I appreciate a good April Fools’ joke as much as the next guy, Save Jerseyans, but sometimes it’s hard to tell whether the jokester is really kidding. Governor Murphy gave us one such example on Friday.
Our reelected Democrat governor issued a fake “executive order” on Friday, April 1st declaring that the “middle finger” would take over as the official Garden State bird (a position occupied by the Eastern Goldfinch.
“Whereas, New Jersey drivers are famous for their skills, enthusiasm, and expressive hand gestures,” the EO explains before going on to order all state offices and employees to comply with the Middle Finger.
Here it is:
https://twitter.com/GovMurphy/status/1509974628961292289
A mildly-funny joke coming from a site like this one? Sure.
An appropriate joke from a sitting governor? Meh.
What tips this particular prank decisively over into the “not funny” column is the obvious context: Phil Murphy gave the people of New Jersey a giant, honking, sustained Middle Finger for 2+ years.
You wouldn’t laugh if Joe Biden joked about dementia or a drunk driver joked about doing shots. The reality washes the humor away.
“Your tone-deaf, idiotic, insulting April Fools Executive Order was a laughing slap in the face to all of us who suffered for two years under your Constitution-shredding, overreaching, business crushing, child abusing Executive Orders,” Cape May GOP Chairman and former Judge Mike Donohue shot back on social media.
Mike is correct. For an owner of the 1/3 of small businesses that failed in 2020? The families of nursing home residents who died due to the Murphy Administration’s neglect? The unemployed who waited months (or longer) for their benefits without being able to reach a human on the phone?
Murphy’s joke isn’t a joke. It’s a further admission of how this guy feels about the citizens of this state.
