A less obvious outrage through all of this is that the American government and the U.S. media don't seem to give a damn. Where's the outrage from our own elected officials? Where's their objection when they see an American, who makes his living by taking full advantage of our precious freedom of speech, having his own words twisted around to make him look like a danger and a threat to the nation that might be our top ally? Why do the mainstream media in the U.S. keep acting as if there is even a shred of justification for this absurd measure against Michael Savage? They act as if they don't know about the ban of Savage, or at least as if they don't consider it a news story.
You can bet the same silent media would have their megaphones of outrage out and active had the banned media personality been, for example, Bill Maher or Michael Moore, both of left-leaning persuasion. Then the outrage would be endless (and justified).
Having been a guest on Bill Maher's TV shows in the past, I can tell you that he too is capable of making some pretty provocative statements. But we recognize that this is his job. No one keeps a list of quotations by Bill that might be used against him to restrict his travel or freedom. At least let's hope not.
I understand all too well that our constitutionally protected rights of free speech don't directly affect actions by the British government. But standing up for those who rely upon that precious right of speech here in our nation is something that should be of paramount importance to all Americans, whether they agree with Dr. Savage's opinions or not.
So I pose this question to the British government: Do the words uttered by a talk show host in America -- words regulated by a very strict Federal Communications Commission -- justify banning the man from your country? Where is the "compassion" for a man who has harmed no one? Or do you reserve your compassion for bona fide "savages" -- the kind that wreak or would like to wreak murder and mayhem?