JERSEY PRIDE

We say “yo” often, and never have had school on Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur. We know that a bagel is much more than a roll with a hole in the middle and prefer them with Taylor ham egg and cheese salt pepper ketchup in the mornings. We know what real pizza tastes like. We never pump our own gas yet still know we have the lowest gas prices in the nation. We judge people by what exit they get off the parkway. All good nights end at a 24 hour diner, preferably with cheese fries. We eat subs not hoagies or worse heros, and drink soda not pop. It’s never called going to the beach -We go down the shore. And when we get there the fist pumping and frolicking dance moves as well as the boardwalk brawls are just part of the atmosphere. We can navigate perfectly in a circle. We know that 65 mph really means 80 and have attitude, especially when we drive. Yes, drink cawfee. We will always live within 10 minutes of a mall. And when we cut someone off we expect the horn and possibly the Finger because We are from New Jersey. But WE DON'T STINK!

Throughout all the anguish New Jersey resident have gotten throughout the years defending our great state. In the last few years, leaving new jersey entails explaining to people that “No, I cannot do back flips at the clubs like Snookie from the MTV hit, Jersey Shore,” and apologize for not having a “situation.” So it seems that New Jersey residents as proud as they appear are finally upset by being referred to as “the Armpit of the Nation” or hearing various jokes about the smell in our Great state. They have started the “Jersey Doesn’t Stink” Campaign.

The website is designed to stand up for the residents of New Jersey and fight against the cliché’s. On the website www.jerseydoesntstink.com. The citizens of New Jersey have the chance to defend their beloved state by officially signing a petition declaring that the state “Doesn’t stink.”

In the hilarious video accompanying the website as well, they have a man dressed in the campaigns logo as an air freshener interviewing people in central Park, New York about New Jersey. One calls New Jersey “Dirty Jersey,” and another woman recalling that when she said that she was from new jersey people would say “Oh!, I’m sorry!” But one man said, “If it does stink its coming from New York.”

New Jersey residents have a unique characteristic according to the website, “Jersey Pride.” The 8 million people who live in this state do have a lot to be proud of. Within an hour of one another are facilities to vacation at the beach or participate in winter sports. National Geographic magazine even called New Jersey "America in Miniature." We have one of the best public education a child could receive, ranking number one in Grade 8 to high school graduation rates and number 4 in lowest student teach ratio (Source: National Board and Educational Testing Policy &Source: IES National Center for Education Statistics.)

Next, Many famous individuals have come from this great state such as whitney houston, martha stewart, anne hathaway, queen latifa, my chemical romance, jack nicholson, Carolyn Madaras, bruce willis, the four seasons, danny devito, the joanas brothers, Tom cruise, frank sinatra, bruce springsteen, bon jovi, and the list goes on and on and on….

We are home to 2 NFL teams (Jets and Giants), A hockey team (Devils), A basket ball team (Nets), one of the most respected colleges in the nation (Princeton), and several national parks. We are an extremely prosperous state with the advantages of both New York City and Philadelphia in a short drive yet still have the ability to live in wealthy suburbs. Bergen, Somerset, Morris, and Hunterdon counties rank in the counties top 15 richest counties.

So in conclusion to this long rant, New Jersey residents are clearly tired of hearing the false claims against us. So it is time to band together and stand up for the great state by signing on to www.Jerseydoesntstink.com and signing the petition. But as offended and enraged as the citizens of New Jersey get with the airing of these new shows. Residents must remember one thing. “Any press is good press.”