I have been thinking about this one for a long time, probably as far as back as 2001. World events, politics and crisis situations have affected my way of thinking for a very long time but I have never let them become a serious issue for me. How naive, stupid and blinded I was! The attacks on the fateful day of 9/11/2001 have really opened my eyes. Since then, I have observed the rising, forceful resurgence of Islamic fundamentalism worldwide, responding and reacting to the West’s strategic movements to retain its leverage and order with their oil-producing and trading partners in the developing countries, and keeping various powerful, shady militant networks, such as al Qaeda, Hezbollah, etc. and rival, anti-US rogue states in check. At the same time, I’m disturbed by the efforts of the Western governments, especially the United States, trying to restrict, or at least rein in, democratic powers, civil liberties and curtail freedom gradually through a series of thinly-veiled legislative restrictions and means in the name of security and peace.
In a nutshell, freedom is in danger of being extinguished by both sides, using the force of a powerful faith or government over the liberty of the masses.
Take note of the recent summit of the Organization of Islamic States, highlighting their not-so-secret desire to eliminate freedom from the world by using the excuse of “Islamophobia” and their infantile-minded ignorance of what cartoons or free commentaries are all about. These people, these Islamists, these damn totalitarians in the West, have no grasp on what humor or satire is all about: the ability to poke fun or to criticize/dissent/comment at people or group who are being too serious or too rigid about something. The OIC’s position on freedom of expression is really disturbing me and so does the International Humanist and Ethical Union.
Then I realized I have something going last year, in my own thinking, of how certain peoples in very high places from both sides are viewing freedom as the biggest threat to their attempts to re-order the world to their likings. They perceived their powers from the world’s largest faiths and in the number of supporting political, financial and non-government institutions or groups aligning with them, assuming that they have the right to restrict or eliminate freedom as they see fit. Here’s one problem:
They are not “gods”, they’re all human beings, too. Absolute powers have corrupted them and their way of thinking.
Hence, this is my Five Principles to protect and reinforce Free Speech, for which I believe that the very essences of free speech, freedom of expression and the liberty for all are being threatened, with intimidation, subjugation and oppression, by the force of a powerful faith or government, whether in consensus of a bloc or a leadership, seeking to overpower and restrict the universal right to criticize, to dissent or disagree, or to satirize, beside to opine or to comment.
1 – No human being, man, woman or children, on Earth is immune from free speech or is above criticism, dissent or satire. Not one.
2 – No government*, of all kinds, is immune from free speech or is above criticism, dissent or satire.
3 – No religion, of all faiths*, is immune from free speech or is above criticism, dissent or satire.
4 – No corporation, institution, media or group*, of all kinds and sizes, is immune from free speech or is above criticism, dissent or satire.
5 – No law, religious decree, dogma or standard is immune from free speech nor such a law or decree shall be made to legislate, outlaw or control free speech, criticism, dissent or satire.
Governments, businesses, religions, laws and so on are all the byproducts of humanity, not God. Mankind is fallible and susceptible to the worst aspects of human nature, which some seek to dominate and control the free movements, thoughts, words, expressions and sentiments of human beings who stand and live equally on Earth before the Divine Providence. Respect is earned, not forced or imposed upon peoples.
To paraphrase Thomas Jefferson: for I have sworn upon the altar of the Divine Providence, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the minds, the hearts and the spirits of the free people!
Freedom and free speech forever! 
UPDATE 3.16.2008: Wow, talk about sheer coincidence, the King of Saudi Arabia was thinking the same thing as mine! I admit that I’m little shocked by this proclamation by the Saudi king (note the date was reported after my blog on the Five Principles). Did the King of Saudi Arabia read mine, hmm? However, he was only stressing freedom’s limited parameters in the kingdom of the Saud, which there’s no real free and independent press, no freedom of worship and practice of other religions in public communities, and no freedom for minorities and the citizens so as long as the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice thugs are enforcing sharia laws around the kingdom.
The great thing about the United States of America is that we have no such thing as these sharia-enforcing thugs or force people to practice and promote only one religion.
* – That included all current or future governments, all political parties, one-party system or one-person leadership hierarchical system (read: monarchy, political and/or religious – whether absolute or benign).
* – That included all organized faiths, large to small, representing certain philosophies, ideologies associated with the divine and the spiritual matters and anything to do with promoting or proselytizing issues of these faiths.
* – That included all corporations, large to small, media networks, news publishing companies, educational institutions, non-government organizations, non-profit groups, social groups, political groups, anything that is organized by interested peoples for interested or specific agendas.
