Justified concern some in NJ have with outdoor events

Recently, I wrote about and put together a full list of street fairs and county fairs happening here in The Great Garden State (more on those in a bit). For me, it's always exciting to start thinking about the warmer weather and festivities that come with this time of year.

Before my current role as a content writer and on-air host, I took the station vehicle out to events all over the Garden State. Events often varied but they were all amazing because it gave us an opportunity to meet you.

Some of those events ranged from concerts, golf outings, trivia nights, live radio broadcasts, and more. And of course, street fairs and county fairs as mentioned above.

It's a great time of year, and I honestly hope that as the year progresses, I'll have more opportunities to meet you in person. Events in New Jersey are simply fantastic, hands down.

So after I published this year's street fairs and county fairs, I noticed some comments regarding the events. And to be honest, it was something I never expected to see.

There were a handful of New Jerseyans who were uninterested in attending any of the events at all. Now they weren't rude about it, but the reasoning made me take a step back for a moment to reflect on the time we're in today.

They were worried about going to any outdoor activity because they didn't feel safe anymore. And there were a lot of people who shared that same concern.

It's sad, but I totally understand that. With so many things we here happening in the news, who can blame them for not feeling safe at a public event?

But digging deeper, it also had more to do with how divided we've become in today's heated political world. The thought of violence happening over a political dispute was enough to keep some folks away from wanting to attend anything at all.

And I'll be honest with you, it really disappoints me that it's come to that for some people. There's absolutely no reason why we should feel nervous about one another when we're all at a place for one common reason - to have a good time.

A major plus is that New Jersey is one of the safest states in the nation thanks to our stellar law enforcement. Without them, we couldn't have as many events as we do today.

It is a scary world, but there's no reason why we shouldn't be able to get out and enjoy ourselves. New Jersey is full of outdoor fun that's safe for all. Please don't be afraid to join us.

As long as we all keep our disagreements at the gate, we'll be fine. Let's make this a great year for outdoor activities that are safe, friendly, and fun.

The above post reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 Sunday morning host Mike Brant. Any opinions expressed are his own.