One of South Carolina’s most well-known conservative activists is in an intensive care unit in the South Carolina Upstate battling the coronavirus pandemic. Pressley Stutts – leader of the Greenville Tea Party and a recently elected S.C. Republican Party (SCGOP) executive committeeman – has been hospitalized for the last five days, according to his social media.
His wife has also been hospitalized with Covid-19, but is reportedly on her way home.
“DETERMINED TO BEAT THIS!” Stutts posted on Facebook. “Under strict orders not to speak; need to save my breath. Can’t really return messages, but know that I deeply appreciate your prayers! I love each and every one of you!”
“I am fighting hard to stay off of a ventilator,” Stutts added in another Facebook post.
Sources close to Stutts confirmed that neither the activist nor his wife have received their Covid-19 vaccinations.
“If after all of your prayerful and informed research, you need to get a shot, by all means, feel free to do so, but NEVER demand that others be required to do so,” Stutts wrote in announcing his admittance to the hospital.
I concur with that assessment … although having had Covid-19 twice (and having gotten both of my shots since then), I have encouraged my readers to get vaccinated.
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Still, I believe adamantly that vaccination is a personal choice … despite ongoing efforts by some to mandate it.
In fact, I can’t believe we are even debating the issue as citizens of what is supposed to be a free country …
Stutts bills himself as an arch-conservative – and has become a leader of the far right during the ongoing SCGOP civil war. Still, he has endorsed his fair share of establishment “Republican” politicians in the past – including U.S. senator Lindsey Graham.
Given Stutts’ current situation, though, his endorsements, politics and ideological moorings do not matter … just as they should not factor into our thoughts on anyone in his position. When people are dealing with illnesses, personal tragedies or other hardships, all of us should check our views at the door and offer up our prayers and best wishes for better days. We should also offer our help.
Accordingly, I would invite all of my readers to join me in wishing Stutts and his wife a fast, full recovery … and the same goes for everyone dealing with the latest round of this virus.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and seven children. And yes, he has LOTS of hats (including that St. Louis Browns’ lid pictured above).
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