Happy Friday!

Today’s Brew kicks off with an unthinkable viral trend.

Ghastly TikTok Phenomenon: People Affectionately Talking Osama bin Laden’s “Letter to America”

Over the past couple days, thousands of people of all stripes have taken to TikTok to read aloud al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden’s “Letter to America,” and express sympathy for the mass murdering terrorist’s attack on the U.S. homeland.

Bin Laden wanted Americans to know why he brought about the 9/11 attack. Or more accurately, he came with a reason to excuse away a simple unholy thirst to kill Americans and Christians. It’s propaganda for the weak-minded. Like Hamas talking about Israeli “occupation” rather than their pre-occupation with killing Jews.

It’s hard listening to these young people knowing bin Laden would have killed them without batting an eyelash. And would be overjoyed if the toll included those in this montage who had even been born by Sept. 11, 2001, who were taught growing up that America is a wretched place.

Now trending on social media (especially TikTok) people saying that after reading Bin Laden’s "Letter to America," they now understand terrorism is a legitimate method of resistance against “oppression” and America deserved to be attacked of 9/11

Video Credit: @yashar pic.twitter.com/O5bemdTDzw

— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) November 16, 2023

Perhaps those people should instead listen to the sounds of the bodies hitting the pavement, innocent Americans who preferred jumping scores of stories to their death to being burned alive. Or the frantic calls of those making one last contact with loved ones before slamming into a field in Pennsylvania. Or the tape of a family member describing to me how my then over 75-year-old mother hurdled a road barrier in heavy traffic trying to reach the hotel where she was told my sister had walked to from the Pentagon after nearly being killed by the man these TikTok-ers are giving X’s and O’s. What a guy, this Osama bin Laden. Ironically, a guy who had no problem loving on America when we were helping him kick the Russians out of Afghanistan.

TikTok, for its part is working to remove the “Letter to America” videos, saying the content “clearly violates our rules on supporting any form of terrorism.”

Content promoting this letter clearly violates our rules on supporting any form of terrorism. We are proactively and aggressively removing this content and investigating how it got onto our platform. The number of videos on TikTok is small and reports of it trending on our… https://t.co/n9Zo7l94r2

— TikTok Policy (@TikTokPolicy) November 16, 2023

Suspect Arrested in Killing of Pro-Israel Demonstrator in Los Angeles

69-year-old Paul Kessler came to a pro-Israel rally a few Sundays back, only to end up being killed by a pro-Palestinian demonstrator. On Thursday, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office announced that 50-year-old Moorpark College professor Loay Aljani has been arrested on suspicion of involuntary manslaughter in Kessler’s death. I want to pause here to make clear that Aljani is not just known for his anti-Semitic, pro-Hamas rantings, but he is a person.

I want to make that distinction clear for CNN readers who only read headlines. CNN gave the impression the guilty party was a curb. Their headline Thursday morning read, “Arrest Made in Death of Jewish Protester Who Fell and Hit His Head.”

UPDATE: As Fox News was glad to report, CNN did change the headline hours later after being widely criticized. “Arrest Made in Death of Jewish Protester in California After Confrontation Over Israel-Hamas War.”

Pro-Palestinian Demonstrators Attack Capitol Hill Police in Effort to Break Into DNC Headquarters

Aljani’s arrest comes the morning after pro-Palestinian demonstrators attacked Capitol Hill police in an effort to break into DNC headquarters, while Congressional members were inside. Six police were reportedly injured in the melee. The pro-Palestinian violence forced a lockdown of Congressional offices. Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna tweeted how she was trapped with her newborn.

I’m with my baby at my office and the Capitol offices just went into lockdown because of these clowns. Imagine being that unhinged. Nut jobs.
pic.twitter.com/30AXnxsQRJ

— Anna Paulina Luna (@realannapaulina) November 16, 2023

Capitol Hill Police released more details of the DNC attack Thursday morning:

“We have handled hundreds of peaceful protests, but last night’s group was not peaceful. The crowd failed to obey our lawful orders to move back from the DNC, where Members of Congress were in the building,” the USCP said in the press release. “When the group moved dumpsters in front of the exits, pepper sprayed our officers and attempted to pick up the bike rack, our teams quickly introduced consequences — pulling people off the building, pushing them back, and clearing them from the area, so we could safely evacuate the Members and staff.”

