Today, a Virginia judge ordered the release of Brandon J. Raub, the 26-year-old former Marine who was detained for psychiatric evaluation last week based on his conspiracy-minded, anti-government Facebook posts. Following a one-hour hearing, Prince George County Circuit Judge W. Allan Sharrett declared that the petition seeking to commit Raub for a month “is so devoid of any factual allegations that it could not be reasonably expected to give rise to a case or controversy.” As Nick Gillespie noted yesterday, local police and federal agents came and took Raub away last Thursday in response to complaints about his Facebook posts, which mix laments about lost liberty and condemnations of tyranny with dark music lyrics, quotations from famous people (e.g., Napoleon: “Death is nothing, but to live defeated and inglorious is to die daily”), predictions of impending revolution (e.g., “the revolution is upon us,” “a new beginning is coming”), and loony but sadly familiar allegations about the government’s involvement in 9/11, along with less familiar (to me, anyway) claims about clandestine chemical drops and “a secret Castle in Colorado where they have been raping and sacrificing children for many years.” The scariest statement cited so far: “Sharpen up my axe; I’m here to sever heads.” Not rainbows and unicorns by any means, but not exactly a true threat either.
The Rutherford Institute, a civil liberties group based in Charlottesville, Virginia, helped Raub win his freedom. Its executive director, John Whitehead, comments:
This is a great victory for the First Amendment and the rule of law. Brandon Raub was arrested with no warning, targeted for doing nothing more than speaking out against the government, detained against his will, and isolated from his family, friends and attorneys. These are the kinds of things that take place in totalitarian societies. Today, at least, Judge Allan Sharrett proved that justice can still prevail in America.
Read more at Reason. By Jacob Sullum.
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Thay did this to scare are soilders and make them think they can put them in a nut house if they say anything aginest Ovmit and his crooks this is called a exsample to scare people He is useing everthing he can think of to go after are soliders We all need to come together and stand strong dont let them buly us and scare us wake up people
I'm the last one to say something like this normally, but honestly, if someone in my neighborhood said something like “Sharpen up my axe; I’m here to sever heads,” I would sleep with a gun under my pillow. Someone needs to teach Mr. Raub how to use his Free Speech responsibly.
And it's people like you who will help the tyranny to grow.
If someone in MY neighborhood made the same statement, I would grab my gun and say I'VE GOT YOUR BACK!
Mr. Raub DID use his free speech responsibly and wisely.
Obviously, you need to make a choice. Are you for government control thats slowly creeping in or are you for freedom and liberty?
You tell it like it is, Seeks! Idiots who can’t make up their minds as to which side of the fence they’re on should make the choice, or shut up. Riding the fence isn’t going to help. If his “axe” isn’t directed at you, what is your problem there, webmaster? Or, are you one of those who will run for the hills and hide if the crap hits the fan? That won’t help anyone, not even yourself. It is either Freedom and Liberty, or Enslavement to this freak in office, and the Traitors who support him. Because make no mistake, this “give away free stuff” is goingto end, and then the real trouble will start, and those who want America back in her original shape will have to stand their ground and take her back! It isn’t going to get done by sitting on a fence, trying to decide if you want freedom or slavery. This young man may not have said it the way you want to hear it, but he has a right to say how he feels. This does not make him a danger to you, me or anyone else, all it said was that he has no love for the current Disaster in Office, the Disease, the Liar…………and the wanna be Slave Master of All Americans. At least if push comes to shove, he will be on the Right Side of the Fight. And, I said IF push comes to shove, which I do hope it doesn’t, but from the sounds and looks of things, it probably will come to that.
Dis say what you mean and not this political correctness bull.
If webmaster lived in my neighborhood and I seen him getting robbed or beatup I'd sit back and watch.i'll bet Web was never in the service
dear dirtbag he is using his right of free speech who the hell are you to say what he can say.When did you become the political correctness police
There is no "responsible free speech" clause in the 1rst amendment. Unless specific threats to commit a crime are made…for example recent music lyrics that call for "kill the cracker" are widely distributed.. didn't see any "crackdown" on "kill the cracker" … guess that would be politically incorrect for democrats..
Instead the feds go after anti-establishment war heroes that exercise their rights of free speech and protest?
At least Virginia set a precedent.." don't tread on the people's rights".
I WAS A CARREER SOLDIERFOR 25 AND YEARS SERVED AS A CIVILIAN FOR AN OTHER 20 OVER SEAS, I WAS RETIRED, 2002 FEB WITH 45 YEARS OF SERVICE, " I SWORE AN OBBLIGATION TO MY NATION, WHEN RELEASED FORM THE U S ARMY, THEY NEVER TOLD ME I WAS RELESED FROM MY OBLIGATION: TO DEFEND AND PROTECT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FROM ALL ENEMIES FORIGEN AND DOMESTIC, AND SO DID EVERY CIVIL SERVENT AND FIREMAN AND POLICEMAN AND ALL POLITICIANS ELECTED TO OFFICE. IF ANY OF THIS SWOREN PEOPLE FAILS TO HONOR THEIR OBLIGATION, THY ARE MY ENEMY AND WILL BE TREATED AS SUCH.
Gilberto G…..Thank you for your service. This tells me that true colors never run. God Bless you and your.