MSNBC fires Savage after anti-gay remarks

Associated Press ^ | Jul. 7, 2003 01:00 PM

[sakic]

NEW YORK - MSNBC on Monday fired Michael Savage for anti-gay comments.

The popular radio talk show host who did a weekend TV show for the cable channel referred to an unidentified caller to his show Saturday as a "sodomite" and said he should "get AIDS and die."

[Conservative til I die]

Amen..Preach it from the rooftops...I'm tired of folks giving these perverts a pass on life..Their deranged.

Yeah, Jethro! Get the ovens ready! **This was sarcasm, btw**

[freebilly]

You asked me if I owned a TV station. I told you that I owned a publishing company. What you do with the info is your business.

[Cultural Jihad]

>> what happened to the first amendment?

I honestly can't believe I'm hearing such an intellectually shallow comment like this on FR, of all places. You do realize, of course, that the 1st Amendment refers to government censorship of speech, and not on what a private company like MSNBC chooses to set limits in its workplace?

You mean Mr. Weiner doesn't have a right to work at MSNBC?! What if we all pout and stomp our feet? ;-)

[Revel]

"The joke is on conservatives who think this guy is doing them favors. For all the damage he does, he could be a liberal just trying to make himself as grotesque as possible in conservative clothing."

Yes I agree. We should never say anything that might make others think poorly of us. Especially those on the left. If we can just make them a part of us then we will no longer have to fight with them...and then we can have every thing they want.

[freebilly]

Like the guy or not (I didn't), His career is over. No sponsor will advertise on his show after that remark. I surely would not.

And you can take that to the bank.

[Libertina]

Most of the time I love Savage. If you are right that his career is over, and no sponsor would touch him, then you should be extremely worried - for free speech is over. And that means yours too...

Some of the comments on this thread make me wonder if I'm on a conservative board... many saying that Michael's free speech was mean, harsh, hateful (GASP). I just don't recall where that is written in our constitution, that free speech doesn't apply when a crank or protected group doesn't feel "comfortable". Myself, I believe it's pretty hateful to put down Christianity, Boy Scouts, property rights, or scream racism towards anyone who doesn't advocate illegal aliens... but apparently that kind of "free speech" is OK. The people in this country have had big chunks taken out of every single right they used to enjoy. And still they don't get it. Not even on FR. IMHO.

[Valin]

what happened to the first amendment?

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."

Not MSNBC, a private business.
"The 5 most beautiful words in the english language, Congress shall make no law."
George Will

[weegee]

Psst. Life is a terminal disease and overall not that an unpleasant of one...

[jlogajan]

Practicing your false dichotomies today?

[Libertina]

Thank heaven another voice of reason amongst the drivel on this thread. I'm proud of you fellow Washingtonian! I feel as if I'm on DU with all this Savage bashing. What is it people don't get about free speech? We are living through a period of history in this country where the citizens are being pressured to hold certain thoughts, speech and actions by groups whose values are the polar opposite of our own. And they use "niceness" "safety" and "tolerance" as weapons. IMHO.

[The Westerner]

"I like Savage.

Someone has to be the last angry man in America."

Amen to that. Are we supposed to go silently in that great, good night, while the world turns slowly insane?

[Cultural Jihad]

If you are right that his career is over, and no sponsor would touch him, then you should be extremely worried - for free speech is over. And that means yours too...

Sheesh. You and Al Gore, too. Apparently, the Dixie Chicks had their right to free speech infringed upon, according to Al Gore. If we don't run to the store to buy their records, then we are guilty of infringing on their 1st Amendment rights, claimed the leader of the Democratic Party. And here you are saying the same thing about Mr. Weiner. Interesting, but not necessarily surprising.

[justshe]

The Constitutional 'Right' to FREE SPEECH applies to government censorship. It does NOT apply to private companies.

This "Right" to FREE SPEECH is bandied about without any basis in fact and has reached epic proportions with the ill-informed (not saying you are, but there are many).

Please see the following.

Mr. Savage's 'rights' were NOT censored by the government so your argument is moot, imo.

Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

[weegee]

I recommend that we start being a little more compassionate towards homosexuals and illegal aliens. After all they are doing jobs many of us don't want to do. Besides, we can use the votes, right?

I don't want the party to be court illegal votes. How about we keep the dead voters on the rolls so we can get those votes too < /sarcasm >

It's bad enough when valid absentee ballots are thrown out. We don't need to court the illegal votes that typically go for the rats.

Court the immigrant vote, that's fine. How do legal immigrants feel about the illegal immigrants? Do they not care; let the "illegals" take those jobs? Good to hear that all immigrants come to this country with skills and good paying jobs. Would those jobs pay better wages if they were paying citizens or legal transients?

What about workers' compensation? Do they carry insurance on the illegal aliens? Are they exploiting this minority workforce because their status is illegal in this country?

Doesn't sound much better than slavery. That's not a position I can support. I'd rather support increased legal immigration than go that route.

[Michael Barnes]

Yeah, Jethro! Get the ovens ready!

I dunno nuthin about oven's, but I can play a mean banjo..um...
wait a minute..

hearing eary Deliverance song in the background

[Cultural Jihad]

Dr. Weiner enjoys his 1st Amendment right to free speech whenever he wants to.

[freebilly]

I feel as if I'm on DU with all this Savage bashing. What is it people don't get about free speech? We are living through a period of history in this country where the citizens are being pressured to hold certain thoughts, speech and actions by groups whose values are the polar opposite of our own. And they use "niceness" "safety" and "tolerance" as weapons. IMHO.

Bull. MSNBC is not a government organization. Savage has the right to say anything he wants. MSNBC doesn't have to air it.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Amen to that. Are we supposed to go silently in that great, good night, while the world turns slowly insane?

Look, face it, the world is changing, we need to reach out to those that see things differently. Homosexuals, illegal aliens, and global trade are all good for us. And even if they aren't good for us, what can you do about it? Sure, it may be hard to rationalize at first, but would you rather they vote for the democrats? This is what we have to work with, so lets get the job done, and reach out to these folks, bring them over to our side. Face it, we really have no choice here.

[Cultural Jihad]

Do you seriously think that Dr. Weiner has a right to the microphone of someone else? In fact, *I* have the right to that microphone instead! MSNBC is infringing on my 1st Amendment right by not allowing me in their building! And the Times is infringing on your 1st Amendment right by not printing your screed on Page 1. This is so unfair, comrade!

[Libertina]

And sheesh back at you. While it is the right right of the company to fire him, the issue is much more serious - Apparently you haven't noticed that protected groups, thoughts, speech are being created at a dizzying pace. And that portions of ALL our rights are being eroded. But you're too busy indignantly repeating "sheesh."