I don’t like Michael Savage, the Right-Wing radio shock jock and author. His ideas are not just stupid, they are outrageously stupid. He and Rush Limbaugh, Michael Reagan and the rest of the untalented meatheads spew their hatred onto an unsuspecting public every day. They deserve to be reviled and challenged. But they don’t deserve to be censored. Censorship is a failed policy. Never in history has censorship resulted in positive change. If someone can provide me with an example I will be glad to apologize and change my opinion. But of course if what we are allowed to know is censored, how would we know? 
British Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, included Savage (real name Michael Weiner. Great, we Germans spend a half century trying to outlive the stereotype only to have this idiot come along.) in a list of people persona non grata in the United Kingdom. For this Savage is threatening to sue. He claims he has never incited violence on his talk show or in his writings. Technically that may be true. I have never actually heard Savage say ‘Go forth and smite down the democratic liberal wherever you find him, in expresso bar or at Gay Pride Parade.’ Does he need to say this to be inciting violence? No. But will shutting him up stop these attitudes? Also no. This is hearts and mind time and censoring Savage will not change the mind of one bigot.
Silencing his message from the public airways will only drive it underground and add to its mystique. More, it gives the message credibility. Why censor something unless you are afraid of it. Believe me that will be his spin on the matter. ‘They know I speak the truth, that is why they fear me. They fear that I might tell you what they don’t want you to know.’ His message doesn’t need to be silenced it needs to be challenged. Isn’t it interesting that these champions of freedom seldom allow themselves to be caught in a public debate with anyone able to expose them as the frauds and fools that they are. Cowards naturally shrink from a fight. When they are caught as happened when Bill O’Reilly interviewed Phil Donahue on Fox the shallowness of their position reveals itself. When Bill began his talk-over terrorism of his guest, a style common to these types, the articulate Donahue rose to the occasion and left O’Reilly sputtering back on the ropes desperate to survive the round. That is what is needed to counteract the menace of these self-righteous megalomaniacs.
Those of us old enough to remember Alan Berg, a American Left Wing radio shock jock murdered outside his home by Right Wing extremists, know that challenging these sociopaths has its risks. Glenn Beck fantasized on his radio show about killing Michael Moore saying he thought he would be able to do it himself rather than hire a hitman. His words dripped an underlying desire to really do this not just fantasize. Nothing worthwhile comes without risk. If we don’t soon begin to challenge these miscreants we will condemn ourselves and our posterity. Their view of the world is unsustainable; left unchecked apocalyptic war and environmental catastrophe are certain. Challenging the pied-pipers of doom sounds worthwhile to me. Donahue, Moore and others have proved it can be done. You and I can do it too. Don’t sit by complacently when a colleague or acquaintance parrots the latest vitriol from one of these idols of ignorance. Fight back! Most of us would feel uncomfortable sitting passively while someone made a pejorative remark about Blacks or women. There is no reason why we should condone with silence similar comments and ideas about immigrants, the poor, or homosexuals or any group whose only offense is their existence. Nor is it wise to leave unchecked ideas that will cripple our biosphere.
Political correctness has allowed hatred to hide. Censorship does just the same. It makes the stupid the mysterious. I don’t want these ideas and hatreds hidden. I want them in the clear light of day where I can draw a good bead on them and shoot them down. So don’t call for censorship. Join me on the firing squad and execute ignorance with suppositories of wisdom.
