I get defensive about my state and I don’t apologize for it.
I grew up in Kearny. Named for it’s most local famous son Union general Phil Kearny and the Kearny ship yards built dozens of war ships that won us WW2.
And you shouldn't apologize.
It's OK to come from a state where the joisey gals make the females from WV look like Rhodes Scholars.
No one questions the toughness of jersey men, they have to be tough to get along with housewives from joisey.
But you have to face the fact that every major city in NJ is a crime ridden, demonRAT shit hole and the smell that comes from newark is beyond hades.