secretk

Since we started talking about racism, I think that it's better to discuss it here. I hope you don't mind.

This is my opinion about racism and I’m sorry if it’s too long to read.

First I want to say that I’m against racism because I’m against the whole idea of putting people in some groups and judge them on some generic principle. I’m just seeing the whole picture a bit differently and I don’t think the black people are the only ones screwed here.

That said I do have some things to say about racism in general and racism and soccer. Now why don’t we have racism in other sports?

I don’t know what it is in USA, so I can’t say too much about that. I do know how it’s in Europe. Soccer is the most popular sport – this means larger group of fans with different ideas, culture and opinions. Also we should mention that soccer is the team sport with the largest team (again in Europe) – 11 persons so larger group to choose players with different culture, skin color and behavior. Of course like every other sport, there is rivalry here, fans disliking each other etc. At some point the only way to attack each other is to use the color skin. And this means racism, but it’s normal with larger group of people liking the sport to have more racists.

So I agree that we see a lot of racism in soccer, but that’s problem of the society. However while I do agree with voicing the racism as issue, I don’t think that this always helps.

Let me tell you a story. We have some kind of racism in our country and it’s because of the gypsies. See they are one big part of our nation and not all Bulgarians are too happy about it and they want them out of the country. So reading this a lot of you think that this is racism. Right?

We do have our reasons. My father for example is not their biggest fan and I kind of not blame him. In my town the gypsies are more than half of the population. My father (and a lot of our relatives) grows little plantations of apple trees. So one summer day he goes to his plantation to check things out or do something (I don’t remember) with his tractor. However when he approaches the plantation he hears some unfamiliar voices. For a minute there he realizes that there are about 20 gypsies there. So he tries to escape since he’s alone. They are armed with some bats or other spikes like this made from iron. He gets up on the tractor, but they go after him and attack him. Till today you can see how the wheel of the tractor is broken in at least 3 spots. He managed to escape in the first house in the town he knows, he calls the police and his relatives who have plantations there too. Now 15 years later they still don’t know who did this and the police does nothing because you see they are gypsies and if they sue them, it will be called racism. Damn racism. Those bastards (yes I call them that since they are thieves who attacked my father and that means that I won’t respect them) could have killed him if he didn’t escape. But since we are humans who don’t want to be racists we do nothing. And that’s why there are racists, because they disagree with this. So the problem is out there. People should be judged by fairness – no matter if someone is black, white, yellow or whatever. However I want also to be allowed to sue someone when he’s done something to me and not care that someone might think that this is racism. Now however this is not possible, because the media twists it every time as racism since this is modern topic.

Gypsies in my country don’t pay their bills (and no one goes against them since you know if we do this we will be racists according to the European union), they rob us like nothing (Oh I have a story about this too), they have at least 7 kids (while we barely afford one) and don’t work because living out of robbery is perfectly fine. And whenever someone of us tries to say something we are blamed for being racists. Sorry I don’t feel racist. The fact that they are minority in my country and might be objected to racism doesn’t mean that they should be allowed to do whatever they want.

Another story. It was summer day (yep coincidence), I was 10th grade and I had a walk in the near town Plovdiv. I was upset about something, so I didn’t pay too much attention. Yeah I know I should have, but it’s also not a crime to be upset about something. So I got approached by 10 gypsies and they took my phone. Well technically the phone that my parents bought me with their money. Of course they have pretty good system, so you can’t find your phone. They even had the arrogance to tell me that I was imagining. Right. So I just looked at the girl trying to be too smart at me and I told her that I wish the phone break in her hands so that she knows to not gain money from someone else and tries to learn the concept of working. Did I feel racist? No I didn’t. I was the one that had to explain to my parents that the phone they bought me was lost. I was the one that had to relive that day 10 million times asking myself what I did wrong, so they robbed me. I was the one that had to go to the phone company and take care of everything. I am the one who every day walks on the streets and is extra careful because someone might rob her. But if I call them idiots I would be racist? Right, I feel neglected and disrespected for the fact that they never found my phone, nor the idiots that try to kill my father. I’m the one being hurt and disrespected here, not them.

Now this doesn’t mean that I hate gypsies. Sure I don’t, but I’m extra careful because I haven’t seen anything good from them. And I’m sorry but all I’ve heard is stories how they beat up people and rob them. I have to be careful around them. It might be prejudice, but this is about my life. That doesn’t mean that I offend them. I will offend them if they offend me or attack me. But I will offend everyone that does something like that to me.

