BE NICE TO JERSEY WEEK
We may make fun of New Jersey throughout the year, but the first full week in July reminds us to be kind during Be Nice to Jersey Week.
The Garden State takes a lot of flack in this country. New Jersey jokes find their way to T.V. sitcoms, with the frequency of an unsecured WiFi router. Despite all the negativity, New Jersey handles it quite well.
Some Americans poke fun at the state even though they’ve never even visited. In some crowds it’s OK to mock the new kid, but New Jersey has been around awhile. (Psst…it’s never OK to mock the new kid.)
New Jersey became the 3rd state to join the Union when it ratified the Constitution and it was the first to sign the Declaration of Independence. No wonder the first week of July is when we’re being nice to them.
As a way to give New Jersey a respite from the national orneriness pointed its way, the week is offered as an apology of sorts. Commuters, put your fists down. Jokesters, pipe down. Screenwriters, put your pens away or at the very least find another topic – for the week at least.
#BeNiceToJerseyWeek THIS WEEK
Find something friendly to say about New Jersey. Tweet it. If you’ve never been to New Jersey, go visit. Take a picture and share it on Instagram. Find a memory and post it Facebook. Use #BeNiceToJerseyWeek to share on social media.
HISTORY OF BE NICE TO JERSEY WEEK
Lone Star Publications of San Antonio, Texas started the observance in 1985. The publisher declared the week as a way to correct the Garden State’s negative image and for Americans to put a hold on their New Jersey jokes, negative comments and to say something kind about New Jersey.
