Rebuttal to "Dirty Jersey"

Anthony Smith’s “Dirty Jersey” is an argumentative essay about how the state New Jersey, the greatest of fifty, has been misunderstood and underrated by many people, and Smith describes some of the interesting and enjoyable facts about New Jersey that could change people’s prejudice about the “Dirty Jersey”. In spite of Smith’s effort to persuade the readers to break their prejudices down and alternate their thoughts about the “Dirty Jersey”, his weak evidences and overwhelming generalizations to prove his thesis in his essay have eventually made the readers to feel discomfort and to firm their prejudices of the “Dirty Jersey” as the facts.

According to Smith, the people of New Jersey are not guidos who go to club all day long and swear all day long; however, they like to drive dangerously in the risky roads, think they are the best in foods such as Italian cuisines and the Taylor ham, which is considered as the native breakfast dish in New Jersey, and these boastful New Jersey people think they are the only ones who have the “best” gas pumping laws.

The “best” New Jersey gas pumping law makes consumers not to get out of their cars and offers the full services for the consumers. But, as an international student from Korea, I have not been surprised since these kinds of situation were common and natural. Back in my country, Korea, it is expected for workers or employees to do the gas pumping for the consumers without receiving the tips. The other generalization that Smith made in his argument was New Jersey’s enormous strength in Italian cuisines and its native New Jersey Soul Food. Although the Taylor Ham is a unique breakfast dish in New Jersey, this doesn’t make New Jersey livable or enjoyable place. Every country, every state, every place has its own special or main foods. For instance, California, where I lived for 3 years to attend high school, was famous for its fusion food, California roll, a combination of sushi and roll of rice; this unique food of one’s state might draw people’s attention, but it doesn’t change the pre-set image or the prejudice on the state. Lastly, Smith has written about the how the cracks and other dangerous roadways of New Jersey has affected people to have a positive mindset of driving attitude. Smith’s last point even do not really relate to how having this difficult roadways would impact on people to change their prejudices and negative evaluations of the New Jersey State. Overall, Smith’s argument has an interesting topic; however it has quite weak points to build firm arguments and persuasion. In his conclusion or the last paragraph, Smith, himself, admits that there is a fact in the rumors or the prejudices of New Jersey State. Using generalization once again, Smith writes that since there are “guidos” in every place, there must be some of the “guidos” in New Jersey. Furthermore, Smith blames the violence or slum-ness of New Jersey to the neighboring city, Camden, which is the murder capital of U.S. Before reading the “Dirty Jersey”, I was excited to read the essay about the new state that I have never been to. However after reading the essay, I had a feeling of insecure and discomfort with New Jersey. New Jersey State might be an enjoyable place for some of people who might feel comfort or fun with speed driving and dangerous roadways, but it would not change the people’s unfavorable perceptions toward the New Jersey State.