Central Jersey designation is rooted in bigotry (Opinion)

Yesterday, Gov. Murphy declared that it's official, Central Jersey does exist. Being an outsider from Massachusetts he really doesn't understand the issue at all. He's just pandering to a large group of people as he usually does based on political calculations.

Great, another division among the population. Yes, lots of people claim they're from Central Jersey. It's an unclearly defined region based on prejudice.

Bigotry definition: obstinate or unreasonable attachment to a belief, opinion, or faction, in particular, prejudice against a person or people on the basis of their membership of a particular group.

Let me explain...again! There are two parts of New Jersey, the north and the south. The northern part is influenced by the New York media market. They relate more to NYC where many of their families have roots. They have allegiance to NY sports teams, etc.

The southern part of the state has a definite Philadelphia influence for all of the same reasons.

There is a heavily populated part of the state, sort of in the middle but more to the north that doesn't like being associated with either of the stereotypes of either region.

They don't want to be associated with the Bergen County folks who have New York accents who they consider to be rude New York types. They also don't want to be associated with what they call "hill people" of the Northwest corner who they look down upon as too "country".

They certainly don't want to be associated with Southern New Jersey with their Philadelphia accents and their Philly sports teams and they're just a bunch of Pineys.

I get it. It's got a different culture and point of view. I refer to it as Central Jersey as well. The truth is that it's a part of northern New Jersey that doesn't want to be associated with either of the two parts of the state.

Here's the test. On a Sunday morning in the fall when the Eagles and the Giants are playing home games, go to a Wawa or QuickChek.

If you're seeing people going in those stores with Giants jerseys, you're in North Jersey. If you see Eagles jerseys, you're in North Jersey. But you might be in the part of North Jersey where they call themselves Central Jersey.

It's that simple. Central Jersey does exist in the minds of those who live within that undefined region. Out of respect for their pride and preference, we should call it that. But no proclamation from a pandering, out-of-touch outsider like Murphy makes any difference when it comes to the actual facts.

He's so transparently phony in just about everything he does. But if it makes some people feel better....

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Dennis Malloy only.

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