Common Sense
These are the times that tries men's servers.
No Crown Prince of IRC!
All users are created equal, so that no one by birth has a right to set up his own imperial family above all others on the network. Even if his ancestors are royalty, the title of crown prince does not belong on IRC. Admins who look upon themselves as born to reign, and others to obey, soon grow arrogant.
No Corporate Takeovers!
It is quite absurd to suppose the free and open source community needs to be governed by Silicon Valley. Common sense tells us that the power which tries to subdue us is not proper to defend us.
This protocol has been the refuge for all groups from every part of the Internet. Here we have fled, not from the tender embrace of the mother, but from the cruelty of the monster; and yet that same tyranny which first drove us to IRC pursues us to this day still.
Freedom of Religion
It is the duty of networks to secure freedom and property to all men, and above all things, the free exercise of religion.
Where is the crown prince of IRC? I'll tell you friend, He reigns above, and He does not make havoc of mankind like Silicon Valley.
We Govern Ourselves!
We code not to enslave, but to set a network free, and to make room upon the Internet for honest users to chat in.
It is not for a few chat messages or data records we code for, but a cause that we are defending.
Everything that is right or natural pleads for separation. The cries of the banned, the petitions of the silenced cries out, 'TIS TIME TO PART!