Israel–Hamas War: 10/7/2023 - Present
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The Guardian Deletes Osama bin Laden's 'Letter to America' After It Goes Viral on TikTok
The Guardian removed a 21-year-old letter from Osama Bin Laden after a TikToker urged followers to read the al Qaeda leader's missive.www.thewrap.com
The Guardian Deletes Osama bin Laden’s ‘Letter to America’ After It Goes Viral on TikTok
The 21-year-old missive was widely shared “without its original context,” a spokesman for the British outlet says
(Credit: The Guardian, Getty Images)
Sharon Knolle
November 15, 2023 @ 6:29 PM
The Guardian made the unusual move Wednesday to delete a 21-year-old letter written by Osama bin Laden from their site after several TikTokers urged followers to read the al Qaeda leader’s missive, causing “Letter to America” to go viral on the social media platform.
Guardian readers are now met with the message, “This page previously displayed a document containing, in translation, the full text of Osama bin Laden’s ‘Letter to the American people,’ as reported in the Observer on Sunday 24 November 2002. The document, which was published here on the same day, was removed on 15 November 2023.”
In a statement to TheWrap, a spokesperson for the U.K. outlet said, “The transcript published on our website 20 years ago has been widely shared on social media without the full context. Therefore we have decided to take it down and direct readers to the news article that originally contextualized itinstead.”
Among the takeaways people are discussing on TikTok: bin Laden’s statement that Sept. 11, 2001, happened because of America’s support of Israel. “They threw hundreds of thousands of soldiers against us and have formed an alliance with the Israelis to oppress us and occupy our land; that was the reason for our response on the eleventh,” the letter, which can easily be found elsewhere online, reads in part.
The TikTok trend seems to have started with a video posted by Lynnette Adkins, in which she told her nearly 12 million followers, “I need everyone to stop doing what they’re doing right now and go read ‘Letter to America,’ I feel like I’m going through an existential crisis right now.”
Responses from fellow TikTokers include “my eyes have been opened.” Another user who shared the letter wrote, wrote, “We’ve been lied to our entire lives, I remember watching people cheer when Osama was found and killed.”
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In one of her many follow-up videos, Adkins says, “TikTok is going to save this generation,” because older people are “programmed to think a certain way.”
Trending searches on TikTok included “Osama letter to America summary,” “a letter to America full text” and “a letter to America explained.”
Bin Laden’s resurfaced anti-Israel message comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed allegations that the country is committing war crimes in Gaza. The latest conflict in the Middle East ignited Oct. 7 following Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israeli civilians that left more than 1,400 dead.
Israel and Palestine supporters have clashed around the world in the month after the Hamas attack and Israel’s military response, including recently in Los Angeles, where a Jewish man died of the head injury he sustained during an alleged confrontation with a Palestinian proponent.
Several celebrities, including former United Nations Goodwill ambassador Angelina Jolie, have called for a ceasefire in the region.
americans riding for bin laden now
lol at "we've been lied to our entire lives, i remember watching people cheer when osama was found and killed"
yeah because he was a pos human being who would chop your head off and slaughter your whole family.
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ireland again 
irish woman speaks the truth about this conflict on bbc question time
irish woman speaks the truth about this conflict on bbc question time
sayyestothis
Free the guys
People just uneducated man. And it's proven by how easily everyone can form an instant opinion on a complex thing. Lolamericans riding for bin laden now
lol at "we've been lied to our entire lives, i remember watching people cheer when osama was found and killed"
yeah because he was a pos human being who would chop your head off and slaughter your whole family.
Bboystyle
Bang Bang Packers gang!
we need to be where your avi is at and forgetting about world problems with a cold drink in hand
They are really feeling themselves right now. That comedown is gonna be a muthafukka...
yeah i prefer the version that tells me how i should feel about it .
I think the takeaway is that the message can be separated from the messenger; Bin Laden (peace be upon him).americans riding for bin laden now
lol at "we've been lied to our entire lives, i remember watching people cheer when osama was found and killed"
yeah because he was a pos human being who would chop your head off and slaughter your whole family.
As a US citizen 9/11 was wack sauce. An enormous L by any measure but I quickly came to the conclusion that in many ways 9/11 was a self inflicted wound. The US has done mad dirt around the world and often seemingly gets away with it. This was a case of the chickens coming home to roost and Osama was gonna tell their story.
Fast forward to today and his message still resonates because the US's conduct has not changed. Why would people's perception?
#bothsidesamericans riding for bin laden now
lol at "we've been lied to our entire lives, i remember watching people cheer when osama was found and killed"
yeah because he was a pos human being who would chop your head off and slaughter your whole family.
How complex is it really?
He didn't attack us because he hated our freedom. The gripes he had with the U.S. back then are things we are still doing to this day, factually.
Shoot the messenger (please lmao) but get the motherfukking message...same goes for Israli citizens who have been hoodwinked and lied to. This is the apocalypse, the great reveal, all cards are being put on the table.
The Fukin Prophecy
RIP Champ
Oh no not the 0.01% of the vote in blue states that vote Dem anyway....
