January 1, Congressman Demands TikTok Ban Amid Bin Laden Sympathy Surge

Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) argued it’s time to ban TikTok after 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden’s “Letter to the American People” went viral and stoked sympathy with younger users.

The former leader of al Qaeda sent an open letter to the United States in 2002 explaining the ideology that led to his campaign of terror against the United States, arguing he was pushed to it due to U.S. policies.

His specific mention of U.S. support for Israel drew a revival in attention toward the letter more than 20 years later, when young TikTok users caused it to go viral, praising its insight. Gallagher trashed the sympathetic users as “massive idiots.”

“These people are, of course, massive idiots,” Gallagher said. “I just came from watching the footage that the Israeli Embassy compiled about the Oct. 7 attack. It is horrific. You are seeing Salafi jihadists, Hamas in this case, but al Qaeda was a Salafi Jihadist organization, kill babies, behead innocent civilians with garden hoes. These images are very disturbing and show the true face of evil.”

Most TikTok users skew younger, according to Statista, which reported last month that roughly 26% of the app’s users are between the ages of 18-24. The bulk of users weren’t born or were either infants or toddlers on Sept. 11, 2001, when terrorists hijacked four planes, flying two into the Twin Towers in New York City, one into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, and another that crashed in Pennsylvania.

Statista didn’t record how many users younger than 18 use the app.

“So for someone on TikTok to somehow suggest this is America’s fault or that bin Laden, who killed thousands of innocent Americans, was right is absolutely disgusting and further evidence that we need to ban TikTok or force a sale before a Chinese-controlled app, before the Chinese Communist Party, checkmates the free world by controlling the dominant media platform in America that can spread this dangerous, disgusting nonsense. It is time for a ban or forced sale before it is too late.”

Bin Laden’s letter blames the U.S. and “the Jews” for provoking the Muslim world to commit terrorist acts through its policies, and that civilians were legitimate targets due to their voting in its leaders. Foremost in the letter is a condemnation of the treatment of Palestinians, which apparently struck a chord with young TikTok users.

“The American people are the ones who choose their government by way of their own free will; a choice which stems from their agreement to its policies,” bin Laden wrote. “Thus the American people have chosen, consented to, and affirmed their support for the Israeli oppression of the Palestinians, the occupation and usurpation of their land, and its continuous killing, torture, punishment, and expulsion of the Palestinians. The American people have the ability and choice to refuse the policies of their Government and even to change it if they want.”

The Guardian deleted the letter without explanation from its website on Wednesday when interest surged.

Young TikTok users praised the perspective of bin Laden, with some saying that it changed their entire view of the world and caused an “existential crisis.”

One user in a viral video declared that the terrorist mastermind “was right” and mourned his death.

Why It Matters

As a nation, we must not allow our youth to fall for dangerous ideologies. TikTok’s recent surge in sympathy for Osama bin Laden is a clear sign that this app is a threat to our values. Our young people, who may not remember the horrors of 9/11, can easily be influenced by misleading information. By banning TikTok or forcing a sale, we protect our nation from the spread of such dangerous beliefs.

We cannot allow the Chinese Communist Party to control a platform that can manipulate the minds of our youth. It’s time to take action and safeguard our future generations from this toxic platform.

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