Britain Publishes Blacklist of Those Not Welcome in UK

The British government published a "blacklist" on Tuesday, a list of individuals who have been officially banned from the country. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith noted that she decided to publish what she called the "name and shame list" to indicate specifically the type of behavior that will not be tolerated in Great Britain. Said Smith, "I think it’s important that people understand the sorts of values and sorts of standards that we have here, the fact that it’s a privilege to come and the sort of things that mean you won’t be welcome in this country."

Smith went on to say that, "If you can’t live by the rules that we live by, we should exclude you from this country and, what’s more, now we will make public those people that we have excluded." The Home Office has excluded 22 people for what they refer to as "fostering extremism or hatred." Among those on the list are Hamas lawmaker Yunis Al-Astal, Jewish extremist Mike Guzovsky, former KKK leader Stephen Donald Black, neo-Nazi Erich Gliebe and American radio host Michael Savage.

Savage may be the most interesting among the bunch, though likely not the most extreme. Smith noted that Savage has been "engaging in unacceptable behavior by seeking to provoke others to serious criminal acts and fostering hatred which might lead to inter-community violence." In an official statement to Parliament, Smith also noted, "It is therefore right that we have an ongoing engagement with interested parties in order to strike the appropriate balance and ensure we protect public safety and vital national interests here and abroad. Therefore my officials will continue to engage with community representatives to seek their views on the way this policy is operating."