If the guy served in Iraq, and people are running around posting phony evidence and saying that he never served, that's not free speech, that's an outright lie.
We're not saying Kokesh didn't serve, no one is.
The issue began when we learned Kokesh was running as a Republican candidate, and espousing all sorts of consevative ideology; when those of us who have seen him standing with ANSWER, Code Pink, and actively working to undermine troop morale know he is NOT a conservative.
Swiftboat...remember???
Apparently someone did and yes, apparently was "pulled by the poster" which could have happened because they were afraid of getting sued.
Please understand something. I am NOT a Kokesh supporter! I think that Kokesh was the worst mistake that the Campaign for Liberty ever made, because I think that Kokesh is a marginal candidate at best -- and more trouble than he is worth. But Kokesh served so that he (and all of us) have right to free speech, including his right to be anti-war, whether I agree with all (or any) of his views or not.
His right, however, ends at putting our troops in danger or compromising our country's security.
So if what you are saying about Kokesh is true, and you have evidence and grounds for those allegations, then you have nothing to worry about. I am sure that the Campaign for Liberty doesn't want to waste their dollars suing anybody for some allegation that is based in fact, because it would also drag down the other candidates that they have running with considerable success.
On the other hand, if there are those who have been playing dirty -- making unfounded, libelous allegations against Kokesh for which they have no evidence just to make him lose because they don't like his views, that's another story. There is no cover to run for, and public opinion won't help unless you are raising funds for a legal defense.
This isn't "Swiftboat". The Campaign for Liberty doesn't have a fraction of the resources that Teresa Heinz Kerry and the DNC had to bury the Swiftboat story even if they marshaled them all to defend Kokesh -- which I doubt that they would do if the allegations were true and based on solid evidence.
Forgive me, but after seeing the willful slime job that some Freepers have done to Ron Paul over the years -- even on this thread-- my instincts say "prove it" before I jump in to defend you against the Campaign for Liberty's "Cease and Desist" letter.
I always try to be fair, even when it is something that I don't want to hear, because the truth trumps whatever my feelings on an issue might be. But so far I have seen or heard nothing but rhetoric. There's been no, "they accused us this and here's the facts & evidence of why that isn't true" -- just a "Kokesh is a traitor" theme and some suggestion of a mentioned video for which there is no web link. There is nothing on which to take one side or another, other than people's personal feelings about Kokesh --- and that one link that says a lie was spread around about Kokesh, posted by someone who doesn't even like him. So what would you think if you weren't involved? Personally, I've got nothing on which to form an opinion one way or another, other than seeing a history reckless mud-throwing against anyone associated with Ron Paul.