A Warrior must defend the Savage.
By RobWarrior on May 8, 2009 at 1:45 AM in Barack Obama, Current Affairs, NoQuarter Radio, Nocturnal Warrior
Banned From Britian…The Home Secretary Ranks Michael Savage Right Up There With Hamas and Russian Killers
The Nocturnal Warrior hosts a one hour Blog Talk Radio program for No Quarter Radio every Tuesday night at 9:00 PM Eastern.
Let me start by making this clear, I abhor about 90% of what comes out of Michael Savage’s large mouth. Broadcasting to millions daily over close to 400 radio stations nationwide, Savage pulls no punches as he promotes his never ending campaign for “borders, language and culture” to his loyal audience. He is offensive, crude and incredibly arrogant. He is so far out there on the right, most Republican politicians steer clear of him and he oftens turns his vindictive wrath on them. No one will confuse him with Rush Limbaugh as being the unofficial head of the GOP. He had one brief flirtation with attempting to mainstream and was fired by MSNBC almost as soon as they hired him.
Even so, I stand with him as be gears up his battle to fight the British Home Secretary who added his name to a list of hate mongers not welcome in Britian.
Secretary Jacqui Smith believes that Savage promotes hatred and could incite violence.
Smith said the British government believes the people on the list have views or attitudes that could provoke violence.
“If people have so clearly overstepped the mark in terms of the way not just that they are talking but the sort of attitudes that they are expressing to the extent that we think that this is likely to cause or have the potential to cause violence or inter-community tension in this country, then actually I think the right thing is not to let them into the country in the first place. Not to open the stable door then try to close it later,” she said.
“It’s a privilege to come to this country. There are certain behaviors that mean you forfeit that privilege.”
The others on the list are Jewish nationalist Mike Guzovsky; imprisoned Russian skinhead leaders Artur Ryno and Pavel Skachevsky; and Islamic leaders Wadgy Abd El Hamied Mohamed Ghoneim, Abdullah Qadri Al Ahdal, Safwat Hijazi , Amir Siddique, Abdul Ali Musa, Samir Al Quntar and Nasr Javed.
Said Savage, “How can a nation put me on a list and leave hate preachers in England who say that we’re going to kill all of you? We’re going to convert all of you to Islam. How is it possible that those hate preachers can’t be deported from Britain, but I can be banned from Britain? People who advocate actual murder cannot be deported from Britain.
“How is it that liberalism has gotten so distorted and cowardly?”
How does Michael Savage make it on this list? His show is not even broadcast in England. Most of England is asleep while his show airs live (6:00-9:00 PM EDT.) While certainly available over the internet and by podcast, it’s not like he has a huge audience in the UK. I have been repulsed more than once listening to his program (as a fellow radio host I do admire his fearlessness, use of the language and show preperation as he is exceptionally well read), but have never once heard him incite violence in any way shape or form. In fact his virulent attitude towards illegal immigration, gay marriage and other issues comes back to a firm belief in enforcing existing laws. He actually promotes abiding by the law.
He is a large supporter of the law enforcement community and often rails against those who protect the rights of law breakers which he believes leads to violence against law enforcement officers. Yes, some of those views may be interpreted by some as racist, but he never calls on anyone to enact violent retribution.
So again, how did he end up banned in Britain along with skinheads, Palestinean, Islamic and Israeli extremists? Is someone trying to curry favor with the Obama administraion who Savage lambastes on a regular basis? Are the Obama folks throwing up a trial balloon to see how this plays overseas before trying it out at home?
The good news is, Savage is not taking it lying down and may even use Britain’s strict anti-defamtion laws in his defense. He also has not lost his sense of humor.
“Darn! And I was just planning a trip to England for their superior dental work and cuisine,” he recalled thinking.
“Then it sank in,” he told WND, “and I said, ‘She said this is the kind of behavior we won’t tolerate? She’s linking me with mass murderers who are in prison for killing Jewish children on buses? For my speech? The country where the Magna Carta was created?’”
Savage said he wants top First Amendment attorneys to represent him “in a major international case.”
“I want to sue the British home secretary for defamation,” he said, “for linking me up with murderers because of my opinions, my writings, my speaking – none of which have advocated any violence, ever.”
Savage said the last time he was in Britain was about 20 years ago, and he had no immediate plans to return.