Racism does exist, but this problem doesn’t hurt only black people or the ones that are thought to being subjected to racism officially. It hurts also the ones that had a right to do something, but due to the hype for racism, they are the ones being left with injustice.

Let me ask you something. If a black man on the street attacks you and you get mad and call him ‘You black idiot’ who will be guilty? Are you racist because you yelled at him? Was he right to attack you? What would be the injustice here?

In soccer players offend each other all the time no matter the skin color. The media however shows every time when white man offends black man. So what about the footage where black man offends white one? Why those are not shown? That’s racism too. How about next time they show something like this show the whole story. Usually no one comes to me to offend me unless I said something. People don’t just get the signal from the space to call people names. There is a reason and I want to see that reason before calling someone racist. And yes in a lot of cases there is a reason, but with a reason there is no good story for the papers. Yes there are cases where people are fanatics and racists, but not all cases like this. Nowadays however they are all called acts of racism.

This doesn’t mean that I approve racism. I just want justice for all people no matter the skin color and I disagree that the black people are the only that are screwed. Oh we white people have been screwed too because they take advantage of the situation and call every conflict being act of racism.

The last Rookie Blue episode reminded me of something that I've hear a lot of times. A police officer kills a black man, so they call the officer racist and they decide to make a thorough investigation so that they are sure that officer had a reason to kill him. That’s totally fine, my problem is that if this was white man they wouldn’t do such detailed investigation. They wouldn’t do it because they feel guilty that he might have killed innocent man; they do it so that there is no accusation of the police being racists. Now my question is why they care only when the killed is black. That is unfair. I (as white person) feel offended by this. For me it’s racism against my type of population. No one talks about this though. And I ask why. Why no one cares about that? A lot of people become racists because of this.

Example from my country last year. Gypsies bully white man (about 20) and threaten his life. He goes to the police, but they can't do anything since they are no proofs. The next day the boy is killed by guess who ... gypsies. All white people get pissed at this because this is not the fist case where gypsies kill or hurt someone and no one does anything since we don't want to be called racists. So they take revenge and burn the house of the gypsies that did this (to be exact one of their houses since they own around 10). Those white people are put in jail because they did a crime (totally fine) and are called racists. The gypsies? They are not in jail, they are free to kill someone else. Who is screwed up here?

everwoodfan52

That's the thing, Koni. We are basing our opinions about racism in Soccer by our knowlege of sports in the US. I'm sure there is racism in other sports in the US...but I'm not aware of it. I haven't read anything about racism in Basketball, baseball, football, hockey, etc. (Maybe some of our other posters know some incidents of that). So...when I often read of racism in Soccer, it makes me wonder why there is so much racism in soccer....since I can't compare it to other sports.

Yes, but it has to be voiced. Hopefully something will be done to permanently discourage it.

Now...about the problems with Gypsies in your country: I can see why you are bitter, Koni. I would feel the same way if someone almost killed my dad or if someone stole my phone or if someone got away with not paying bills just because he was a gypsy! Very very unfair!
Are you saying that all gypsies are like this? Are there any law abiding gypsies in your country? I know it's easy to generalize. I find myself doing it many times as well.
I just hate, thouhh, that a few really bad apples can make it so bad for the rest of a people and gives them a bad reputation. Can it be that all gypsies are crooks?

I also blame your government for this problem! They shouldn't be afraid to prosecute a criminal just because he is a gypsy! So what if the gypsies claim racism! That's too mad. It's the law! Take it or get out.

secretk

See the thing is I'm not sure that there is no racism in other sports. I just think that the modern opinion is that there is racism in soccer, so reporters have their story whenever there is some conflict between players. All I'm saying is that for me they blow off that thing.

I don't know how many of you remember the famous red card of Zidene in World Cup 2006. He head headbutting Materazzi and all talked that he did something wrong, which is true. No one started talking how Materazz deserved it and I'm sorry but it's not like he was innocent. That boy doesn't play soccer, he offends people and attacks them with a risk of injury. But all they showed is what Zidane did, they can't show what Materazzi said to him. This way data could be always manipulated.

That's my problem, I can't judge without knowing the whole truth. It's like that incident with the fire in my country. If I don't know about the murder, I would tell that people shouldn't set on fire someone else's house, but when you know the killing before that, it makes the things different. I still hear reporter talking about racism though. When it wasn't racism, it was revenge for killing innocent man because the police didn't do anything.

Unfortunately about 90 % from the gypsies are like this. By the way despite everything my father still offers job to those people. I'm not intersting in helping in the plantations and my mother has problems with her hand, so she can't lift heavy stuff, so he hires them for that work. He tries to help them earn money honestly, but even those people that agree to do it are slacking and lazy and do less work than they could do, just because that's how they learn. They have no education, they marry at 13 years old age and have kids at 14 and I'm sorry but that's just wrong. I do think that 13 years old is a kid and can't be a parent.

We offer them integrating, they have a right to go to school, but they don't want to do it. Most of them have elementary school education because that's obligatory according our laws and then they stop. Why? Because they don't want to study, when they can use the time to rob. They even go abroad to rob people and then all people hate us Bulgarians because we are thieves.

Of course it's the government's fault too. I just think that the media sometimes are doing their story and racism is a juicy thing so why not? I'm not sure that all cases are 100 % legitimate.

For basketball is a bit different. We all know who are better in basketball and the percentage of that people in the sport. You can't have racism when the percentage is like that. There are a lot of factors to see it this way.

By the way I'm not saying if it's true, because I don't know, but do you have stories in USA with racism in the society? Like arresting someone because of their skin, accusing them in murder? Now I've read such stories in the papers, but I don't know if it's true. However I don't read such things in Europe. So I guess in Europe it's in soccer, in your country it may be somewhere else.

jediwands

What bothers me about soccer is that not only is there racism but there's violence as well. Terrible violence. Hatred, even. Just ask Liverpool fans who have burned American flags before and feel it's only passion. My a$$, it's passion. It's a way to spread American hatred, hiding behind passion for soccer. Right on.

Like I mentioned, in America we have a ton of other sports and this doesn't happen in any other sport.

I am very sorry what happened to your father. That is absolutely horrible. I also don't quite understand why it's considered racism to punish these people.

My issue is when looking at a human being, why does it even matter if they are black or white or Hispanic? Why does the color of your skin matter? EVER?! It doesn't make any sense to me. I agree though (probably due to slavery way back in the day) that the media would much rather show a black person being exposed to racism over a white person. I think that's true. But I guess I still see it as racism is all over the place, it's everywhere. I don't understand why watching a ball being kicked around, sometimes entering a net has to cause racism and violence. I look on ESPN daily under "Soccer" and 75% of the of the titles are about racism and violence. Yes, you can say the media loves to show the big bad story first, but why is it when I look at other sports, I don't see this? I see other stories that are bad like owing tons of taxes, or a player getting caught for drinking while driving or head hunting in hockey. But I don't see racism and I don't see fans and other people trying to literally harm each other all due to watching a ball fly around on the ground and in a net. It makes zero sense to me.

ETA: Of course racism is everywhere. Yes, there is racism in America for sure. My issue is not that I want all racism killed because I don't think that's even possible. My issue is why does it exist in soccer? Why is there such violence in soccer? Why is there flag burning in soccer? I do not understand why this takes place. It takes the fun out of watching. My two nieces told me the other day they would love for me to take them to an overseas soccer game someday. I honestly don't know if I'd even feel comfortable going there. I would worry for their safety.

secretk

I agree there is violence in that sport and I don't think that it was always like this. There was a time, when it wasn't that violent. But you know there are people and people. I've talked with some people who watch soccer. For example let's say someone that is fan of Barcelona. Most of them (at least in my country, but I guess it might be valid for other countries too) hate Real Madrid's fans.

I give this as an example because I'm Real Madrid fan. Now this has always been mystery for me. While I do have my preferences for certain club, I don't hate anyone. I have different opinion than others, but I don't hate them. I don't attack them, I don't offend them. I'm sure you think the same. I enjoy the game, I might like some team more than others, but I watch soccer because I like it.

But then there is this problem with players. I'm sorry to say this, but there are players that are good on the court, but not so good as person or behavior and the fans follow their example. When their favorite player offends someone, they don't see the problem, they think that it's normal. All those sportsmen need to set the example and change the situation right now. They however do the opposite - they make stupid (even dangerous) fouls, they offend other team's players, they provoke the public even with some words (Christiano Ronaldo comes in mind). Soccer is not about words, it's about the game, but right now soccer is one good well working machine for money. We all know that in Europe and Latin America (I don't know about USA) the soccer is the most watched sport - with a lot of advertising, with a lot of money invested in teams. It's about money. People liked the sport and they made those tournaments (World Cup, Euro Cup, Champions league where not only the champions play, League Europe) and it's all about the money. With attitude like this, there won't be any respect in that sport.

I used to watch soccer a lot more. You know my father took me to the stadium to see soccer game when I was 6 (and that's how I started watching it religiously). Now I won't go there, because the fans beat each other in the stadium. That's insane, but that's what they are doing. Not so much of racism, but a lot of violence. Those people arrange meetings to beat each other. I can't understand this, but it's the majority of people here. It's one of the reason why I dislike the people here. I'm against violence unless it's for self defense.

As for why they are not brought to justice, because whenever they try, the media has one good story about racism. The media in my country suck. They manipulate people (usually being paid by the government), telling them lies which is why I don't rely on them. I read foreign papers and sites.

In my country the problem is that most people that are good in sports have trained all their life, so they don't have very good education. And that influence their behavior. It's not always valid, but it's somehow true. I know that in your country is different, because you have college sport, so those people still go to college. In We do have sports university, but the good players are not there. This school is more for the ones that might become later coaches.

everwoodfan52

Now you see, Koni, this is what I don't understand. You don't want to go to a soccer game because people are violent in the stands. Don't get me wrong, Koni...I absolutely love soccer! I just don't understand this. We have violence in other sports...fights in Hockey, etc. But...this fighting is done by the players. The fans enjoy the fights, but don't usually get involved. That's why the violence by the fans stands out so much, and it tarnishes the sport of Soccer in some peoples eyes.

I remember several world cups back when the English fans/team were banned from participating because the fans engaged in Hooliganism. These fans would go to the games just to start fights.

If you can show me where this takes place in any other sport...I will take Soccer off the hook.

secretk

Well in my country they fight in every sport . Soccer is just more popular, so more people to get into fight. People here don't go to watch the game, they go there to fight with someone. Apparently there is fun about this. I don't see it, but they see it.

The fightings for me are due to a lot of factors - poor economic environment (some people grew in violent environment), not good parents to learn them how to act or parents that have set the same example, missing or low education of the fans, hatred between the fans sometimes even encouraged by the players or coaches. Now in soccer the players don't fight too much (they make fouls, but they shouldn't fight) so fans need to do it themselves. I'm not defending them, but most of the people that get into fights are really not that smart, ambitious or what's so ever. This is their enjoyment as sick as it sounds and that's how much brain they have to process what's going on. They just get high adrenalin levels from the fighting I guess and it makes them happy. I have to mention also that a lot of them drink during the game and some people are easily irritated when they are consuming alcohol.

I don't want to sound bad, but Betty if your fans enjoy fighting between the players, at some point they will do the same. They will follow that example and it will get worse.

I just don't blame the soccer, I blame the people. I know that I like soccer and I know a lot of people like me who wouldn't get into fights or being violent and that counts for me. Just like everywhere else people could make it better or worse.

jediwands

I get what you're saying. Soccer is way different in the US. It's actually considered a middle to upper class sport. You get your education and you play soccer. You hit it with college. One of my niece's teammates (an African American sweet girl) can barely afford to stay on the traveling team because of the expensive. She also misses a lot of practices and the coaches are getting fed up. It is expensive to play soccer here. I should know. I played it all my life and I know how much money my parents forked out. I made every top team I tried out for so the expense was that much more because we traveled all around the country playing in top tournaments.

So, here, soccer is considered a "yuppie" sport almost. That actually kind of bothers me because it means lower income families cannot afford to have their children play this sport.

It is very different in Europe and that is what you're driving at. The France native I know has explained this before too. It does seem like many players who ended up playing professionally are not super educated and many do come from far from perfect homes. It is an entirely different situation than what we see here in the US. Our national coach, though, said this is a shot at the US. He doesn't like how soccer here is an "educated, yuppie" sport. He wants the diversity, he wants those lower economic status kids to get a chance to play.

I guess as a result you really do have different types of atmospheres and tones when you watch matches and how the players act, how the fans behave. You are what you surround yourself with.

But like Betty mentioned with hockey here... the violence on the ice is there big time but then again that IS ice hockey too. Hockey IS a violent sport. You can check, you can hit legally. Some players take it too far for sure which is why there are suspensions and all oft that. However, the fans don't really respond as a result. You still don't see fans going crazy just because they saw a fight on the ice. They don't turn and start fighting with others physically or anything like that. This sport out of any in the US/Canada is the most violent sport yet fans don't respond to what they see with the players on the ice either. Not really. There are a few isolated incidents but nothing consistent so I don't know...

secretk

I guess it also depends on the fans' education . Soccer here is popular sport, it's played by almost anyone, it's liked by almost anyone. Now when the players are low educated and the fans too, somewhere down the middle accidents happen. I disapprove them, but most fans hate fans of rivalry teams. It's weird for me, but for most people it's weird to not hate. Now the step between just hate and openly attack and hurt is not that far.

