Clark, NJ just proved it welcomes racists (Opinion)

So I guess we can only conclude that the majority of voters in Clark have no moral problem with racism. They just re-elected all four incumbent Republican Township Council members up for re-election on Tuesday. Frank G. Mazzarella, Patrick O’Connor, Steven M. Hund and Brian P. Toal.

Sure, some residents talked a good game back in May when they continued to condemn the racist actions of Mayor Sal Bonaccorso and the coverup actions of the city council who agreed to pay off a whistleblower with taxpayer money to keep those racist actions from going public.

Actions such as Bonaccorso referring to black people as "spooks" and "n**gers."

You've heard the phrase "evil prospers when good men do nothing." This was worse than men on the Township Council doing nothing.

This was men taking hundreds of thousands of dollars of tax money and allowing it to be used for a payoff to keep the racist mayor from being exposed. They could have let Bonaccorso be known for what he is. They chose to conceal his overt and disgusting racism. They're complicit.

So those complaints from residents earlier in the year meant nothing when push came to shove on Election Day. All four were re-elected. The majority voted that racism is OK.

I lived in Clark for one year in 6th grade. My parents rented a house on West Lane. Having come from Rahway I remember being shocked my first day in the new school that there was not a single black student there. None. And these towns border. Yet they might as well have been in different universes.

You could feel it in Clark. You heard things. The town wouldn't sell to black families back then. It was whispered about, but loud enough that it was common knowledge.

To have a mayor exhibit this kind of racism in 2022 is one thing. To see voters support it is quite another. Nice going, Clark. Your protestations earlier this year were about as half-hearted as Bonaccorso's televised apology. I'm glad your median household income is $106,691 a year, because morally you're bankrupt.

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

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