Whether you listen to him or not, or consider yourself a fan or not, radio talk show host Michael Savage has been the victim of a grave injustice by the British government. He has literally been told that he cannot enter the United Kingdom based on what he has said. The Brits pride themselves on being an open-minded and tolerant lot. Heck, they are willing to accept outrageous sermons by angry mullahs in Britain, all on the grounds of free speech. Well, free speech apparently stops with Michael Savage.
You can object to some of the things Savage has said over the years. But you can say the same about the British press.
Jaqui Smith, Home Secretary of Great Britain issued a list of people banned from entry into the country. Savage is on that list…..along with members of violent terrorist organizations and murderers.
Says Ms. Smith: “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 concluded: “It’s a privilege to come to this country. There are certain behaviours that mean you forfeit that privilege.”
Excuse me, but what evidence is there that Savage has ever caused violence? Which of Savage’s “behaviours” is she talking about?
It’s pretty clear that Savage is on the list because the British government, wanting to prevent certain jihadists from entering the country to preach violence and terrorism, were desperately looking for a “moral equivalent” that they could prop up as proof that they are not anti-Muslim. In Savage they found a convenient person. But to compare Savage to jihadists is ridiculous. Has he ever called for the assassination of anyone? Has he ever conspired with others to bomb a house or blow up an airliner? I don’t even need to answer those questions. We all know the answer.
Great Britain needs to reverse itself and prove that it still believes in freedom of speech.
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