The US Marine that was hauled off to a psychiatric ward last week over his Facebook posts has been transferred to a facility hundreds of miles away from his friends and family, all for what his attorneys call exercising his First Amendment right.
The Richmond, VA home of Brandon J. Raub, 26, was stormed by agents with the FBI, Secret Service and local law enforcement officers last Thursday after authorities became concerned with postings made by the retired Marine on his personal Facebook page that critiqued the federal government and challenged their explanations of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Raub was initially admitted to the John Randolph Medical Center in nearby Hopewell without being charged, but this week it is being reported that the man has been moved to Veterans Hospital in Salem, roughly 300 miles away.
The Rutherford Institute, Raub’s attorneys, filed an emergency motion to reject the transfer to the facility more than three hours away from his family, friends and legal team, but their request was denied. Under Virginia law, police are allowed to subject citizens to emergency, temporary psychiatric commitments if a mental health professional advises as such.
One week after Raub was first detained, little about his mental health has been revealed. His attorneys say the real focus, though, should be into why a federal investigation targeted their client over mere Facebook posts.
“This is not how justice in America is supposed to work — with Americans being arrested for doing nothing more than exercising their First Amendment rights, forced to undergo psychological evaluations, detained against their will and isolated from their family, friends and attorneys. This is a scary new chapter in our history,” Rutherford Institute President John W. Whitehead says in a statement released on Tuesday this week. “Brandon Raub is no different from the majority of Americans who use their private Facebook pages to post a variety of content, ranging from song lyrics and political hyperbole to trash talking their neighbors, friends and government leaders.”
In the days before Raub was detained, the marine used his Facebook profile as an outlet for messages such as,“The Revolution will come for me. Men will be at my door soon to pick me up to lead it” and “Sharpen up my axe; I'm here to sever heads.” In other posts published back to back on August 14, Raub links to a photo of the US Defense Department’s headquarters at the Pentagon, “right after our leaders shot a missle [sic] into it,” as he claims, and then a video he says shows “firefighters talking about the explosive charges placed within the twin towers.”
Raub's mother, Cathleen Thomas, tells the Associated Press that she believes the government overstepped its bound and, "The bottom line is his freedom of speech has been violated."
Raubs mom is completely correct the government ovestepped its boundaries. I think that the whole situation is ridiculous and unfair. He has the right to say what he believes in. I personally think that there trying to make an example of him talking about 9/11 like that.
ReplyDeleteHe has the right to post whatever he wants on his facebook. According to the constitution we as people have the right to say whatever we want.
DeleteHe has the right to say what he wants and the fact that he is being detained from his family because they are trying to make an example of him is insane. He has a right to his opinion and there was no need to do this.
ReplyDeleteEveryone has a right to critque the government and that is what makes America the greatest country in the world. He can post whatever he wants on facebook and as long as he isn't hurting anyone or threatening anyone, he has the right to say whatever he wants.
ReplyDeleteRaub never said anything to reveal government secrets and only criticized the government. It is especially unfair that while he is being unrightfully detained, he has been separated from his family.
ReplyDeleteThis is a complete violation of the first ammendment and i don't think that Raub has the right to be detained. I agree with Whitehead when he said "This is a scary new chapter in our history." because this country was founded on the fact that the people could be free to speak out against the government and if this is being thrown away now I think that things could get scary very quickly.
ReplyDeleteRaub has the right to say and write what he wants regardless of how controversial it is. The government had no right to detain Raub, let alone move him to a facility so far from his home and family. The government only created more conflict and controversy in detaining Raub than if they hadn't done anything about the controversial posts.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand what the big deal is. What he said in the article was not overly threaening or something to be concerned about. The government needs to stop assuming, and they also need to back off of people's rights. People post stupid stuff over Facebook, but only a miniscule percentage of people are actually threats to the United States. This should not have turned into what it did.
ReplyDelete-Maclain Edwards
Personally, I think this is ridiculous for the government to do. Raub has the right to criticize the government or anything for that matter just like everyone else. Now it may have been different had Raub revealed government secrets, but all he did was simply criticize the government for how they handled questions about 9/11. I believe that the government is overstepping their boundaries by violating the 1st amendment and it is simply not right.
ReplyDeleteThis is a ridiculous action by the government. Raub is just expressing his mind like a good number of Americans, but he is singled out among the masses and punished for his words. Granted, first amendment rights to stop somewhere, as in the case of yelling "fire" in a crowded room. However, here, I think he was within his rights. He doesn't target any government officials personally and isn't very specific in his threats. He seems to just be posting dumb things on Facebook. The government is in the wrong in this case, even though this guy sounds like an idiot.
ReplyDeleteThe government has really messed up this time. Raub has the right to say what he wants due to the first amendment of the United States constitution. Does the government honestly think that a retired US Marine has something to do with the September 1, 2001 terrorist attack? The US government is punishing their own supporters and their protectors.
