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Radio big mouth Michael Savage defends autism remarks

BY CAROL POLSKY | Special to amNewYork

8:21 PM EDT, July 21, 2008

Conservative radio talk show jock Michael Savage used his nationally syndicated show Monday to defend his controversial remarks on autism, even as outraged parents protested outside the Manhattan offices of his broadcaster, calling for his firing.

"My comments about autism were meant to boldly awaken parents and children to the medical community's attempt to label too many children or adults as 'autistic,' Savage wrote on his Web site and read on his broadcast Monday. "Many children are being victimized by being diagnosed with an "illness" which may not exist in all cases. ... Let the truly autistic be treated. Let the falsely diagnosed be free."

The original remarks that stirred the backlash aired on the July 16 broadcast of his show "The Savage Nation," which typically targets the likes of liberals, undocumented immigrants and feminists and has more than 8 million listeners.

On his broadcast, Savage called autism "a fraud, a racket ... In 99 percent of the cases, it's a brat who hasn't been told to cut the act out. ... They don't have a father around to tell them, 'Don't act like a moron. ... Act like a man. Don't sit there crying and screaming, idiot.' "

His controversial remarks drove several dozen parents and advocates Monday to protest outside the WOR-710 in Manhattan.

"That isn't just freedom of speech, it is hateful speech when you say 99 percent of children with autism are brats," said Evelyn Ain, whose 8-year-old son has been diagnosed with autism and who organized the demonstration. "I'll tell you, I wish I had a brat."

Carol Polsky is a Newsday staff writer. The AP contributed to this story.