Our new national hobby

Clearly we have a growing preposterous trend on our hands: officials condemning free speech. Sort of makes sense, actually. On the heels of the Rush Limbaugh (I haven’t seen his original comments in context yet nor does it matter)/MoveOn.org, nonsense, I see that San Francisco Supervisor Gerardo Sandoval of Board of Supervisors has been pushing a resolution condemning talk-show host Michael Savage for “hate speech.”

You know, at least this keeps third-rate bureaucrats busy doing something useless.

The few times I’ve listened to Savage, I’ve found myself asking if this guy was for real. I learned nothing and enjoyed nothing. He’s angry. Yes, he’s hateful. He talks about the Malthusian End of Days, conspiracy theories and holds ridiculously immature views regarding the world without a shred of humor or self-awareness.

So you know what? I stopped listening. That’s what Americans used to do when they found something unpalatable, or more to point in this case, painfully unentertaining.

Yet, this resolution was the board’s second attempt to condemn Savage (curiously enough, his show emanates from San Francisco) specifically for his yammering about illegal aliens. The only thing that stops resolution from passing is a San Franciscan by the name of Ed Jew (an American-Asian) vetoes the vote. Not only that, but Jew had the stones to stand up and defend Savage’s First Amendment right to free expression. If only such a person existed in Washington DC — on either side – we’d all be better off.

Jew said, “For the record, I do not agree with comments allegedly made by Mr. Savage, but the First Amendment gives him the right to make those comments.” 
How refreshing to hear such an obvious point said in public.

So then …

Sandoval responded with a personal challenge to Jew.

“If this commentary was directed at the Chinese-American or the Asian community, you would not be resorting to this rigid formalism on your part,” he said.

Michael Savage is offensive. A elected government official referring to deference of the First Amendment as “rigid formalism” is far more offensive. I have no idea if Jew would adhere to ideological and political consistency if his own ethnicity were attacked daily on the radio. But I do know Sandoval’s comment gives us a peek into the mindset of many officials these days. To them, freedom is no longer a priority. Not if it offends them.