As strange as it may seem to some that I would positively quote a pro Islamic institution, the title of this blog is a statement made by CAIR – Council on American-Islamic Relations. Freedom of Speech, not so indifferent from all our freedoms, is a two-way street and for those who truly cherish liberty, sometimes supporting and protecting our freedoms requires manning up to our responsibility. By that I mean being willing to support one’s freedom to speak freely even if what they say is contrary to everything you believe in or support. Hypocrisy, when it comes to freedom, is a growing problem everywhere. Too many of us refuse to support another person’s rights simply because we don’t agree with them. This cannot be.
Such may be the case with radio talk show host Michael Savage, re. The Savage Nation. If you are not familiar with Savage’s ongoing battle with the United Kingdom, it may be because the media and most bloggers, radio talk show hosts and virtually every person who makes a living exercising their freedom of speech have refused to cover Savage’s story.
Savage has been banned from visiting the U.K. because he was placed on a list with murderers and terrorist because of being accused of saying bad things that might incite “intercommunity violence”. World Net Daily reports it this way.
In a legal complaint against Smith, Savage noted the home secretary’s office said in a press release that the “controversial daily radio host” is “considered to be engaging in unacceptable behavior by seeking to provoke others to serious criminal acts and fostering hatred which might lead to intercommunity violence.”
Smith was the head of the U.K.’s Home Office who placed Savage on that list. Savage has since been embroiled in a legal battle to clear his name. The new government of the U.K. announced that they will leave Savage on the list.
Much of this is very troubling and should tatter the fabric of every person who embraces liberty – in this instance, freedom of speech. Who cares which side of the aisle Savage might sit on? Why should those of us who adore liberty care if Savage is a libertarian, a republican, a conservative, a liberal, black, white, green or purple? What has happened to Michael Savage in the U.K. shows us the evil that exists in the world and within the boundaries of one of our greatest democratic allies.
Why hasn’t American Media jumped to help Savage? Should it really matter? Savage walks his own walk and as often as he might ruffle your feathers, he speaks his mind. Love him or hate him, he loves liberty, as we all should.
Savage is no murderer! He’s not a terrorist either! The U.K. has cherry-picked fragments of things Savage has said in order to demonize the man and get his name on this famed list. But why? Once again, World Net Daily gives us extremely troubling evidence that perhaps Savage has become a victim of the U.K.’s use of political correctness to protect themselves from appearing bigoted toward Muslims.
Savage has documented his battle over the U.K. ban in his book “Banned in Britain,” which includes official correspondence, released under the U.K.’s freedom of information law, that reveals a decision was made at the highest level of government to use his name to provide “balance” to a “least wanted” list dominated by Muslim extremists.
“We will want to ensure that the names disclosed reflect the broad range of cases and are not all Islamic extremists,” reads a draft recommendation, marked “Restricted,” that was obtained as part of Savage’s libel lawsuit against the government and Smith…..
Can this be true? Did Savage become the target of political correctness in which he was added to a list of banned people in order not to make the list contain only Islamic names? Think about that for a moment. Is this the equivalent of adding a Catholic, a Jew and a Protestant to the list of terrorists who blew up the World Trade Center, in order that this list not include all Muslim extremists? Is this also a matter of the U.K. showing it’s fear of retribution by their own Islamic communities should they put out a list “dominated by Muslim extremists”?
Regardless of how extraordinary all of this has become for Savage, the most perplexing matter of contention, is the lack of action from Savage’s fellow media people who should be climbing the walls to clear this man’s name. This same savage act of barbarism to destroy our inalienable rights can just as easily be cast upon any one of us who use the pen or speak with words.
It matters not whether you like or dislike Savage. The man is unique and speaks from his heart. This certainly doesn’t make him a terrorist who incites violence in other people. Is there no longer responsibility of self, that we simply blame others for what we choose to do?
I could compile quite a list of people who write and talk that I dislike immensely and some I disagree with but it is far from my thoughts that I would seek to shut them up or ban them from coming to my town. Regardless of who the person is, we should never squander our liberties for personal or political reasons.
I am just a little guy in the big scheme of Media but it is my desire that Michael Savage can get this issue resolved. I believe it would have been concluded months ago, had Americans, including our own Secretary of State, Congress and Media voiced outrage toward the United Kingdom for conducting acts so antithetical to the liberties Americans and Brits died to protect.
Tom Remington
