Veteran detained for anti-government Facebook posts

[Flesh Thorn]

A former Marine involuntarily detained for psychiatric evaluation for posting strident anti-government messages on Facebook has received an outpouring of support from people who say authorities are trampling on his First Amendment rights.
Brandon J. Raub, 26, has been in custody since FBI, Secret Service agents and police in Virginia's Chesterfield County questioned him Thursday evening about what they said were ominous posts talking about a coming revolution. In one message earlier this month according to authorities, Raub wrote: "Sharpen my axe; I'm here to sever heads."
Police -- acting under a state law that allows emergency, temporary psychiatric commitments upon the recommendation of a mental health professional -- took Raub to the John Randolph Medical Center in Hopewell. He was not charged with any crime.


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/08/20/ou ... z24BFd5Rsy

[IEDmagnet]

We're discussing this up the street, my opinion is he is getting what he deserves.

[Worldweaver]

Yes, people should be held accountable for the shit that comes out of their mouths...or their computers. One of my major "pet peeves", at this point, is the impunity with which people spew shit from their Facebook pages and use it as a platform for subversive rhetoric under the guise of free speech. If threats are made, or a person is clearly unstable, then it seems that this is the appropriate response, IMHO.

RLTW

[RangerX]

"The 1st amendment doesn't say I have to listen to bullshit. Just 'cause farting's legal don't mean I gotta shove my nose in your asshole."

I think the slippery slope is the bold text highlighted in the first post. Just sayin'. If you dig around on some of the threads here, a lot of folks might warrant "psychiatric evaluation".

[IEDmagnet]

Agreed RangerX, but the base of my argument is his speech was made while on active duty...posting pictures of himself in partial uniform.

You're right about the slippery slope of unwarranted incarceration, but we all know that while in the military you can have an opinion...but you can't go around spouting it in a manner that will reflect poorly on the Armed Forces.

[RangerX]

Agreed RangerX, but the base of my argument is his speech was made while on active duty...posting pictures of himself in partial uniform.

You're right about the slippery slope of unwarranted incarceration, but we all know that while in the military you can have an opinion...but you can't go around spouting it in a manner that will reflect poorly on the Armed Forces.

OK, the article linked says former, so is there another where it states he made some of these posts while still on AD?

The axe statement is tame compared to the lyrics of a lot of music popular today.

[Flesh Thorn]

Yep, being detained without being charged with breaking any law is getting just what he deserves for being on Facebook to start with. :D Seriously, being "imprisoned" without even being charged with a crime over some Facebook comment because some doctor thinks it is a good idea is what bothers me.

[Worldweaver]

Going to the back rooms on forums or talking with your friends over a beer is one thing. Getting on Fagbook, when you're friends with your niece who is playing Polly's petting Zoo, and spouting off at the suck is totally different.

Maybe I'm just tired of all the bullshit I see posted on there...or I'm trying to compensate because I'm on Facebook

RLTW

[RangerX]

You will never find me defending Facebook, or its denizens. And I reserve the right to mercilessly mock anyone here who is on Facebook as well.

So here is a scenario for you....

Someone is pissed at you, say that angry barmaid whose posterior you gave a spontaneous probing the other night. As usual, at the bar you were talking trash about how this country is going to hell in a handbasket. Well she decides to call the state on you, and she has witnesses from the bar to corroborate her story about your "anti-American" views. All this is compounded by the fact that you are a veteran.

Now here's the thing. You get "detained" but not arrested, and go through all the psych eval rigamarole (all voluntarily because of course you couldn't possibly be angry about any of this). finally you get released.

Months pass, and you decide to buy a new pea shooter. On form 4473, how exactly should you answer question 11-f?

[centermass]

First off, he's being "Detained" not arrested. Almost every state has the same law on its books.

As for Whitehead dumbing it down, he's with the ACLU. His mother's stance of "Gee, I have a fine son....his rights are being violated......either one is a surprise?

How many officers have been killed by those not in full control of their mental faculties?

How many officers have have had to use deadly force against the same? And then, AFTER the fact, people come forward who had prior knowledge and indications something like this would happen based on the actions of that person and said nothing or did nothing?

Exercising Free Speech is one thing. Yelling fire in a crowded theater when there is no fire for the sake of a reaction, is another.

What would or might have happened had if he carried out any kind of violence after this was brought to the attention of authorities?

As for the handcuffs, didn't really matter whether he resisted or not, they would have gone on regardless for his own protection as well as the safety of the officers who carried out the commitment.

There are those in a far better position to judge whether or not this veteran has issues and may or may not be a threat to himself or others, instead of the ACLU, his mother, the MSM or any of us.

[IEDmagnet]

[quote="RangerX"][quote="IEDmagnet"]Agreed RangerX, but the base of my argument is his speech was made while on active duty...posting pictures of himself in partial uniform.

You're right about the slippery slope of unwarranted incarceration, but we all know that while in the military you can have an opinion...but you can't go around spouting it in a manner that will reflect poorly on the Armed Forces.[/quote]

OK, the article linked says former, so is there another where it states he made some of these posts while still on AD?

The axe statement is tame compared to the lyrics of a lot of music popular today.[/quote]

I believe so. Let me do some digging to make sure I'm not off base, but I believe these statements were made on active duty.

[IEDmagnet]

I was wrong, he served from 2005-2011 as a Combat Engineer. His Facebook profile picture was him downrange somewhere in MARPAT pants holding a shotgun. Mind may have just interpreted as needed.

But...I will say that SC allows for a 72 hour mental health evaluation, and those people are held against there will. They can be ordered by a Probate Judge, or in extreme situations we can EPC (Emergency Protective Custody) an adult if they pose a threat to themselves. It will be interesting to see what facts come out on this.

[RangerX]

To back up a bit, I agree that it is perfectly acceptable to detain someone for evaluation if they display psychologically erratic behavior. I would think that if you genuinely need help, you would be the least likely to realize it.

there's just elements of this that disturb me...obviously.

[IEDmagnet]

Agreed, I think this will be interesting as it unfolds. Hopefully some better information for cause comes out.

[Steadfast]

If he files for a claim in the VA he can use this as part of his on going evidence.