In an interview with the BBC, Smith said Savage, the No. 3-rated radio host in the U.S., is “someone who has fallen into the category of fomenting hatred, of such extreme views and expressing them in such a way that it is actually likely to cause inter-community tension or even violence if that person were allowed into the country.”
Savage said his message for Smith and the people of the U.K. is, “Shame on you. Shame that you’ve fallen to such a low level.”
“It’s interesting to me that here I am a talk show host, who does not advocate violence, who advocates patriotic traditional values – borders, language, culture – who is now on a list banned in England,” Savage said. “What does that say about the government of England? It says more about them than it says about me.”
Needless to say, the ban will probably backfire. It is likely to drive more people in the U.S. to listen to “The Savage Nation” and I’m sure more Brits are logging on to hear what all the fuss is about. Still, a western government trying to silence an unpopular voice is very troubling. Troubling for all of us.
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These are strange times indeed. O’Reilly did a segment on this earlier and interviewed a member of the British press (I think). She said that the list was prepared and then it was noticed that no white guys were on it. So, in an attempt to be “politically correct,” a few were added.
I agree - Savage is a jerk - but banned from Britain as a potential threat? Where does this end? I must admit I was pretty insulted when my country’s Homeland Security Department labeled me a “potential” domestic terrorist because I’m a veteran - but at least they haven’t thrown me out of the country - YET.
I’ve heard bits and pieces of Savage’s radio show over the last year. His rants are often, well…rants but many of his principles aren’t wrongheaded.
I heard one part of a show where he talked about the slain L.A. police officers and the people who were marching in support of the criminal who killed them. I don’t remember the exact invectives he used against those people who claimed the criminal was a hero but I remember I agreed that it was an outrage.
I also think his inclusion on the ‘banned from Britain’ list is wrong and I too suspect his listening audience will swell as a result. Good for him.
I have listened to Dr Savage since before 2001. I do not endorse many of his views. Some I do. I also first heard Mr. Johnson on the Stephine Miller show which I used to enjoy listen to as well. I have listened to talk radio since the days of Alyson Steele.
He has personally funded the defense of several military personnel from Bush scapegoating prosecutions. He has my respect for having interviewed Mr. Berg and given to causes that others that condemn him know nothing about, such as the Thomas Moore Law Center and his interviewing American Clerics and his battle with CAIR.
When this first came up mid week, my sane half said he should be “taken off the air”… I pointed out if he goes off the air due to censorship we all loose. If his ratings go in the the tubes and he fades from the scene, so be it. He would not be the first or the last.
Still, I have been bothered by what has occurred. I told my sane half that it does not matter what his point of view is. He has never advocated violence that I have heard. I might not agree with anything he says but I would defend his right to say right to say it. That goes for both sides of the dial, though it maybe troublesome, it is necessary. Many have given their lives in this pursuit.
Thanks Warrior for raising this issue as is germane to what is occurring in this country.
He’s from Brooklyn I believe, he tells stories of his hard childhood, loving but tough mom and grandma, first jobs…he comes from the tough side of life and that’s shaped his viewpoint. And then there’s his silly beloved dog Teddy, his son he helped to develop the Rock Star brand drink… I have never ever heard him utter anything which could be construed as advocating violence. On the contrary, he pushes for laws to be enforced. I am offended by his stereotypes of women quite often, and how he talks over people, but please, this listing does smack of testing the waters to place Obama critics on hatespeech restrictions.
I don’t think he’s a threat, but if I could keep him out of the US, I would.
If we only defend freedom of speech that agrees with our world view then it isn’t freedom of speech.
I think that Savage is an a$$hole. So I don’t listen to him.
Ban him? Never. Turning the dial is your own little censoring device. And it doesn’t infringe on other people’s right to listen to him.
He stated on his show the other night his theory that this is a hit job from the White House who is taking a backhanded method of censoring without being the one who actually did it. Akin to what they attempted with Rush earlier this year, only their tenacles reached all the way to the UK. The effort will trash his reputation and hopefully shut down his show. That way, that one’s hands are clean and unsuspected of any attempt to quell dissent. If so, they are stupid because it probably doubled his ratings this week.
I think it is a viable theory though. I don’t trust the “People’s house” for a minute.
This is disgusting. People who claim such rights, trampling all over them and slandering.
It does sound like a page out of Obama’s book and they may have done this to try and play favoritsm or see if the first stages of Communism works there too, thinking they didn’t have much to lose, because he really wasn’t in GB.
Yes, again, backfiring. Now we see what they want to do AND they have shined a light on them and him.
