Free Speech At Risk!

While we were distracted by our losing battle with our domestic enemies, our international enemies were regrouping beneath the horizon for their next attack. They met in Madrid. in mid July to plot & plan. I quote from their official statement. I have added emphasis to make the critical phrases stand out.

To work on urging governmental and non-governmental organizations to issue a document that stipulates respect for religions and their symbols, the prohibition of their denigration and the repudiation of those who commit such acts.

That is the product of an Interfaith Dialogue Conference between King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and high level Christian & Jewish leaders.

tomorrow, November 12, 2008, President Bush and other world leaders are scheduled to meet at the UN Interfaith Dialogue in New York. What are they going to discuss, what are they going to do except further advance the abrogation of our right to free expression.

In October, the powers behind Durban II convened to excrete the preliminary draft of the Durban II final report to be voted upon next April. I present two quotes from that long & redundant screed.

Condemns human rights violations, irrespective of their origin, and is not against "reasonable and fair criticism." However, recent events have once again highlighted the need to demarcate the legal contours between freedom of expression and hate speech. OHCHR's proposed Expert Consultations on the permissible limits to freedom of expression, by taking into account the mandatory prohibition of advocacy of religious hatred, should reach some conclusions and recommendations coming out from the consultations should be worthy of including in the Review Conference documents

National laws alone cannot deal with the rising tide of defamation and hatred against Muslims, especially if such trends are spreading to the grass root communities. A framework is needed to analyze national laws and understand their provisions. This could then be compiled in a single "universal document" as guidelines for legislation – aimed at countering "defamation of religions".

If we can not speak out against evil when we see it; if political & ideological movements inimical to life & liberty are shielded by law from factual criticism, then we have no more freedom. As George Washington warned us.

“If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.”

The details, including links to the sources I used, are in the following blog posts at Freedom Ain't Free.

• U.N. Interfaith Dialogue Conference*
• Durban II: Egregious Arrogance Part 1
• Durban II: Egregious Arrogance Part 2
• Durban II: Egregious Arrogance Part 3
• Durban II: Egregious Arrogance Part 4
• Durban II: Egregious Arrogance Part 5
• Durban II: Egregious Arrogance Part 6*
• Durban II: Egregious Arrogance Part 7

* These posts have been viewed by:

1. U.N. HQ. New York
2. U.N. HQ. Geneva
3. Ministry of Information, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Your Constitutional liberty is in grave danger. What will you do about it?