The Strange Case of Brandon Raub

On August 16, 2012 it became 1984 for Brandon Raub, a former Marine who served his country in Iraq and Afghanistan, when enough officers to carry out a raid showed up at his home to arrest ONE man. Excuse me, involuntarily detain ONE man.  According to officials, this ONE man was “detained” for Facebook posts. That’s right, Facebook posts.

This group of local police and FBI agents showed up at Raub’s door, without a warrant, insisting on searching his home because of some complaints about his Facebook posts. Unafraid to assert his constitutional rights, Raub refused.

The story first broke and state officials insisted that he was not arrested but detained involuntarily for psychiatric evaluation.  Now I am not formally trained in law enforcement but this video, which shows Raub being cuffed and driven away in a police car, sure looks like an arrest to me.

As far as I can see, being involuntarily detained for a psychiatric evaluation looks an awful lot like an arrest. The major difference being that Raub was not “Mirandized” and given the opportunity to have a lawyer present at his initial evaluation.

While the video does not show the entire event, the only hostility witnessed in this video was exhibited by the officers present where they threaten onlookers “If you stay where you are, we won’t have a problem.” In the video, Raub walks compliantly to the police car where he is then seen on the ground. When he stands, he is handcuffed  and is heard asking the officers if he can put some clothes on (he was shirtless and shoeless at the time) and is told they will get him clothes. Those videoing the arrest were told belligerently to “Back up! Back up!” Another officer then enters the picture stating “You gotta stay back. If you stay right there we won’t have a problem.” The officers then insist they are protecting the onlookers. Protecting them from what or who exactly? The guy on the ground surrounded by cops and being cuffed? I don’t think so.

And all of this over someone complaining over Facebook posts?!?! This should scare everyone. What in the world could someone say on Facebook to cause such a storm? Well, as it turns out Raub was critical of the government and reposted some song lyrics that, evidently, ruffled some feathers. That, and there was a private online card game cited as a problem as well. As Business Insider reported “Whitehead said that the posts cited as ‘terrorist in nature’ were part of a private Facebook game called Illuminati that Brandon was playing with his brother and sister, which the government spied on.” J. Whitehead is Brandon’s attorney.

I just finished playing “Go Fish” with my 4 year old, and I don’t have a fishing license. Does that make me a criminal?

And speaking of being “terrorist in nature,” since when did the government actually start using the word terrorist again?  As it stands, there is one Ft. Hood shooter who is awaiting trial for an ACTUAL terrorist act that the government INSISTS on calling “workplace violence.”   Why is the government so willing to label an innocent man’s words as “terrorist in nature” but not willing to call an actual terrorist a terrorist? But looking on the bright side, if the government succeeds in labeling Raub a terrorist maybe then his friends can run for President since it seems to be en vogue to have terrorist friends.

This strange event also begs the question, if this “detainment” was made under state laws then why the FBI agents?

If you are outraged by theses events then you are in good company.  This is what happens when citizens let government go unchecked.

Yesterday Circuit Court Judge Allan Sharrett ruled that the government’s petition “is so devoid of any factual allegations that it could not be reasonably expected to give rise to a case or controversy” and declared the District Court’s order void while simultaneously restoring some sense of sanity to our court system.

But don’t put on your slippers and get comfortable yet.  As Jason Howerton, writing for The Blaze, reminds us, The Department of Homeland Security already lists those who are “reverent of individual liberty” as potential “right-wing terrorists.”

And speaking of The Blaze, when Beck was speaking of the case on the air he questioned this event being a “shark bump,” referring to the practice of sharks bumping potential prey to test their response. Many have also referred to this on RTP’s Facebook page as a trial balloon. Well, we believe those in power have their answer. We are not some fear-ridden prey waiting to be attacked. We ARE paying attention. And we will fight back.

For all articles and news related to this story, go to http://Rutherford.org.

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