Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo Joins Protest

The NJAOH is formally protesting the New Jersey Hall of Fame’s nomination of an anti-Irish Catholic bigot to their honor.

DeANGELO CALLS FOR REMOVAL OF POLITICAL CARTOONIST THOMAS NAST FROM LIST OF NJ HALL OF FAME NOMINEES
Assemblyman Cites Anti-Irish Images as Inflammatory, Offensive to Irish Catholic Community

( HAMILTON TWP.) – Assemblyman Wayne P. DeAngelo today called for the removal of Thomas Nast from this year’s list of nominees for induction into the New Jersey Hall of Fame citing concerns raised from the Irish Catholic community regarding anti-Irish imagery portrayed in the political cartoonist’s works.

In a letter to the New Jersey Hall of Fame, DeAngelo called for an expeditious removal of Nast’s name from nomination in order to avoid a negative shadow cast upon the voting process for the Hall of Fame honorees over the coming months.

“As an Irish Catholic myself and the state Assemblyman representing a large Irish community, I am deeply troubled by the nomination of Mr. Nast given disturbing imagery and depiction of Irish Catholics in the 19th Century. I do not believe that his works represent the people of New Jerseyans from all cultural backgrounds in an appropriate or respectful manner. We should not be honoring any individual who contributed to the popularization of bigotry and prejudice in our country,” wrote DeAngelo, who served as the 2011 Grand Marshall of the Hamilton St. Patrick’s Day Parade.