MICHAEL SAVAGE
"Everything you and I have worked for is being wiped out before our eyes. Our borders, our language, and our culture are under siege," writes author and radio talk show host Michael Savage. "Contrary to what you've been programmed to think by politicians with TelePrompTers, the al Qaeda network is not America's most dangerous enemy. . . . To fight only the al Qaeda scum is to miss the terrorist network operating within our own border. Who are these traitors? Every rotten, radical left-winger in this county, that's who."
That quotation, from the beginning of the chapter called "Diversity Is Perversity" in his best-selling book The Savage Nation: Saving America from the Liberal Assault on Our Borders, Language, and Culture (WND Books, an imprint of Thomas Nelson, 2002), summarizes the philosophy of radio host Savage. "We present the more patriotic, traditional America," he said in a recent interview. "I love '50s America. It was a great time."
Savage's motto is "borders, language, culture," and he makes no apology for wanting to keep illegal immigrants out, keep English the required language for Americans, and preserve the distinctive American culture rather than have it disappear into multiculturalism. Liberals hate the '50s, he said, because they hate normality.
"They claim that underneath it all, Ozzy and Harriett were sickos," he said. "Sexual repression made them sickos. . . . Sexual repression is fine. People back then had strong sexual desires just like they do today, and they repressed them, and I believe that all of civilization is based on repression of sexuality to some extent."
Despite his fondness for the '50s, Savage sometimes expresses himself in strong and harsh language, though he is no dirty "shock jock." "I have a younger audience," said Savage. "They appreciate what I say."
Savage's radio show is No. 5 in the country with six million listeners a week and his book has hit No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list. His success, along with that of other conservative radio hosts such as Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity, has prompted more complaining from liberals about talk radio.
"Too bad, guys. You're losing," said Savage in response. "They've had the field for 50 years. They push the same failed message: 'Let government take care of it. The family is dead. Break the crosses off war memorials.'"
Savage says that he believes in God but is "not religious." When asked to account for his first principles, he replied, "It's probably built upon the Bible as the founding rock. . . . I'm not religious. I don't go to church or synagogue. I support institutionalized religion." Savage comes out in favor of the execution of child molesters in his book and compares the contemporary enemies of Christianity to the Nazis.
"I understand there have been cases of child abuse, and that's terrible. But you don't attack the entire religion and the Church and God and the Holy Spirit just because there are a few perverts who should be given the electric chair if they're guilty. . .," he writes. "Don't you know where this is coming from? The same forces of evil, the same anti-family pagan forces that brought down Germany and put Hitler in power are liable to bring worse to this country if we don't stand up to them."
San Francisco-based Savage, who has a Ph.D. in nutrition and epidemiology and has published health books under his real name of Dr. Michael Weiner, believes America's future could be bright. "A lot of people in their 20s are quite traditional," he said. "I think the traditional family will make a comeback. . . . Young people are much more conservative than people think, even in the Bay area. The Bay area has the highest military recruitment level in the country next to Nashville, Tenn. I think the next generation is going to be more patriotic and traditional. I get a more traditional demographic than other conservative talk show hosts."
Savage, who calls himself a "nationalist," condemns homosexuality and single mothers. "They breed babies like Tastee Bread," he said of the latter. "They get $200 a month for each baby. That probably costs them $50 a month in food. The rest goes up their nose." He added, "I'm a former social worker. I know." In fact, said Savage, "I've traveled the Third World and lived with people of color for over a decade." He takes credit for coining the phrase "compassionate conservative" in 1994.
He criticizes the oh-so-compassionate social engineering of the '60s "red diaper doper babies," saying that it is killing America. "I grew up poor," he said. "Social engineering almost killed me. I know."
Savage receives mail c/o WND Books Publicity, P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, Tenn. 37214.
