World Affairs Brief, May 24, 2013 Commentary and Insights on a Troubled World. Copyright Joel Skousen. Partial quotations with attribution permitted. Cite source as Joel Skousen’s World Affairs Brief (http://www.worldaffairsbrief.com)

This Week’s Analysis:

Obama Claims to Narrow the Fight Against Terror

Plans to Create a National Police Force

Russia Wants More out of Next Disarmament Treaty

Military Intervention in Syria Getting Closer

Update: Boston Marathon Case

British Murder of Soldier Real Terrorism

Boy Scouts Vote on Gays in their Ranks

Adam Kokesh Arrested, Charged by Feds 

Christians who are Reluctant to Bear Arms

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ADAM KOKESH ARRESTED AND CHARGED BY FEDS

Adam Kokesh, the tough talking former Marine Corporal, who says he is going to organize an armed but peaceful march on Washington DC where guns are banned, got arrested this week after leading a marijuana protest at a federal park in Philadelphia, PA.

Kokesh was looking for trouble and he got it in spades. There was a dramatic countdown on a bullhorn announcing the moment some of the protestors would light up a joint. Kokesh did not and yet he was still arrested. Go figure.

The federal park police arrested Kokesh and charged him falsely with resisting arrest and assaulting a federal officer, which was totally untrue according to dozens of witnesses. I’m sure they’ve got a corrupt judge in Philly who will keep the defense from making the most of this. In addition, Kokesh was denied a phone call in order to communicate with his lawyer—something accorded all common criminals.

In my opinion, Kokesh is too unprepared to enter this world of civil disobedience. If you are intending to get yourself arrested, you want to make sure you are wired for sound, broadcasting everything the police yell at you, to others who can record it. That way when they search you and destroy your microphone, you’ve still got the goods on them.

Second, Kokesh should have made sure there were cameras filming every second of the agent’s approach to prove the assault charge false. At the rally, there were numerous cameras filming around the periphery, but they could not see the initial contact. Kokesh was seen being hauled away peaceably with arms outstretched—not resisting, but trying to keep his balance. Unwisely, he kept calling the police criminals on his microphone—which he shouldn’t have done even if true. It’s important to maintain the image as victim, not provocateur.

To make the maximum impact with the public about federal injustice, one needs to be more careful in what you say and how your record the event. The proper thing to do is simply announce your intentions to comply and tell the audience or recording device what is happening and what the police are doing to you—so your mic can pick it up. That’s good evidence later in court.

This incident makes me wonder about Kokesh’s suitability to lead. He chooses causes and venues that have little chance of gaining public support and doesn’t have the finesse to gain public sympathy. His rights have been violated so we need to support his exoneration, but I would stay away from any movement he sponsors.