According to the Times Union, Scott Presler has lost yet another venue to speak at.
For those not familiar with Mr. Presler’s schtick, a commenter on this blog who signs herself as “Mulligan” offered this link to one of his speeches:
The Upstate Conservative Union had hoped to host him at the American Tactical System which is a private shooting range open to the pubic. The TU offered no reason for the cancelation.
In an overwrought statement on its website, the Upstate Conservative Union wrote:
“Once again, the socialist country we now find ourselves living in has threatened to use their regulatory powers to attack our Freedom of Speech Rights and our Economic Rights of Free Enterprise,” the group’s website announced. “Our freedoms are under attack. Please stay vigilant and steadfast as we will find an alternate location in the near future.”
UCU
Presler was previously scheduled to speak at a building owned by the Saratoga-Wilton Elks who, upon learning about Mr. Presler, issued a press release declining to allow him the use of their facility.
As far as a I know, the Elks do not consider themselves a socialist organization.
No Cancel Culture
I sympathize with institutions that do not wish to be associated with Mr. Presler’s xenophobia. I think it is telling that the original venue for Mr. Presler was a rally put on by the Saratoga County Republican Party. In contrast to the Elks our local county party chose to claim that Presler was a COVID risk and was careful not to disassociate themselves from him.
As the Saratoga County Republican Party apparently does not plan to reschedule a visit by Mr. Presler, it appears to me that they have caved into the public outcry over Mr. Presler. Apparently they have set an unfortunate example of “cancel culture.”
As the readers of this blog may remember, I consider myself a socialist. It may come as a surprise to the Upstate Conservative Union but socialists like me believe that Mr. Presler should be able to speak in our county. We believe in the power of our own arguments and welcome the opportunity to challenge the dubious arguments put out by people like Mr. Presler.
I hope the Upstate Conservative Union can find a venue for him. Judging by the video excerpt above, aside from the problematic substance of his remarks, with his ultra long hair there is a rather creepy, “new age” quality to his presentation. I have every confidence in the people of our county that most will reject his hateful ideology if they have the opportunity to hear him.
In their statement the Upstate Conservative Union alleges that some unnamed group in our country has “threatened to use their regulatory powers to attack our Freedom of Speech Rights and our Economic Rights of Free Enterprise.”
I invite the Union to be a guest author on this blog to share with this blog’s readers what “regulatory powers” are being employed to deny Mr. Presler the right to speak.
A Bit of Satire
I received the following from someone who uses the nom de plume, Publius:
***********************
Count me among those bitterly disappointed that the Scott Presler “Rally and Voter Registration Drive”, scheduled to be held on August 25, was cancelled.
According to a co-host of the event, the cancellation was necessitated by Mr. Presler’s potential exposure to the COVID 19 virus. We pray for his well being.
Now comes the sad news that a re-scheduled appearance of Mr. Presler to have been hosted by the Upstate Conservative Coalition has also been cancelled. Disappointed, I say, because I was so looking forward to meeting a true “American Patriot.” There seems to be a dearth of real Patriots these days and so when I learned that Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, along with the RISE Political Action Committee, had lent her considerable prestige to the Rally I
instinctively knew that it was not to be missed.
Perhaps, I thought, I should bring my grandchildren along so one day they could look back and share the experience with their children. Adding to the the excitement was the full on participation of the RISE Political Action Committee. All of this only added to my disconsolateness when I learned that it was not to
be.
Still, I was initially puzzled by the good congresswoman’s characterization of Mr. Presler as an “American Patriot.” Wasn’t that redundant? I assumed that Mr. Presler was an American, so why did the congresswoman, a Harvard alumna and undoubtedly an accomplished Anglicist, use the adjective
“American” to modify “Patriot”?
I became perplexed. Then the epiphany! I had sold her too short. By linking the two words Ms. Stefanik wasn’t being supererogatory but was rather giving Mr. Presler a special designation in the Stop the Steal hierarchy. A super patriot status not enjoyed by other Stop the Steal adherents.
Take, for example, Rudy Giuiiiani. All know that he is an American and a “patriot”, but is he an “American Patriot”? No, his patriotism manifests in his support of Ukraine. And what about former Gen. Michael Flynn. The former president’s first national security advisor is, of course, an American. But, as we know, his allegiance is to QAnon to which he swore an oath on July 4, 2020.
So while these and many others, while enjoying the heady political company of Congresswoman Stefanik and her Stop the Steal colleagues, do not have the elite “American Patriot” badge of honor bestowed on Scott Presler.
So I end with a modest proposal. One that may save the day for those of us hungry for the company or true “American Patriots.” There are two members of Congress who share many of Mr. Presler’s values and beliefs; i.e., fiercely anti-immigrant, pro-insurrection, QAnon devotees, Stop the Steal heroes and pro-
suppression of minority voters.
Yes, I speak of none other than Congressman Matt Gaetz of Florida and Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia. If Congresswoman Stefanik would entice these two superstars to come here, imagine how many new (non-minority) voters might be registered.
Let us all hope Congresswoman Stefanik can pull it off.
Publius
Saratoga Springs Politics 
OH, so seldom do you use the humor of understatement, but this gave me a LOL: > As far as a I know, the Elks do not consider themselves a socialist organization. > Jeannine
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And, as a former Iowan, who read with dread of the visit of MTG to the Iowa State Fair, I sure hope Publius’s wish—satirical or not—does not come true. J again.
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