teenager

It's not a surprise that the judge in the case felt pressure to come down hard on Cam, since the local media has been quick to sensationalize the story and demonize a harmless teenager.

Before charges were even formally filed, local newspapers were already posting pictures from Cam's facebook and pointing to "disturbing" posts like "Fuck politics. Fuck Obama. Fuck the government!" and "satanic" imagery (like some image from a metal band's poster.) All of this is free speech that is 100% protected by the 1st Amendment.

But Fox News went so far as to say that Cam's facebook profile had images that they "couldn't show on TV." They and other media outlets frequently and intentionally printed only a small section of the lyrics that Cam was arrested for allegedly writing, and took them out of context to make rap metaphors sound like a real threat.

The media printed:

"(Expletive) a boston bominb wait till u see the (expletive) I do, I’ma be famous"

The actual line is:

"(Expletive) a boston bominb wait till u see the (expletive) I do, I’ma be famous rapping"

Notice something? The context completely changes the meaning of the line. Suddenly something that sounds like a threat of violence is clearly just bragging about how good Cammy Dee is going to be in the rap game. Last we checked, teenage dreams of grandeur were not a crime.

Here's the full text according to techdirt of the lyrics Cam posted that are in question.

Massachusetts Law is pretty clear about what constitutes a "terroristic threat". The statement has to claim that there is a weapon or a bomb, and/or threaten a specific place or location with the intent of causing disruption. Cam comparing his rap aspirations with the amount of media coverage tragedy in Boston got doesn't even come close.

The Methuen Chief of Police even stated: “I do want to make clear he did not make a specific threat against the school or any particular individuals...”

Cam should be released immediately unless the D.A. can produce some additional evidence as to why he is a threat to anyone.

Cam may not be your favorite rapper. You may not like anything he has to say. But what's important here is that we defend our right to speak our mind online without fear of the government coming down on us. Methuen is a small town, but if we get them to drop this case, it would be a big victory for free speech. Make sure you sign the petition, and then use the sharing buttons to spread the word to everyone you know.