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Raub Brandon: Former Marine Held by FBI for Patriotic Facebook Entries
Former Marine Raub Brandon is being held by the Chesterfield County Police after the FBI and Secret Service last night (8/15/12) investigated the former Marine for his patriotic Facebook Posts according to this radio interview. According to the interview given by Kathleen Thomas, Brandon is being held in a mental facility. Mother Jones magazine: Did Congress Just Endorse Rendition For Americans?
          
   Raub Brandon   
Former Marine Raub Brandon's Facebook page

Why was Raub Brandon Arrested? (Video)
August 17, 2012 06:50 PM EDT
LINK

Marine Raub Brandon of Richmond, VA, was taken by FBI and Secret Service and nobody knows why. Syndicated talk show host Josh Tolley conducted an interview with Brandon's distraught mother, Kathleen Thomas. She confirms that Brandon was questioned about his "terroristic" Facebook posts before he was hauled away.

Brandon's mother provided Tolley with details about Brandon's "patriotic" Facebook posts may have put the Marine (not on active duty, but has served in Iraq and Afghanistan) on the government radar. So what makes a Facebook post concerning enough to justify arrest? If one was calling for the bombing of white babies, for example, is that not as horrific as these posts?

Ms. Thomas said that she and her family are "strong patriots that believe in our country." She says that her family is "vocal" about their belief in the Constitution.

Does being "vocal" about displeasure with the government mean that one could justifiably be carted away? Whether one agrees or not with Brandon, the story should be concerning.

Listen to the interview with Brandon's mother here:

Josh Trolley Show

Video of Raub Brandon's handuffing and removal from his home


President Obama Signs Defense Bill Despite "Serious Reservations"
January 02, 2012 10:10 PM EST
LINK

From Hawaii on Saturday, President Obama signed the $662 billion National Defense Authorization Act. The Defense Bill is renewed every year to decide the budget and expenditures for the US Department of Defense. This year, some troubling provisions are included in the bill that have many concerned. The president signed the bill because military funding was due to expire, even though he has "serious reservations."

At issue are several detainee provisions that would "allow the military greater authority to detain and interrogate U.S. citizens and non-citizens and deny them legal rights protected by the Constitution," according to the Washington Post. In essence, if one is a suspected terrorist, whether it is a U.S. citizen and whether it is on U.S. soil, the government can detain the suspect indefinitely, without a trial. Once the controversy was starting to bubble surrounding these provisions, an amendment was introduced that stated that indefinite detention of U.S. citizens without trial was forbidden. However, that amendment was rejected in the Senate by a vote of 38-60.

Additionally, the Defense Bill applies sanctions to Iran to encourage them to abandon their nuclear program, as well as freeze $700 million in aid to Pakistan. Also troubling is that any terrorism suspect can be transferred to any country. There is a very good discussion of this provision at Mother Jones, where relevant sections of the bill are highlighted.

Obama stated that "I want to clarify that my Administration will not authorize the indefinite military detention without trial of American citizens." The disturbing thing is that now, he CAN. He is not saying that detaining American citizens is illegal, he is just saying that he will not do it. He goes on to say that "Indeed, I believe that doing so would break with our most important traditions and values as a Nation." Again, this should not be open for interpretation. This bill is troubling because it opens the door for "exceptions."

From the ACLU to Glenn Beck, everyone seems to have a problem with this bill. Even the President, who said in a statement, "The fact that I support this bill as a whole does not mean I agree with everything in it." Obama goes on to say, "My Administration will interpret section 1021 in a manner that ensures that any detention it authorizes complies with the Constitution, the laws of war, and all other applicable law." How will the next administration "interpret" the bill?

Facebook Terrorism? Ex-Marine arrested, 9-11 conspiracy posts 'terrorist in nature'

 
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