Vigil At Offices Of 'Savage Nation' Broadcaster
Comments Belittled Immigration Advocates
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 15, 2007 (BCN) - Advocates for immigrant rights were set to hold a vigil in front of a radio station this afternoon after a San Francisco lawmaker failed on Tuesday to unite the Board of Supervisors against a Bay Area talk radio personality for comments belittling immigration advocates.

On July 5, Michael Savage told listeners on his syndicated radio show "Savage Nation" that immigration rights activists on a weeklong hunger strike in Sacramento "should fast until they starve to death."

The comments set off protests and other responses, including a rally attended by Supervisor Gerardo Sandoval on the steps of City Hall on Tuesday.

Sandoval later introduced a resolution before the Board of Supervisors condemning Savage's remarks, but the symbolic motion required passage by a unanimous board and Supervisor Ed Jew voted against it, resulting in a 9-1 tally that failed despite its majority support.

Jew said he disagreed with the content of the remarks but felt Savage was expressing his First Amendment rights to free speech.

Sandoval was not immediately available for comment.

Meanwhile, activists said they planned to continue with a two-hour march and vigil this afternoon, concluding at radio station KNEW's offices in San Francisco.

The activists plan to urge the station to stop broadcasting the "Savage Nation" show, a press representative said.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?sectio ... id=5572585