The Town Hall Archives

Coralfish · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2003 12:39 am Post subject: The Savage Nation

I was visiting the bookstore the other day and hapened to notice a copy of "The Savage Nation"(it seems it is on the bestseller list right now). Anyhow, as the hold list at the library had about 100 names on it, I decided to purchase the book. I found it very...interesting. It`s rather difficult to describe Savage's style of writing, but it is indeed unique. Wink

Anyhow, for anyone who has listened to his radio show(also entitled "The Savage Nation") the book remains true to form. Anyhow, I should probably give it a bit more credit. In his bestselling book Savage makes some important points and observations about what is happening to America; how it's borders language and culture are under attack. Even for those who may find his radio program irritating(and yes, even I do at times Wink

) I would still encourage you to read it as there are some very meaningful points addressed throughout.

I am not one to usually write my opinion on every book I read, but I thought this one was especially worth noting, as having heard quite a bit about the book, I was finally able to read it myself. And for those who want what I would call an "uncommon read" or prefer a book that is not at all passive in presenting it's ideas, I would once again reccommend it.
Thanks!

PS: I just finished 2 fairly good books that a relative of mine loaned to me:"They Came to Baghdad" by Agatha Christie, and "Ordeal by Innocence".....but I stray from the topic.... Wink

Jared · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2003 6:58 am Post subject:

I haven't read "The Savage Nation," but I've read a few guest columns by Michael Savage and have decided that I'm definitely not interested in what he has to say.

The guy is popular right now. He has a popular radio show out west (broadcasting out of California and I think picked up by other stations in the western U.S. as well), he's written a popular book, he writes columns for WorldNetDaily on occasion, he has his own show on MSNBC.

But if he's done anything, he's made conservatism a laughingstock.

Consider a few quotes by Mr. Savage [his language is rough at best, so read with caution]:

- Speaking of kids and teens killed in gunfights (when involved in gangs, etc.): "They're not kids, they're ghetto slime... they're the same kids that are in Sierra Leone toting AK47s." Well, they have brought their problems upon themselves, but Mr. Savage seems to forget that they're still human beings.

- As many of you know, I'm doing a lot of research on illegal immigration right now. I would generally agree with Savage's claim that immigration, even legal forms, is in bad shape in this country. But here's how he described it: "You open the door to them, and the next thing you know, they are defecating on your country and breeding out of control." It's one thing to oppose illegal immigration or even to call for reform of the whole immigration system; it's another entirely to want, as Savage does, to shut the whole system down and to call immigrants of all kinds such names.

- I don't have an actual quote for this one and am taking it off of a list compiled by people who definitely don't like Savage, so take it or not, as you will. He apparently called the homeless "living rats" who should be run off the streets and put in state hospitals. Uh... not so kind. Some people who are homeless brought it upon themselves in one of a variety of ways... but not all of them. And to call the whole group "living rats" is terrible.

- On CNN's Talkback program, where guests chat with each other and debate in front of a live audience - and sometimes WITH the live audience - Mr. Savage and Charles Barclay were both guests. Barclay is, for some reason unbeknownst to me, a perennial Talkback Live guest. He's a basketball player who has libertarian to conservative leanings and has many times considered running for political office. Personally, I don't think he has the skills, the political knowledge or the right positions to do it. Mr. Savage was telling Barclay the same thing, except he worded it this way: "You're a dumb basketball player. Go dribble a ball. Go dribble a ball. You couldn't shine my shoes, buster." Dumb basketball player? Go dribble a ball? Demeaning. But that last line... Well, Mr. Barclay's black. A lot of times people are accused of saying offensive things and I would be willing to defend them, seeing nothing wrong in what they said. But that last line is indefensible.

So, I avoid the guy. I would agree with him on most (but not all) issues, but I think he's just despicable in what he says. I get tired of hearing conservatives called racist, but that term probably applies to Savage. And so do a lot of other terms.

If he got his way, this truly WOULD be a savage nation.

Oh, so on to the topic of the two other books you mentioned, the Christie ones. Both of the ones you mentioned are good reads. You mentioned "They Came to Baghdad." Isn't it interesting how many of her novels are set in the middle east and how many are specifically set in Iraq? Just a few of the middle eastern set books coming to mind right now: Murder in Mesopotamia, They Came to Baghdad, Death on the Nile... I think five were set in Iraq alone. From what I've heard, Christie's husband was a middle eastern archeologist, which explains her interesting settings. And at the time, Iraq was a decent country. A world leader in technology (today we have the World Fair; back then, it was the Baghdad Fair, which still exists, but now shows off the latest innovations concerning, oh, I don't know, 40 year old Soviet tanks?), probably the most popular destination in the middle east.

How things can change... Most people can hardly remember a time now when Iraq was a popular place; 37 years of Ba'ath rule does terrible things for a country.

But, even though I'm getting terribly off-topic, maybe it will once again be a popular middle eastern tourist spot after the liberation!

Coralfish · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2003 12:20 pm Post subject:

I understand fully your critisizm, and yes the quotations you gave did indded sound like something Savage might say, although I have never heard them. My family members listen to the show occasionally, and that is where I heard about it. Though I have never seen the television show, I can imagine that it is much like the book and radio program. yes, Savage is given to an unusually harsh way of speaking, partly I think because of his disgust with the Liberal population in general(it`s a guess but...). It seems that you can characterize how the radio program will be by what mood Savage is in...and that is very easy to tell. I will hold that when he is in a more subdued mood(be it rare, but still) the man has quite a few good points, albeit ones you can find elsewhere, nevertheless. Another thing I find interesting is the radio program`s popularity, considering that it was started in San Fransisco-not the place you would automatically expect such a show to be welcomed.

As for the Agatha Christie Books set in the Middle East, yes she does pick that location rather frequently. I also believe there was one book she wrote that was set in Ancient Egypt (the name escapes me), not my favorite book that she has written, but it was uniquie in that it was the only one of it`s kind. Yes, the Middle East did seem to be a much more popular vacation spot than it is today, and I hope that after the present war is over, the appeal of Iraq will increse for both it's inhabitants and visitors. Which raises another completely offtopic question: Who should rebuild Iraq? I don`t know that the US should be funding that, but perhaps they can assist in setting up a government that will use the resourses and funds in a way that will be benificial to both the govenment and the people. It remains as yet to be decided I suppose. As for France and Germany who want a share in post-war Iraq.....well-nevermind the answer is too obvious. Wink

I seem to have forgotten what I was origionally talking about.....

Bennett Charles · Town Villain Joined: 24 Nov 2002 Posts: 2410

Death on the Nile was partly in Egypt wasn't it?

Jared · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2003 4:39 pm Post subject:

It was set in 1930s or so Egypt, not ancient Egypt.

Bennett Charles · Town Villain Joined: 24 Nov 2002 Posts: 2410

Oh. ANCIENT Egypt. My mistake.

Coralfish · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2003 6:20 pm Post subject:

No...

There was only one book that she wrote that was ever set in ancient Egypt. It was not "Death on the Nile", but I cannot remember the name...