TikTok Users Draw Outrage by Sharing Osama bin Laden’s Antisemitic Letter, Prompting 9/11 Families and White House to Demand Action
TikTok, the popular social media platform, faces criticism and backlash as young users sympathize with Osama bin Laden’s notorious Letter to America and promote its contents. This has sparked outrage among scores of 9/11 families, who find it appalling that younger generations are showing support for the terrorist leader responsible for the devastating attacks on September 11, 2001.
Representing over 10,000 relatives of the victims, survivors, and those affected by the attacks, the group known as 9/11 Families United issues a statement expressing their dismay. Terry Strada, the national chair of the organization, condemns the sharing of bin Laden’s letter and urges young Americans to seek reliable sources to educate themselves instead of forming misguided opinions based on TikTok videos.
The group emphasizes that no American should forget that bin Laden was a terrorist who orchestrated the murder of nearly 3,000 innocent individuals. The chairwoman highlights bin Laden’s goal to impose the extremist Wahhabi version of Islam and calls on TikTok to stop allowing its platform to be used for promoting terrorist propaganda.
The White House also joins in denouncing the sharing of the letter, deeming it an insult to the victims of the 9/11 terror attacks. The spokesperson emphasizes that there is no justification for spreading bin Laden’s antisemitic and repugnant lies. Furthermore, they express concern over the association of such views with rising antisemitic violence and extremism worldwide.
The controversy stems from the viral spread of bin Laden’s letter online, primarily among Generation Z users who cite it as a factor in shaping their worldviews, particularly in light of recent conflicts involving Hamas and Israel. The letter claims that the attacks on the World Trade Center were retaliation for US actions in Palestine. It also contains antisemitic content, asserting Jewish control over policies, media, and the economy in the US.
The Guardian, which had originally published the full text of the letter in 2002, takes it down from their website due to its widespread sharing on social media without proper context. Meanwhile, TikTok acknowledges that content promoting the letter violates their rules against supporting terrorism and states that they are actively removing such content and investigating its presence on their platform.
The article also highlights another pressing issue on TikTok: the rise of antisemitism. Jewish celebrities and influencers on the platform report receiving disturbing messages promoting hatred and invoking references to Adolf Hitler and Anne Frank. Sacha Baron Cohen, a famous actor, accuses TikTok of fostering the largest antisemitic movement since the Nazis and urges the platform’s executives to take immediate action to address the issue.
In conclusion, the sharing of Osama bin Laden’s antisemitic letter on TikTok has sparked outrage and demands for action from 9/11 families and the White House. TikTok faces scrutiny for allowing the dissemination of terrorist propaganda and for failing to address the rising tide of antisemitism on its platform. As the debate continues, the need for education, responsible content moderation, and the fight against hatred and extremism remains crucial.
