What’s wrong with New Jersey?
The mayor of the state’s largest city joined hundreds of others–teachers, students, parents– in a march that closed down its largest thoroughfare. And the mayor promised the demonstrations would continue and be even more creative. In any other state in the nation, the event would have made, not just statewide news, but national news. But not here in New Jersey. Here in New Jersey, Mayor Ras Baraka’s bold action and aggressive words were ignored by the media, including the state’s largest newspaper. Only a few digital journalists and photographers did cover it–along with a public television station looking to balance a ridiculously one-sided interview the day before with the target of Newark’s anger, state superintendent Cami Anderson.
What’s wrong with New Jersey? Why is it ignoring a situation that could easily boil out of control–while its media cover every burp uttered by Chris Christie who doesn’t deserve becoming president of anything besides an inmates’ foodie club in a federal prison somewhere?
It’s not unnoticed. Baraka raised the question in his speech on Broad Street at rush hour. After reciting why the people of the city are angry with Cami Anderson, he turned on what he called the “press” and, of course, everyone there knew he was talking about The Star-Ledger:
“That’s why we’re upset. We’re not upset with her personality. And I wish the media would figure that out. I wish they’d figure that out. Because you can open up the paper and, if I have an argument with a council person, it’s on the front page. But this is a lady with a $70 million deficit–who has closed a bunch of schools–and has schools that haven’t worked–and there’s not one thing, not one thing in the press.
“Just constantly defending and defending and defending her, until you want to figure out who is protecting her? Why is she being protected and who is making (Newark) What’s wrong with New Jersey? | Bob Braun's Ledger:
