Be Nice, A$$hole!

Trenton, New Jersey, March 14, 2005:

A kindler, gentler New Jersey?

In a state where one former governor once joked that the official bird was "the middle finger," Assemblymen Jon M. Bramnick and Gordon Johnson think a few more random acts of kindness couldn't hurt.

A resolution under consideration in the state Legislature is encouraging residents to join "a campaign toward civility, kindness, and respect to all."

Vocal opponents such as the Jersey City-based Ronatarian Party -- a radical group led by its charismatic founder and leader Ron -- think the proposal is nothing but "worthless fluff."

"Who the f*ck needs legislation to tell you to be a g*dd*mn nice person?" Ron ranted during a protest in front of the New Jersey State Capitol Building. "This is just another example of big government shoving sh*t down the taxpayers' throats."

"Do what you please, say what you feel: that's the Ronatarian way...the American way...the New Jersey way."

Bramnick, a Republican, says it seems people just aren't as nice to each other as they were in decades past.

"In the halls of Trenton everyone's always very nice and it's 'Good morning! How are you?' Then I get back in the real world," Bramnick said last week.

The Assembly Judiciary committee was expected to decide whether to send the proposal along for a vote before the full Assembly.

In the meantime, Bramnick and Johnson, a Democrat, hope New Jerseyans will listen -- and lighten -- up. It's not the first time state officials have tried to soften up Jersey's image. Last year, then-Gov. James E. McGreevey declared a Random Acts of Kindness Day.

"That Nicey-Nice Day [sic] didn't work for sh*t," Ron said. "That queer fruit McGreevey had no f*cking clue what he was doing while he was in office. This is a worthless endeavor and another example of government waste."

Posted by Bittle at March 14, 2005 01:03 PM