[skyguy79]

Originally Posted by Posh 08

What exactly did she do for New Jersey?

I wasn't going to post in this thread because IMHO it is a bit too much of an exercise in futility for me. However, your question did grab my attention.

I don't think it specifically does anything for Jersey itself except for emphasizing the pride it's residents should and probably do feel for one of their own who made good and achieved much in her chosen field. However, I think it does a world of good for the people of the City of Newark.

At the end of the 1970's, shortly after the infamous Newark riots, I offered to drive a member of the Drum Corps I belonged to a ride home, as he couldn't afford transportation nor had anyone else to drive him. When we reached the part of Newark where he wanted to be left off, I was loaded with anxiety and couldn't wait to get away. It was the scariest, spookiest place I can remember that I have ever been in. It was like about one or two in the morning and there were row buildings as far as the eye stretched, probably a typical inner city infrastructure. There was not a sole in the streets, quite opposite to what I've experienced at Harlem in the middle of the night, and there wasn't a single light in any of the buildings.

What I'm trying to say here is that Newark was and probably still is a highly depressed area with little or no reason to give their resident's any pride... at least that I've ever heard of. By the lowering of the flag for one of their own, it provided a little bit of pride, if only briefly, for the residents of Newark and just maybe a tiny bit of hope for their future.

So for ever it's worth, that's my answer to your question.