Coaches and players encourage the fans to hate each other. Well not all of them of course, but some of them. And that gives the fans even a reason to behave this way. Add to the fact that there are some defenders that are utterly unpleasant to play against (Pepe comes in mind, Materazii too and a lot more). Now when you play a game and someone hits you every 2 minutes and does fouls that could injure you at some point you are fed up and you could answer back. And that's what those players want. They make their opponents nervous and this way they loose their game. It's all about mind games here.

When some team injures seriously fans' favorite player, the hate is on full force. And the offends and the violence start and in some point they might make racist comments, but most of them are not fully racists, just hateful fans who use people's skin color to defend them. The question lies of course why someone feels offended by their skin color? When someone says to me that I'm not from the capital but some small town, I don't care. I tell them that I have the right to live where I want and if I'm capable enough to live and work here, then I will do it and they can't do anything to stop me. Not that I defend the racists, I'm just saying that they do it, because someone is hurt because of their words and that makes them happy (sick I agree).

Sometimes I ask myself if it's not easier to show people that we are not offended and they failed to make us vulnerable. Of course there is a limit and after that you can't just sit and take everything that someone says.

However in most cases there will be no racism (I'm not talking about the sick racists who just think that they are something more, that can't be dealt) if all people are treated equal. That's basically the whole idea that we should all have. But we are people and we can't be fully objective and there will be always someone that feels neglected or defended or hurt by someone's actions, because we all think and act differently and see the things different. I don't believe that racism won't exist at all in the future, but I at least hope that it won't be that wide spread like now.

everwoodfan52

Koni, are you saying that most of the fans that exhibit most violence during games are the uneducated fans?

We don't have violence here in the stands...but there have been incidents pf violence after a game (usually a major championship.....basketball...hockey...etc). The fans (either the winners or losers) would riot after the game....turn over cars...break windows, loot. etc. I, personally, believe that these are lower class/uneducated people who do this. Who else would behave like that?!?

secretk

Well Betty as far as I know the college/university education in USA is expensive. This means that a lot of people might want to be educated, but because they are not geniuses to have scholarship or financially stable enough, they can't. Let's not forget here however that most tickets for sport games (especially important ones) are not that cheap, so the people that are not well educated, they also don't have enough money to watch sports events. In fact most poor people don't care about sport. They don't have what to eat, they don't care who won or lost some game.

In Europe there are a lot of countries (excluding England, Switzerland) where the education (colleges, university) are fairly cheap. So if people don't have education is not because they can't, it's because they don't want to. I'm not saying that this is always the case, but in not few cases it is. Now those people have some money to go to sports events and not all of them are that poor, so they can go there and act stupid (I just can't excuse such behavior).

everwoodfan52

Koni, I kind of believe that the people who do the violent acts after a game were not fans who were actually at the game. The fans who attended the game probably have more class. Of course, I'm generalizing here.

jediwands

What happened in Vancouver last season after the Stanley Cup was absolutely INCREDIBLE. What those criminals did up there I will never get over and this is historic with the Vancouver Canuck fans, too. They have pulled this before.

Otherwise, in the US, yes, there's some violence after major games here and there. But you cannot compare what we have here to what the world of soccer is all about with the CONSTANT violence and weird happenings. Vancouver Canuck fans can be compared to that though. Good God. But then again, I was on a Vancouver message board and they were doing everything in their power not to repeat any of that this season and it didn't happen thankfully.

Still, the violence in the US before and after big games is nothing compared to the world of soccer and that's a fact. Thank God we don't have to really deal with this. We have rabid rivalries too... the Yankees and Red Sox fans loathe each other beyond comprehension. The Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers, same thing. When's the last time you've heard about violence between the fans of those teams? For this, I am thankful.

I remember talking to a Liverpool fan not too long ago who made it seem like it's passionate and NORMAL and showing support to act violent and do and say destructive things. That is so troubling to me. The problem is that is sadly a belief around many areas in the world of soccer.

everwoodfan52

I thought I'd add a lighter touch to this thread. I just received this e-mail and I have to say....it's all true. I love my little state.



