NJ Teachers Union Jokes About Gov. Chris Christie’s Death

by Jon Bershad | 10:08 am, April 11th, 2010

» 12 comments

Not content to let enemies of the health care bill corner the market on threatening the death of public officials, teachers in the Bergen County chapter of the New Jersey Education Association sent an e-mail around to members making jokes about the death of state governor Chris Christie. NorthJersey.com is reporting that the letter jokingly asked members to pray that God knows that Christie is the writer’s favorite governor…just like the late Patrick Swayze is their favorite actor. The implication, tongue-in-cheek as it may be, is clearly that the union members would like to see Gov. Christie in the ground.

“Dear Lord … this year you have taken away my favorite actor, Patrick Swayze, my favorite actress, Farrah Fawcett, my favorite singer, Michael Jackson, and my favorite salesman, Billy Mays. … I just wanted to let you know that Chris Christie is my favorite governor.”

Gov. Christie’s enormous proposed cuts in education budgets have made him very unpopular everywhere from college campuses to elementary school teacher’s lounges. He’s so unpopular that teachers have turned an anti-Christie Facebook group into the internet equivalent of a high school bathroom wall, ranting about the “lying, fat f–k”. However, Christie clearly sees the latest comments in this e-mail as the perfect way to make someone else the bad guy in this story. The Star-Ledger is reporting that the governor was not shy about mentioning the joke while speaking at a public event in New Brunswick, home of Rutgers University.

“I think the events of the last 24 hours tell you this is not a problem with teachers, but it is exactly as I put it all along: a problem with the teachers union,” Christie said. “When I called them ‘the bullies of State Street,’ I think you see why today.”

Anyone reading the e-mail can tell that it was meant as a joke. However, making jokes about the death of a governor is never funny and is especially appalling coming at a time where bricks are flying through politician’s windows with alarming frequency. A teacher should most certainly know better. The president of the union in the state, Barbara Keshishian, made a formal apology earlier today.

From the Star-Ledger:

“Language such as that has no place in civil discourse,” Keshishian said in a statement. “It was intended as humor, but it is not funny. Our ongoing discussion with Gov. Christie is centered on serious issues of significant importance to the state, and that must be the focus of all our conversation. We deeply regret that the ‘prayer’ reference was included in the letter, and we apologize to Gov. Christie for both the content of the ‘prayer’ and the lack of respect it demonstrated.”

So, anyone who’s been looking for the perfect rebuttal whenever someone claims that only conservatives advocate violence, you may want to bookmark this article.

Billy Mays, Chris Christie, Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson, New Jersey Education Association, NorthJersey.com, Patrick Swayze, The Star-Ledger

Snipzor

FTFA
“Christie’s budget calls for a cut of $820 million in school aid to districts statewide. The loss is likely to force layoffs, program cuts and property tax hikes. The administration says an across-the-board pay freeze for all school employees could help close the gap. The union counters that the governor should instead reinstitute a tax surcharge on those making over $400,000.”

Holy crap! Why the hell would Christie do this?! Calling for his death is a shitty thing to do and should never be tolerated (And the people who said it should be dealt with). But what the f… why is the first instinct to cut education? That’s the last thing that should be cut.
http://www.anonymousfinch.com AnonymousFinch

Snipzor:

In New Jersey, education aid is the largest part of the state budget (because of a New Jersey Supreme Court decision from the early 80s called Abbott v. Burke). Education was not the first thing that he tried to cut. He’s cutting everything across the board. Because of the size of the problem (NJ = Greece) there is simply no way that education could be exempted. Plus, he is structuring the cuts in such a way that he is directly taking on the teachers’ union. He certainly is unpopular with teachers, but he is very popular with the public.
Snipzor

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/04/nj_gov_chris_chrstie_poll_numb.html

Not that popular. Not anymore. Is he better than Corzine still? Yes, but that’s not much of an achievement worth boasting about (Not that you brought it up, I’m just sayin’). The more people hear about this massive budget cut, the less popular he will be.
http://www.anonymousfinch.com AnonymousFinch

Snipzor:

Fair enough. Those are the first polls I’ve seen. I won’t argue the point other than to say that people I know, including people who voted against him, are very happy and impressed. But that’s obviously an unscientific sample.
Snipzor

I guess we’ll just have to wait and see until they make a decision on the budget.
roxsteady

Personally, I’m glad that there is buyers remorse for this tub of lard. Those who voted for Fatty Arbuckle now deeply regret it but, they should’t worry. He appears to have gotten fatter since he took office and is now a walking ad for heart disease. Sadly, he may not even be around to finish his term.
roxsteady

By the way, the reason he’s doing this is because this is what Republicans do. They look out for the wealthy. Just listen to the whinning that’s already started because the Bush tax cuts for the rich will expire on December 31st of this year. When you hear the Republicans crying about this just remember, it’s not going to affect you. These tax cuts were supposed to spur jobs through investments. Tell me, how did that work out? We lost 7 million jobs under Bush.
http://www.anonymousfinch.com AnonymousFinch

No, roxsteady, the reason why Christie is doing this is because when you habitually spend beyond your means, eventually the bill comes do. New Jersey is already one of the, if not the, highest tax states in country. For decades, the legislature (and municipalities through property taxes) have taxed people into oblivion. Those taxes have created the most politically corrupt state in the union. Now, the most productive taxpaying citizens are fleeing the state. You really think Christie hates school children? No, sorry, that’s just plain stupid. Eventually the bill comes due and radical change must take place (think Greece).
pyrope

It is unseemly to joke about the death of any individual–something I thought would be beneath those who are supposed to be educated (if not erudite), rational, and genteel. That the teachers’ union made such a remark may, therefore, help explain why New Jersey schools are graduating so few students and that those students who do graduate and attend colleges and universities must complete remedial studies before they are allowed to take standard curriculum courses.

The balk from the teachers’ union is most likely due to the fact that they twisted the arms of previous administrations so they could be given raises and pension deals that the state simply could not afford. Add to this the horrendous losses of revenue and the New Jersey budget was underwater and sinking fast.

The hate speech is thus rooted in the refusal of some to accept the facts that, sooner or later, we all must surely feel the sting of continually running budget deficits and assuming debts that we cannot pay.

Unfortunately, I believe all of America will soon realize this and it will not be a pretty site.
pyrope

AnonymousFinch, it seems I have closely echoed your remarks; perhaps I should have read them before I offered my own. Please do not be offended.
Penguin60

I bet all those teachers are Republican haters, probably TEA Party members, spewing vitriol and hate. Oops, maybe not. Jersey, and that’s where I’m from needs a good lavage. The people knew what he was going to do, More power to him.
I love it how the sympathetic caring Dems are the first to attack the person, what a “steady” load of crap.
scytherius

Right, Left or otherwise (and you don’t get more Left than I) this is disgusting.