(WND)—Forty-one states are suing the social media giant Meta over its negative impact on the mental health of children. There seems to be some justice in this claim as a 2021 release by a whistleblower of thousands of pages of documents concerning Meta’s own research support it, although the social media provider failed to act on the discovery. Additionally, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued a warning last May about the serious potential risks to a child’s mental health.
But based on a recent flurry of social media activity on TikTok, there may be good reason to expand the lawsuit to include young adults who have demonstrated a lack of common sense, accepting at face value the contents of a 2002 letter written by the terrorist founder of al-Qaida and mastermind of 9/11, the late Osama bin Laden.
Whoever used TikTok to dust off bin Laden’s two-decades old “Letter to America” perhaps was prompted by the Oct. 7 Hamas raid into Israel in which, despite every conceivable violation of international law being perpetrated, the terrorists received outrageous public support after Israel declared all out war. Chinese owners of the social media provider undoubtedly allowed its posting as an opportunity to inflict public opinion damage upon Israel and the U.S. by sharing the letter with a new generation of Americans undoubtedly unfamiliar with the epistle. And, by stoking the pro-Hamas fires, terrorist sympathizers probably also hoped to trigger additional calls for a Gaza ceasefire.
Bin Laden’s letter laid out his justification for the 9/11 attacks on America. It was translated by a British newspaper and posted online, from where it was recently obtained and re-published. Interestingly, it has since been removed both by the British newspaper and TikTok due to criticism of the large pro-bin Laden response.
The terrorist leader called the creation of Israel a “crime” in which the U.S. was complicit and, therefore, made all Americans criminals as well. He went on to accuse America of stealing Arab wealth and oil – “the biggest theft ever witnessed by mankind in the history of the world” – as well as being guilty of occupying Muslim lands. He labeled America “the worst civilization witnessed by the history of mankind.” He blamed America for the global spread of AIDS. The roughly 3,800-word English translation of the letter rambled on and on, painting the constant picture of Palestinians, and all Muslims for that matter, as victims of the U.S. and its allies. Conveniently ignored by bin Laden was that by 2009 al-Qaida was responsible for killing eight times more Muslims than non-Muslims simply for failing to embrace his version of Islam.
Naive readers, apparently applying the often-used claim by former President BIll Clinton, “I feel your pain,” responded by glorifying the terrorist’s rationale, totally ignoring the freedoms and values he sought to destroy. Over a thousand young Americans, accepting bin Laden’s diatribe at face value sans fact checking, felt sufficient pain to post a pro-terrorist response.
American journalist Yashar Ali reported some of these:
“Many of them say that reading the letter has opened their eyes, and they’ll never see geopolitical matters the same way again. … [and many] say it has made them reevaluate their perspective on how what is often labeled as terrorism can be a legitimate form of resistance to a hostile power.
“In one viral video, a woman said the letter is ‘wild’ and ‘everyone should read it,’ adding that reading it has ‘left her disillusioned.’
“Another woman said reading the letter left her reeling in an ‘existential crisis,’ and encouraged viewers to also read it. ‘In the last 20 minutes, my entire viewpoint on the entire life I have believed and I have lived has changed. Please read that entire letter.’
“‘I need you to stop what you’re doing and go read a “Letter to America,”‘ a male said on video. ‘It is literally the craziest thing I have read in a while and while I can’t say that I’m not surprised, I’m pretty shocked.’ He then proceeded to read the following X post, which he said was reminiscent of the letter: ‘Under settler colonialism, any kind of resistance is branded as [terrorism] because the only acceptable violence is violence by the occupier.’”
Sadly, these TikTok users seem to totally ignore a point bin Laden blatantly made concerning Islam’s mission – one impacting upon them directly. He calls for all non-believers of Islam (those fighting in the cause of Satan) to become believers (those fighting in the cause of Allah) as al-Qaida’s mission (and, by the way, that of Hamas as well) is to subvert all other religions to it! While these people advise reading bin Laden’s letter, they failed to read it closely. They also have not read the Quran, which preaches only three choices for non-believers: 1) convert to Islam, 2) subvert their religions to Islam or 3) die!
In the aftermath of the praise for “Letter to America” posted by TikTokers, former Navy SEAL Robert O’Neill, who killed bin Laden in 2011 during a daring raid into the compound in Pakistan where the terrorist was hiding, made an appropriate observation about these American mental lightweights: “Deceit is a mask the Devil puts over the eyes of useful idiots.”
These young people need to read the comments of a 9/11 rescuer, still plagued with nightmares years later, who was queried about the victims jumping from the buildings:
“Although no one will ever know how these innocent civilians felt contemplating their choice of jumping (off the World Trade Center buildings) or burning to death, one can only imagine that it must have been a horrendous decision to make. I can share with you that some of the people seemed to simply fall from the towers as they were backing away from the flames that engulfed the area behind them. Others made a deliberate decision to jump out of the building to escape the horrors they were eventually going to face. There were others who would hold hands with another person and simply jump. I witnessed one group of 4 or 5 people holding hands as they fell to their deaths. Although I can’t imagine the thought process that went through their minds when they were forced to make this choice or what they were thinking during the time they were falling, but I can assure you that they died immediately on impact and did not suffer. …”
Whether it is Americans supporting bin Laden’s justifications or those of Hamas, it appears we will always be plagued by useful idiots. What is difficult to understand, however, is whether their motivation stems from ignorance, stupidity or, worse yet, an honest belief that acts of murder by terrorists can ultimately be justified.
If only such people could have been present during the early morning hours either in New York City’s World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, or in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. For those who willingly ingest an ideological poison, the only anecdote is a strong dose of reality.
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Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