ReplyDeleteThis is a huge violation of our rights. Raub has a rright to say what he wants. He is not threatening government officials, or anyone else. The government is taking this way too far and overstepping their boundaries. I don't understand why they think that a retired marine had something to do with 9/11. We have rights as an American and the fact Raub is being transfered 300 miles away from his family is terrible.
ReplyDeleteThis man is a Marine, he has the right to say anything he wants about 9/11. He served our country, and this is how they are treating him. People can post whatever they want to Facebook, because that is our right. Nowhere did he directly threaten national security. Where do they get the power to throw this man in a mental institution against his will?
ReplyDeleteThis is a complete violation of his right. He risked his life to fight for our country and that is how they repay him? People should be able to post what ever they want on Facebook with out fearing that they are going to be arrested.
ReplyDelete-Kayla Quinn
This is an awful occurrence. Those officers had no right to monitor his personal account. He has the right to post his beliefs, no matter what they are, and they took this right away from him. I feel that this should be broadcasted more so that people know what theses people are doing.
ReplyDelete--Nicole Kvist
The man is expressing his state of mind on facebook and should not have been sent to a mental institution. He served his years in the military and should not be punished for stating what was on his mind. Everyday millions of people post what they say in their heads, so why only he gets punished?
ReplyDelete-Alyssa Armada
I certainly understand the predicament. The events that occured on 9/11 are most certainly a sensitive and debated issue. However, despite the sensitivity of the topic, the right of free speech can not be denied. If the man had not served in the military, it would not be a big deal. A response such as this one makes the American government more resemble a totalitarian dictatorsip. Opinion is opinion and should remain just that.
ReplyDeleteThe detainment of this marine is a bit extream though you do sign away most of your rights one being freedom of speech when you join the military.Personally id like to see the Facebook posts as i doubt that they qualify for detainment in a mental health facility. There was a similar incident where a marine was dishonerably discharged for posts on Facebook about Obamma.
ReplyDeleteThe government had no right to do what they did to Raub. He is a Marine and , in my eyes, he has deserved the right to say what he wants about the 9/11 attacks. Millions post their ideas about this topic everyday and do not get punished so why should this man? He gave many years of his life to this country and this is how they repay him? It is not fair.
ReplyDelete-Popo
I believe this man does not deserve to be detained. As morally incorrect as his actions were in this situation, he has freedom of speech. The real problem here is that he spoke out against the government. Until he becomes a serious threat to our country, he should be allowed to speak his mind.
ReplyDelete--Joe Morris
I believe that the government went serverely overboard with their actions. The fact that they detained and x-marine just for stating his mind over facebook, even with it being about the attacks on 9/11, is ridiculous. It is stated in the first amendment, we have the right to speak our mine whether others think it is correct or not, or its on a social media sight or in person. The article put a little to much emphasis on the distance of the distance of the rehab facility, but regardless it is completely unacceptable of the government on their action.
ReplyDeleteThis is ridiculous. The man has the right to say what ever he wants expeshaly since he was a marine and fought for our country. He deserves to be treated like everyone else if not better. The fact that they took him from his home and moved him 300 miles away from his family is infuriating. After spending all that time away from his family that is the last thing they should have done.
ReplyDelete-Alex colter
Derrick McLean- I think this ok because the FBI has a right to keep everyone to keep everyone safe and protect people . An x marine also has to abided by the marine code of conduct if not I feel the FBI has the right to do what they did. He also would not be the only person who got arrested had to go far away from his family so he should just deal with it.
ReplyDeleteOf all of the facebook posts I have read the posts of this ex-Marine are not all that extraordinary. I object to his arrest simply because it appears that it has more to do with the fact that he is an ex-government officer than to do with the content of the posts.
ReplyDeleteI think that this is wrong on many levels. Although Facebook is public it is still a place to state your opinion. That is no excuse to come and arrest a man for stating his opinion. In this case this mans freedom of speech was taken away for him when he was arrested for his opinion.
ReplyDeleteI think that this is so wrong because the government decided to abuse their power, to put a man in a mental hosptial for being opinionated. I also find this ironic becauses the government usaully has an opinion about most of the things going on today in our society, so putting this man in a mental hospital was a hypocritical move. The government must think that whatever they say must not be questioned but yet we have the right to freedom of speech. So I can hypothetically tweet that I want to set fire to the flag and not be forced into a crazy home!
ReplyDeleteI think that the government is taking this too far. He has every right to say whatever he wants on facebook, as long as he is not threatening anyone. The government is offended and is over using their power, which they have no right to do.
ReplyDeleteThis man's rights are being violated and he should get in no trouble for this. You can say whatever you want on social media. If you can criticize the president on facebook you should be able to say whatever you want.
ReplyDeleteThis is terrible. Rub has the freedom to do and post whatever he wants on Facebook, especially on his personall page. It's not like he was harming or threatening anyone, he Was just expressing his own personal opinion. The government took things way too far and for them to transfer him 300 miles away from his family is not right by any means.
ReplyDelete