In response to Katie Graham's column on New Jersey, I feel it necessary to point out certain unavoidable facts about the "Garden State."

Certainly nobody could claim that the entire place is a vast industrial wasteland, but the reality of the situation is this: New Jersey is the oil refinery center for half of the eastern seaboard. The state can't get enough of its own garbage, so it has maintained a deal with New York in which it imports garbage from the Empire State.

In defense of Jersey's "healthy" environment, Gov. Christine Todd Whitman's appointment to the Bush administration's Environmental Protection Agency is noted.

This is solid evidence, considering the Republican Party's well-known reputation for being "tough" on environmental protection.

With regard to the friendly mention of the New York Giants as a symbol of Jersey pride, I would like to remind everyone that this (as well as the Jets) is a New York team that simply plays in New Jersey.

When you think about it, it's rather pathetic that New Jersey doesn't have its own football or baseball team, but is willing to let out-of-state teams colonize it for their "home games."

I want to say that I do not avidly hate the Garden State; I feel compelled to point out the truth. Though I have no doubt that I will receive bitter mail from people from New Jersey, I think that their blind pride is simply an overcompensation to hide how pathetic the state really is.