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The light bulb, phonograph (record player), and motion picture projector, were invented by Thomas Edison in his Menlo Park, NJ laboratory.
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Sal Martorano, Jack Nicholson, Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Jason Alexander, Queen Latifah, Susan Sarandon, Connie Francis, Jimmy (Azah) Carter, Shaq, Judy Blume, Aaron Burr, Joan Robertson, Ken Kross, Dionne Warwick, SarahVaughn, Budd Abbott, Lou Costello, Alan Ginsberg, Norman Mailer, Marilyn McCoo, Flip Wilson, Alexander Hamilton, Zack Braff, Whitney Houston, Eddie Money, Linda McElroy, Eileen Donnelly, Grover Cleveland, Woodrow Wilson, Jerry Lewis, Tom Cruise, Joyce Kilmer, Bruce Willis, Caesar Romero, Lauryn Hill, Ice-T, Nick Adams, Nathan Lane, Sandra Dee, Cliff and Theresa Maddox, Danny DeVito, Richard Conti, Joe Pesci, Joe Piscopo, Joe DePasquale, Robert Blake, John Forsythe, Meryl Streep, Loretta Swit, Norman Lloyd, Paul Simon, Jerry Herman,
Gorden McCrae, Kevin Spacey, John Travolta, Phyllis Newman, Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Eva Marie Saint, Elisabeth Shue, Zebulon Pike, James Fennimore Cooper, Admiral Wm. Halsey Jr., Sandy Carter, Norman Schwarzkopf, Dave Thomas (Wendy's), William Carlos Williams, Ray Liotta, Robert Wuhl, Bob Reyers, Paul Robeson, Ernie Kovacs, Joseph Macchia, Kelly Ripa, Theresa Carter, Francis Albert Sinatra and "Uncle Floyd" Vivino.
The Great Falls in Paterson, on the Passaic River, is the 2nd highest waterfall on the East Coast of the US.
You know you're from Jersey when.
You don't think of fruit when people mention "The Oranges."
You know that it's called Great Adventure, not Six Flags.
A good, quick breakfast is a hard roll with butter.
You've known the way to Seaside Heights since you were seven.
You've eaten at a diner, when you were stoned or drunk, at 3 A.M.
You know that the state isn't one big oil refinery.
At least three people in your family still love Bruce Springsteen
You know the town Jon Bon Jovi is from.
You know what a "jug handle" is.
You know that WaWa is a convenience store.
You know that the state isn't all farmland.
You know that there are no "beaches" in New Jersey - there's the shore - and you don't go "to the shore," you go "down the shore." And when you are there, you're not "at
the shore" you are "down the shore."
You know how to properly negotiate a circle.
You knew that the last sentence had to do with driving.
You know that this is the only "New" state that doesn't require "New" to identify it (try ... Mexico ... York ... Hampshire -- doesn't work, does it?).
You know that a "White Castle " is the name of BOTH a fast food chain AND a fast food sandwich.
You consider putting mayo on a corned beef sandwich a sacrilege.
You don't think "What exit?" is very funny.
You know that people from the 609 area code are "a little different." Yes they are!
You know that no respectable New Jerseyan goes to Princeton --that's for out-of-staters.
The Jets-Giants game has started fights at your school or local bar.
You live within 20 minutes of at least three different malls.
You refer to all highways and interstates by their numbers.
Every year you have at least one kid in your class named Tony.
You know the location of every clip shown in the Sopranos opening credits.
You've gotten on the wrong highway trying to get out of the mall.
You know that people from North Jersey go to Seaside Heights, and people from Central Jersey go to Belmar, and people from South Jersey go to Wildwood. It can be no other way.
You weren't raised in New Jersey --you were raised in either North Jersey, Central Jersey or South Jersey.
You don't consider Newark or Camden to actually be part of the state.
You remember the stores Korvette's, Two Guys, Rickel's, Channel, Bamberger's and Orbach's.
You also remember Palisades Amusement Park .
You've had a boardwalk cheese steak and vinegar fries.
You start planning for Memorial Day weekend in February.
And finally.
You've NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, EVER pumped your own gas.

jediwands

That's great!

I learned a few things about your state while reading the list.

So where are you from?

North Jersey, Central Jersey or South Jersey?

How many diners do you frequent?

Why does NJ have the higest cost of living? Is it because many people live there that work in NY so the state ups the prices as a result?

I absolutely love AC. Not just for the gambling either. Such a beautiful area!