My, my, what cowards these liberals be. Bill of Rights, America. Remember? Free Speech is Number One. UK is bowing down to fascism and USA is not far behind if We the People don’t stand up and holler long and loud. Abusive language–nah. Hollering for civil liberties–oh, yeah.
How does the Bill of Rights apply to the UK? There have been no attempts here by the government to censor Savage.
I have listened to Savage periodically over several years. I listened when he exposed the Dubai port deal, I listened when he rallied support for wrongfully accused Marines, I have listened to him garner and financially support wrongfully charged Border agents who were imprisoned for carrying out there duties, I have listened to him challenge CAIR in lawsuits that he had to dismiss, but prevailed in attorneys fees for, for safety reasons. I have heard him support free speech for others with whom he disagrees vociferously. Michael Savage is hated by both the left and right, yet he has an audience of nearly 10 million listeners from all sides of the political spectrum. While I do not agree with any number of his views, I support his right to THINK and express his views, because in so doing, HE protects OUR right to do the same.
This is an attack on OUR rights to free expression. WE are all Michael Savage today.
And, pity the UK, where the thought police are gaining ground.
the uk has always been in bed with the us. always.
am mostly not a fan of savage, but i have perused a book or two of his just because.
i respect his courage to stick his neck out. the attempt to demonize him will backfire. i hope his popularity soars. the populace is not as dumb as we appear.
the social engineering going on is abominable. all past administrations in w.h., irregardless of “politics” or “party” are bought and paid for well before they arrive.
and the purchasers do not have the best interest of America at heart.
’nuff said
He should not be censored, although he’s a paranoid racist. But I see a lot of anger from the right specifically over free speech, especially from people like Mark Steyn who wrote in defense of Savage:
And I agree. But where was his anger when Israel banned the fierce Israeli critic Norman Finkelstein from their country for 10 years? Where was his post defending him?
Sorry but most of the right wing are bullshit hypocrites who defend free speech only when it suits their biases.
Here is the ACLU and CAIR, who Michael Savage and the right hates with a passion, defending Michael Savage:
THAT’S how you defend free speech.
I don’t listen to Savage or his show, but there are plenty of a$$holes on the airways. If Savage is the most egregious then it makes sense he would be the first target of the politically correct crowd.
But going after anyone, regardless of how outrageous, should send a chill down everyone’s spine. Because the domino effect will be put in place.
We either believe in Free Speech. Or we don’t.
As long as Savage does not support or incite violence, he has every right under our Bill of Rights to voice his views and opinions without limitation of censorship.
Very scary times when our biggest enemy is . . . us.
Savage couldn’t have bought this kind of publicity with a shipload of gold.
Rob Warrior: “[Are the Obama folks throwing up a trial balloon to see how this plays overseas before trying it out at home?]”
The answer is YES.
If the British Home Secretary is able to carry out this blatant suppression of free speech (you don’t have to agree with Michael Savage to see this, like RW I don’t agree with a lot of what Savage says); Obama and Minions will start the same practices here.
In the U.S. that’s going to be a pretty long list! Of course a few lucky folks will be singled out for special treatment (and I don’t mean lunch and one of Ray’s Hellburgers with PBO).
What’s the fuss about?
The Brits said Savage is not welcome in the UK.
They are not trying to silence him, since he has no audience in the UK. They have not banned his books, or his radio program anyone can listen online.
The UK is a sovereign nation, and if they don’t wish an asshole like Savage to come in, it’s their right. It doesn’t matter if he is American.
What is it they don’t like about him? Perhaps gems like these:
“I stare at the pages of the “Old York Times” wondering what new game the liberal terrorists, with the aid of the government-media complex, are inflicting on us. Every time I read the paper, I have to decode. I’m sickened by watching the politicians, the femi-fascists, the Commu-Nazis, and the RDDBs rip apart the land I inherited.”
“I’ll tell you what autism is. In 99 percent of the cases, it’s a brat who hasn’t been told to cut the act out”
“As for the clipped-haired, mean-faced Demoncats who tell me I’m hateful and intolerant because I oppose the tidal wave of Turd World immigration, I say, Go find another country. Who are you to judge me? You may think unlawful immigrants sucking the nipple of taxpayer subsidized healthcare is a good thing, but you’re wrong, and I’ll prove it.”
You can invite him to dinner if you like him so much.
His right to spew his hateful bile is intact.
