Barred Savage Calls for British Boycott

Savage, Phelps lash out at UK's hate speech penalty

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted May 7, 2009 3:39 AM CDT

(Newser) – Right-wing radio mouth Michael Savage has branded British Home Secretary Jacqui Smith a "witch" and urged his listeners yesterday to boycott the country's products and cancel trips to Britain, the Daily Telegraph reports. "I suggest you stop buying English made goods," fumed Savage, who has been barred from the country for spreading views likely to incite violence, according to officials. "I don't know what they make any more but I suggest you don't buy any."

Smith—whom Savage has vowed to sue—defended the decision to put him on the list of banned extremists. "Coming to the UK is a privilege and I refuse to extend that privilege to individuals who abuse our standards and values to undermine our way of life," she said. The website of the other American on the list, Fred Phelps of the Westboro Baptist Church, labeled Smith a "neo-Nazi dyke" and a "filthy God-hater" for accusing the preacher of spreading hate speech.

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Radio talk show host Michael Savage is barred from entering the the United Kingdom for what the government describes as fostering extremism or hatred. (AP Photo/John Storey, File)

Britain's Home Secretary Jacqui Smith leaves her south London home earlier this year. (AP Photo/Carl Court/PA)

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If they want to play hard ball, we'll play hard ball. Will they ban my listeners from going to their wonderful, great nation as well? - Michael Savage

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 12 comments

ClingingToHope

May 7, 2009 12:26 PM CDT

Alexandria...So the gay dumbolib slandering of Miss California is unacceptable to you?

Alexandria

May 7, 2009 12:13 PM CDT

Free speech is fine. When it becomes slander, it is not.

Thinker

May 7, 2009 12:00 PM CDT

Savage is worse than Limbaugh in that he actually had some college and still spews stupidity, hatred, violence and nonsense. Savage wasn't jailed for what he said, he simply wasn't allowed to spread his ignorance around another country. Free speech comes with a cost. Too bad Savage doesn't want to pay it.

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extremists • Jacqui Smith • Britain • Westboro Baptist Church • Fred Phelps • Michael Savage • hate speech

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Barred Savage Calls for British Boycott