Too Hot to Handle? Michael Savage Debate Canceled by Cambridge Union
Posted By Vicki McClure Davidson on October 8, 2009
Conservative radio show host Michael Savage was scheduled to participate in Cambridge debate in UK... until they canceled
Controversial radio talk show host Michael Savage is still causing waves across the pond. Savage had been invited to participate next week in a Cambridge Union debate using an Internet feed. Savage was looking forward to it. He had hoped to argue against the insanity of ‘political correctness’ and present his case for freedom of speech in the United Kingdom.
Well, that ain’t gonna happen now, buckeroos. Cambridge U suddenly chickened out and has hastily pulled the plug on Savage, citing vague technical and legal difficulties.
Freedom of speech is too hot to handle in the United Kingdom, it appears.
From WorldNetDaily:
Cambridge cancels Savage debate
British society cites ‘legal issues’ just days before event
October 7, 2009Just one week before Michael Savage was scheduled to debate via video link at the Cambridge Union in England, the co-presidents of the two-century-old society informed the top-rated radio host they have canceled the event.
As WND reported, the invitation from the Cambridge Union Society for the Oct. 15 debate was issued in July after Savage was banned from entering the United Kingdom by Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s government along with Muslim extremists and leaders of hate groups.
In an e-mail today to Savage producer Beowulf Rochlen, Cambridge Union leaders Julien Domercq and Jonathan Laurence wrote, “It is with great regret to inform you of the difficult decision we have taken to cancel the event.”
Domercq and Laurence pointed to problems with the cost and feasibility of setting up the necessary video link, but they also cited “legal issues.”
“We have reconsulted with our counsel, and been informed that there are numerous legal issues with Dr Savage speaking here,” they wrote, “and so because of all of the technical, financial and legal problems involved, we have come to the reluctant conclusion that the event cannot proceed.”
Rochlen told WND the video link should not have been a problem, noting the society previously has conducted debates with participants at remote locations. The society had proposed using a Polycom video conferencing unit to enable Savage to participate from a studio in the San Francisco Bay area, Rochlen said.
The society has not elaborated on the legal issues they faced, but Savage believes the British government clearly didn’t want the debate to take place.
“What did the socialist Brown regime fear I might say during the debate?” Savage asked. “What are they hiding from the general public that would have been exposed? Why do they wish to hide what they did to an innocent broadcaster?”
Savage, who has documented his ordeal with the U.K. in an upcoming book, “Banned in Britain,” noted official correspondence, released under the U.K.’s freedom of information law in July, revealing a decision was made at the highest level of government to use his name to provide “balance” to a “least wanted” list dominated by Muslim extremists.
Savage asked: “Did they fear my reading the secret e-mails (at the debate) which disclose how the entire British leadership colluded to destroy a man’s name and reputation?”
Prior to news of the cancelation, Savage said he had hoped, during the debate, to “appeal to the British people and the incoming conservative leadership to remove my name from their list of murderers and terrorists.”
Here are a few speculative comments about the Savage cancellation from readers at Big Government:
From zebo:
Sharia law wouldn’t allow Dr. Savage from expressing something counter to their preachings without offending them, therefore, the event had to be canceled.
Maybe Dr. Savage should counter with them about him hosting the event and paying the price of the hook-up and since he would be hosting it, there wouldn’t be any questions about the legality of the content.
It is amazing to me how that distinguished (ha!) university gained a reputation as worth a damn. Any U.S. vocational school or community college would give your kid a better education than they’d receive from ANY university in the United Queendom.
From whata shocker:
Which Czar was involved with the decision? Meow.
From Squint:
Cowards. When it comes right down to it, lefties would rather pontificate. Their idea of debate is to shut down everyone who disagrees with them. Hello, Fairness Doctrine.
From unbecoming:
Let me sum it for yas- We are chickening out.
Savage would have pwned them on so many levels anyway.Michael sees the big picture,is pretty intelligent,and knows his history.Those 3 attributes are a very scary thing for libs because everything going on has gone on before,yet we shield that from the public and kids so no one catches on.
From Dave_C_64:
The “legal issues” excuse is always used to keep from doing things without having to admit to why. The cost and feasibility excuse is rather lame as well.
We all know the real reason, the socialists are afraid of what might be said. It might upset their little Utopian dream if Savage actually wakes a few people up.
From onecent:
Got to love it, lefties as usual folding like cheap suits in a scheduled debate destined to make them look like idiots. The prohibitive “costs” and “legal issues” are what exactly? Nice lame garbage weasel speak to deflect reality
These Brit lefty fools and the media aren’t getting that we understand weasel speak really well now.
In the public marketplace of ideas these morons and their academic/media counterparts will always opt out when they can in a forum that they will lose in. This game has been played by the media and academia for decades.
It’s time to call their bluff.
From Pete_K:
The Brits Govt. must have issued a D notice (I thinks it’s called a D Notice). This is where the Govt. can stop anything from being reported by the press without question. They have used it a few times. I follow the British press quite a bit as I travel there for work from time to time and this Savage issue gets almost no press over there. Which makes me wonder again: Why in the hell would they even bother to put him on the banned list when just about every Brit over there hasn’t even heard of him. I am most def not a birther, truther or any conspiracy nut but it is beginning to look like somebody over here in the US provided his name when the list was being assembled.
From Joe Noory:
And to think that this is the Cambridge Union that prides itself in inviting any outspoken or abberrant figure necessary to ‘challenge the world view’ of the audience, even if it causes offense. Their numbingly repetative statements of the defense of this practice for the sake of free speech has a long history. It was always accompanied by what is now called the ‘anti-PC herd mentality’ argument.
Now they seem to think that entertaining any intellectual that doesn’t abide the mushy middle of the mushy middle-minded is somehow now too challenging to their precious delusions about the world.
However, this is typically European – where the population largely has a vivid fear of people genuinely disagreeing with one another. The ideal intellectual debate is one where barbs are traded, but everyone actually agrees with one another, consigning the genuine purpose of debate to a kind of empty pedantry of believing something about ones’ open-mindedness that doesn’t really exist.
From COMMENTMAN:
Like him, or not. Agree with him, or not. The socialists, after making the date, were probably notified that it was not in their best interest. The Brits, 80 or so years ago would never cut and run from a fight/debate. Especially a debate re freedom of speech. Dr Savage would have cleaned the Cambridge Clock.
Additional reading:
Pat Dollard, Young Americans: Breaking: Michael Savage Event In England Cancelled
Publius, Big Government: WorldNetDaily: Cambridge Cancels Michael Savage Debate and Michael Savage to Debate Free Speech at Cambridge Union Oct. 15th
Frugal Café Blog Zone: Radio Host Michael Savage Vindicated in UK: Now Free to Visit Land of Bangers, Beatles, & Bobbies and Levin & Savage on Obama’s Civilian National Security Force for America — Perhaps the New Black Panthers? and Rush Limbaugh & Glenn Beck: The Highly Anticipated “Free Speech in Jeopardy” Interview (5-part video)
Infidels Paradise: Savaging Free Speech At Cambridge
The Antidote: Michael Savage disinvited from speaking before Cambridge Union Society
Never Yet Melted: Cambridge Union Cancels Savage Debate Invitation
Daily Pundit: Savaged
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