This seems indeed to be a trial balloon. Savage is an easy target because he has offended so many in office and in the media elite that many of those same would love to sit back and watch Savage be categorized with convicted murderers, terrorists and violent criminals without coming to the defense of free speech. Of course, selecting a controversial sideshow is smart because the sideshow supercedes the ISSUE. The issue is that a man was censored by a BORDER violating international human rights for his SPEECH. There are no instances where this man has inflicted or advocated violence, nor is there any instance where this man has incited others to disobey laws. On the contrary, this shock jock has advocated for citizens to demand action through legal and proper civil channels.
This is another gaffe by the obamunists using a radio talkshow to test public apathy and ignorance of the infringement on the most basic right in free societies: protected impolite speech.
Every quote you used, shows Michael Savage to be as sharp, cruel and mean as many above have mentioned.
Yes, his show and books are still available.. But the suppression of speech and thought often takes place not in one fell swoop, but a series of gradual acts.
As one who also chooses to share his opinion (and opinions that are not always popular) via several public forums and media, I must defend Dr. Savage regardless of how big an asshole I may think he is.
As Voltaire says
Thanks Nocturnal for taking the right stand.
I no longer recognize England anymore!
The UK didn’t deprive this US citizen of the right to say whatever he wants. They just decided he’s unwelcomed in the UK, because they don’t want to worry about him saying it there.
We all have a right not to welcome guests into our home whom we suspect are going to cause us grief.
I agree Jamie. As someone who once threw her car salesman brother-in-law out of her house after one of his bigoted name-calling rants, you are entitled to have whoever you want in your own home.
The UK is entitled to yank the welcome mat from under whomever they want. It’s their country.
Absolutly not. This is about obamnation using the back door to quiet and intimidate us “racist right wing folks’. We must fight this tooth and nail. And for one, I think Savage is right about 90% of the time!
What makes you think the UK is at the beck and call of the President of the United States? We would have absolutely no right to fight this, even if we were inclined to want to.
I defend his right to say whatever he wishes in our country and the UK’s to say, “Sod off, Savage!” The UK is not a territory of the US: it’s a sovereign nation. They have every right to determine who enters their country.
Not to mention, there’s a certain
hypocrisyirony in suggesting that someone as violently anti illegal immigration as Savage has a right to go to other people’s countries where they don’t want him.How is the UK not allowing him to go to their country a violation of the US’s free speech?
The guy is an asshat, period. His presence there would cause problems. It’s their call. Unless you’re telling me a sovereign country can’t protect their self-interest.
Why dont you people see that the UK, which has much more restriction on speech, is classifying a person on speech and thought, while the others on that UK HATE LIST have taken ACTIONS in furtherance of their beliefs, whether spoken or not?
This is a violation of international human rights accords to which UK is a signator.
Wake Up People: Words are not equivalent to actions. How many of YOU would be on that list for what you have said or thought?
This is an attempt to silence abrasive, but not illegal speech, which is not legal in UK or USA.
By the way, under defamation laws in UK, the Home Secretary JackaSmith better lawyer up.
So banning Michael Wiener is now an international human rights offense? That’s laughable.
This isn’t about who is already in the UK, it’s about him.
And if you don’t think Savage doesn’t negatively influence his listeners, you’re delusional.
He’s inciteful. Words DO matter and lead to action.
He’s just lucky he lives in a country that allows him to spew his filth night after night–and make money doing it.
By not letting him in the UK, it’s not silencing him AT ALL. Hell, if he was going to do an event there, it’s called teleconferencing. He can rant and rave all he wants from the luxury of his own sty.
If he goes are you gonna chip in for the added police protection required to cover his ass? I sure as hell wouldn’t.
This isn’t an attack on right wing radio hosts, it’s about M. Wiener (aka Savage) and the REAL impact his hate speech has on people.
If I had an audience like his and said such vile tripe, I wouldn’t be allowed in, either.
Perhaps you ought brush up on your international law accords, treaties and resolutions.
Site YOUR source.
For starters:
o freedom of speech as “the right to hold opinions without interference. Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression”.[1][2] Furthermore freedom of speech is recognized in European, inter-American and African regional human rights law.
What part of sovereignty is unclear to y’all?.
Do y’all really think a country does not have the right to determine who will enter it for whatever reason??
If the UK said Wiener couldn’t enter because they didn’t like his hat, that’s completely within their rights.
Or is it that you think no one has the right to forbid Americans to go places and sovereignty only applies to us?
