The event, celebrating the Marines' 250th birthday, was attended by Vice President JD Vance, and included live munitions being fired.

 

The California Highway Patrol said one "detonated overhead prematurely" and struck two vehicles that were part of Vance's protective detail.

 

"Firing live rounds over a busy highway isn't just wrong - it's dangerous," Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, said.

 

The highway patrol said no injuries were reported and they notified the Marine Corps, which then cancelled firing any further munitions.

 

Newsom said he closed a section of the Interstate 5 "due to extreme life safety risk and distraction to drivers, including sudden unexpected and loud explosions".

 

But before they were aware of the mishap, officials in the vice-president's office had disputed that the demonstration was dangerous, and accused the California governor of trying to stoke fears.

 

© 2025 Ana Faguy and Christal Hayes, Artillery shrapnel hits vehicles on California highway during Marines celebration, BBC (19 October 2025) (notice the large shrapnel chunk on the Highway Patrol car in the article's lead photograph)

 

 

Imagine that . . .

 

Firing artillery shells over a civilian highway might have potentially unpleasant consequences?

 

 

Who knew?

 

Certainly not Commander in Chief Trump, Vice President Vance, or the US Marine Corps.

 

 

“This was an unusual and concerning situation,” CHP Border Division Chief Tony Coronado said.

 

“It is highly uncommon for any live-fire or explosive training activity to occur over an active freeway.

 

"As a Marine myself, I have tremendous respect for our military partners, but my foremost responsibility is ensuring the safety of the people of California and the officers who protect them.”

 

© 2025 Julia Ornedo, Newsom Rages at White House After Artillery Shell Explodes During Marines Celebration, Daily Beast (20 October 2025)

 

 

The moral? — Psychotic dumbassery

 

For at least a couple of generations, it has been impossible to take American leadership seriously.

 

Except as posing a maniacal threat to moral common sense and human civilization.

 

We Americans specialize in choosing the worst among us to (so brilliantly) exemplify avarice, murder and ethically blind recklessness in operation.