LD24 Flashpoint: GOP Incumbent Space Fires Back at Democrat Trish Over Confederate Flag Facebook Pic
Assemblyman Parker F-Space (R-24) of Sussex County says a Facebook page picture someone took of him at a Hank Williams concert in front of a Confederate Flag shouldn’t start another Civil War, but one of his Democratic challengers says she finds the image offensive – and part of a pattern.
“I grew up in Sussex County and I find it offensive,” said Democrat Gina Trish. “I don’t believe it’s representative of the values of the people who live here when he stands in front of a Confederate Flag. It doesn’t bode well for us in Trenton. That lack of respect reflects poorly on us.”
Representative of a heavily Republican western NJ district, Space dismissed the critique.
“She’s in the far left outfield,” the assemblyman told InsiderNJ, referring to his Democratic Party rival. “I
was at a Hank Williams concert. The problem is everyone’s offended by everything. What are we going to ban Southern Rock? Are we going to ban Kid Rock because he has a Confederate Flag at his shows? Kid Rock’s running for Senate and there’s a pretty good chance he’s going to win.
“I’m just tired,” he added. “I believe a lot of the problem now is that everything is offensive. They’ve got to suck it up. The flag is a part of history. The people I talk to – a majority of them don’t want to see statues [of Confederate personages] coming down.”
Trish disagrees. She says her mother hails from Birmingham, Alabama, and there’s a “difference between acknowledging history and racial hatred and bigotry.”
She points to what she says she believes is a pattern of Space not getting off these issues.
“There’s a difference between that and the idea of reveling in the Confederate Flag,” said the challenger. “He was the only assemblyman in the legislature that did not vote in favor of banning the Confederate Flag in the state.”
But it goes beyond that, she said.
The assemblyman runs a zoo called named Space Farms.
“He named his groundhog after a confederate soldier,” Trish said. “It’s a way of speaking and thinking. The question is, is it acceptable for a legislator to be speaking in this way? I do not believe he’s representative of the values of this district. I also feel he’s holding us back economically. We are not receiving the respect and resources we deserve.”
Space acknowledged his lone vote on the Confederate Flag resolution, and acknowledged a groundhog named Stonewall Jackson by his 89-year old father.
“Moses is the lion and Goliath is the bear,” he said. “That’s offensive? Look, this is how they operate. They can kiss my butt. I have many friends from different ethnic groups in the assembly. Our business thrives on all different groups.”
About this picture – Assemblyman Parker Space – You’re damn right I’m offended! I served 28 years in the US Navy, not the Confederate Navy. The Stars and Bars flew over the traitorous army that killed almost as many United States Military personnel as the Nazis in WWII. Take your BS excuse for standing by that flag and put it where it belongs.
I guess Space is what they used to call a copperhead. Sides with the confederate traitors. He should run for office in Alabama, not New Jersey.
I would just like to say that I am one of your constituents that is deeply offended by your lack of respect to the people you were elected to govern. And I’m offended by your apparent respect to a flag that represents an effort to destroy the United States of America. When you lose in November then YOU can kiss MY butt.
I SUPPORT HIS CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO EXPRESS HIMSELF, BELIEFS AND HISTORY.
THE MUSLIMS EXTREMIST, GAY, TRANSMEN, DEVIL’S WORSHIP GROUP AND EXPRESS THEMSELVES BUT HE CAN’T, NOT THE UNITED STATED I KNOW, THE CONSTITUTION MUST BE AWARDED FOR ALL OR NONE.
Sometimes hate does not come from the people who you perceive are haters, it comes from the people perceiving it.
You can try to wash away American History good or bad, but it our history and if you label a statue or flag as bad history, it still history. If you hate the history saying it’s of hate, then you made it about hate. It’s our history, it represents the freedom to fight for your belief even if someone else disagrees with it.
The constitutions have recently been interpreted to give everyone rights even a devil worshiping group to pray at a council meeting, Defend gays, Muslims, men dressing as women to use women’s restroom, deny Christians the right to not serve what their faith tells them too and just about anything. Hispanics, Blacks, Middle Easterners and every flesh can get constitutional recognition but as soon as a White person seeing this say, “what about us” can we recognize ourselves and our people the same?” the are banned by the constitution and the “colored” public, lack of a better word.
Everyone but White folks are protected under the constitution because they are deem to be part of the “bad,” side of history. When I see a confederate flag it reminds me of American History, a battle lost and a reminder that when you take up arms to divide us by race you will lose, but if the person holding that flag wants to remind himself of a place he comes from and part of a generation his comes from and he still believes in or not doesn’t the get constitutional protection for his belief, as long as he is not exaction violence or giving a rebirth to racism that separates us. I say we are already separated White want to be recognized for being White and Blacks don’t want them to, Blacks want to be recognized for being Blacks and Whites say, then we should be awarded the same.
Ironically the same Democratic Party that created the KKK and like groups are now the ones trying to distance themselves from it and act like they are trying to get rid of it. It’s your demon it’s your flag you created it and now you want the Genie back in the bottle because it’s convenient for you.
Wear the darn flag, let them obey the constitution for a change. Law is good for one, it is good for all.
He needs to go..He does not represent NJ’s values. He should be ashamed of himself!. Sussex County’s finast. NOT!
I’m sorry I ever said anything bad about Parker and Jill. They clearly enjoy life and good music and aren’t stuck up phonies like the snobs who look down on America and cannot understand why Trump won.
Here’s the song behind the flag that offended these sad humorless triggered people. Crack open a Bud and enjoy it.
https://youtu.be/YX09m9j9mJ8
Here’s my prediction: The three Reps will soundly trounce the three Dems, who are trying to bring the Dem DC politics to the 24th District. If they want to question values, they can start by condemning Schumer, Pelosi, Booker, Menendez and the rest of the DC Dems for refusing to condemn current-day Fascist terrorists, Antifa,
You can bet every day and twice on Sunday – those aren’t my values and they’re not the values of the majority of 24th District voters and that’s why the three Dems will lose!