Not to mention there’s something intrinsically silly about a guy who calls himself “Savage” but instigates lawsuits when he doesn’t get his way.
How is traveling/crossing a border a form of speech?
preventing entry to a country based on non violent ideology is a form of censorship. If Savage’s view and speech meets the criteria, then most of the world should be on the UK hate list. This is arbitrary, and should be worrisome to all in any minority party in free societies.
So you’d welcome some radical clerics from the UK into the US… ‘cuz gosh, it’s only speech? And no, the analogy is not unfair, he whips his audience to a frenzy all the time. I listen to RW talk radio a lot, but can’t stomach The Wiener.
Arbitrary? Hardly. Again, I’ve been to the UK (after 9/11) and was welcomed everywhere I went. But see, I didn’t go spewing hatred and racism and violence. And don’t give me this “non violent” garbage. Seriously, he’s about as inciteful as they get.
Wiener is a “victim” of his own radicalness. The “most of the world” DOES NOT share his views, or certainly don’t use the same radical way of expressing it.
And as far as I can see, he’s free to move about (in his own country) and live his life as he sees fit. No one has told him to shut up. The UK does’t want the risk of him being on their soil. It’s called national interest via sovereignty. Y’know like “it’s in our national interest to invade Iraq…”
And the irony (as others have already pointed out) is he preaches against Mexicans crossing our borders (which I don’t like either - we live in TX) and here someone blocks him from crossing theirs and he cries like a big baby…and demands cash. Sound familiar?
You reap what you sow.
Please, he is only the first. The UK is our HO and will do the Fraud’s bidding.25 used CD’s anyone? This has Rhambotheballetdancer written all over it.
The UK is our red headed step child!
I’m sorry, I’ve gone through my fair share of tin foil in my day, but until you come up with something more than angst against oZero (which I share) I don’t buy it that the UK PM is blacklisting the Savaged Wiener due to a request by TOTUS.
Some in the United States thought our government was justified in banning Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens) from coming here in 2004.
The UK isn’t Michael Savage’s country. It’s their country. They can deny him entry if they wish. The UK’s own citizens have every right to protest that decision if they dislike it. What we think about it is not their problem.
Yusuf Islam’s name unfortunately turned up on a terror watch list. Not for his speech, but for his involvement with charity funds that were tied to terrorist groups. I do not believe he was working with terrorist groups, but one of many people who made legitimate contributions to ogranizations that did many good things, but also clandestinely provided assitance to terrorist organizations.
I believe the former Cat Stevens to be a peaceful man and would welcome him in the United States. His inability to travel here in 2004 (which I believe has since been resolved)is not the same.
It was said, Cat Steven’s actually in an interview agreed that it was appropiate to murder the author S Rushie for critizing Islam. Don’t know if this is true but I remember the converstion.
Oh, baby, baby it’s a Wild World!
I saw the interview, he said it.
I guess I’d feel better about the whole thing if Jeremiah Wright was banned too.
I’d be happy to ship them both off to the moon together in a little itty bitty lunar module.
Savage one day, you the next
Thank you for this very interesting post. I have been tuning in to Dr. Savage for several months now, and though I don’t agree with all of his views or language of delivery, still I find a great deal to respect. He is an intelligent, well educated and well-read individual. He can be abrupt, rude, and doesn’t suffer fools gladly. He is not afraid to debate you. He holds strong opinions and states his views unequivocally on illegal immigration and other matters. He has the courage to speak out against corrupt individuals and institutions. I have never heard him advocate violence. If the UK does not want him there, in my opinion, it is their loss, and I support his lawsuit for defamation. It’s ironic that the UK bans one individual while they tolerate the most vile hatred coming from their radicalized Islamic mosques.
Some have suggested that this may be a trial by our government to test public reaction to banning free speech. I think–not outside the realm of possibility. Whether you agree or disagrees with Savage’s opinions, his right to say it is the important thing. If you value your own right to speak, then you must value his right to speak.
Our mainstream media as a reliable source of information for the public is essentially a quaint idea from the past. If talk radio is censored, the internet will be next (ha). First it will be your neighbor, and then it will be you. I wish I could wake up from this nightmare. Once again, thank you for this post. It is an important and relevant topic.
Quote from Secretary Jacqui Smith:
“It’s a privilege to come to this country. There are certain behaviors that mean you forfeit that privilege.”
I no longer consider it a privilege to come to your country. I would feel just as “privileged” to go to say, Myanmar.