Brandon J. Raub: A Warning For Others

Are they sending a message to others?

 Marine Corps veteran was detained by Secret Service, the FBI and local Virginia police for posting anti-government language on Facebook. There is a state law in Virginia that allows people to be detained when recommended by a mental health professional. I would say that Virginia, Secret Service and the FBI are trampling his first amendment rights of free speech. The deeper question is whether the government is sending a message to anybody speaking their mind about our government.

Interview with Brandon Raub: from the Psych ward

 A local civil liberties group in Virginia called the The Rutherford Institute dispatched a lawyer to defend Brandon. Every American should be sending him support and condemning the actions or our government in trampling Raub’s Constitutional rights. When government starts to decide about what speech is allowed because dislike the language, we are all in trouble. Questioning are government is not only our right but our duty, the government shouldn’t get to decide how are free speech is exercised. There are limits of course to free speech but usually they are about causing direct harm or threatening someone directly. If these types of anti-government speech got us all detained the federal and state government would need many for hospitals.

 What are the afraid of?

Jefferson wrote “Dissent is the highest form of Patriotism.” The founders didn’t want mindless sheep to be rounded up and told what to do. The federal government surely takes a different view of those who oppose their power and control of this country. From the unconstitutional Patriot Act, to the National Defense Authorization Act and States deciding whom to detain for mental evaluation for exercising free speech.

 Raub’s mother, Cathleen Thomas, said by telephone that the government had overstepped its bounds. “The bottom line is his freedom of speech has been violated,” she said. There will be some that will speak of security over the rights of Raub expressing his dissatisfaction with our government. We have lost much liberty in the cause of security, we have sacrificed it daily and only a few have spoken about the injustice done to liberty. Will Raub be the first of many who have become disenchanted with our government? The founders in their wisdom gave us the right to change government, right in the Declaration of Independence.

“That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.”

 I stand with Brandon J. Raub, side by side and shoulder to shoulder to protect our freedom and liberty from a government that no longer cares about them. Sharpen your ax, sharpen your aim and be prepared for tyranny to come knocking when you are calling for change.

Tea Party Infidel