Only a couple hundreds demonstrators took park and look at the mess. Nearly 300,000 people took part in Americans March for Israel. No shouting and shoving there.

Wednesday night’s violence on Capitol Hill naturally drew thoughts back to J6. Any of those cop-attacking, Congress locking-down demonstrators going to see prison, let alone years in solitary? But it also comes as news breaks on just what was happening on Capitol Hill on January 6, 2021.

Congressman Claims FBI Had Busses Filled With Informants Sent to Capitol Hill J6 Dressed as Trump Supporters

Rep. Clay Higgins claimed in a House hearing with FBI Director Christopher Wray that he has video of “ghost busses” loaded with FBI informants who were sent into the crowd dressed as Trump supporters.

Congressman Clay Higgins (Rep-LA) puts FBI Director Christopher Wray on notice that his day is coming. Tells him he knows about the buses of FBI Informants sent to the Capitol on January 6th dressed as Trump supporters pic.twitter.com/svortL9PvJ

— • ᗰISᑕᕼIᗴᖴ ™ • (@4Mischief) November 16, 2023

During their full exchange, Wray again refused to confirm or deny that the FBI had people in Trump garb inside the Capitol before the J6 trouble started. He refused to talk about how many FBI assets the Bureau had in place. He did deny any FBI personnel had anything to do with instigating the trouble on J6.

But the credibility of the FBI is so shot at this point, agents now tell strangers they meet they’re used car salesmen.

In a connected story, Just the News looks into the curious story of the scaffold that was built on J6, a scaffold that became so much a part of branding J6 as an “insurrection.” Just the News is curious “Why has the FBI failed to investigate the J6 gallows builders?” Defense Attorney Ed Martin shared new footage showing four men constructing the gallows as early as 6:30 a.m. on J6.

Meanwhile, judges in both Minnesota and Michigan have tossed out efforts there to keep Trump off the ballot in 2024, claiming he instigated an “insurrection,” thus is ineligible for federal office under the 14 Amendment.

Miracle? Weeping Statue of Mary

I was joking yesterday of the “miracle” that happened at DFW airport Wednesday night. There was absolutely no line going through security. Miracle! And all the TSA people manning the scanners and x-ray machines were not only pleasant, but cheerful. Like Dollywood cheerful. Even Meghan Rapinoe would consider that a miraculous work of God.

I jest. But this miracle story seems to be no joke.

In the small town of El Canal, in the Mexican state of Colima, a statue of the Virgin Mary has been videotaped appearing to shed tears. A 9-year-old boy first spotted the tears about a month ago.

Hundreds have come, skeptics and believes alike, to see the weeping statue. To watch as tiny droplets of water seem to come out of Mary’s eyes and stream down her cheek.

El Canal Commissioner Victor Ramos connects the tears of the Virgin Mary to the soaring narco-violence in the community and state.

Peace,” says one visitor, “may she give us peace in Colima and throughout the world, that we may return to the Colima of before.”

Why is the Virgin crying? Maybe John Zmirak’s latest on the persecution of faithful Texas bishop Joseph Strickland will offer some insight.

Barbra Streisand: If Trump Returns to White House She’ “Can’t Live in This Country”

Entertainment legend and notorious liberal Barbra Streisand declared if Trump is re-elected, she “can’t live in this country.” Tempting to say “promises, promises.” After all, has any celebrity who’s threatened to leave the country if an election doesn’t go their way actually ever left? In Streisand’s case, it takes decades to get her on a concert stage. You think you’re going to get her on a plane outta here?

C’mon, Barbra. You’re an American icon. One of the nation’s musical greats, with the talent to unite. Nobody wants to hear one of the great voices whine. Nobody wants to see you rename your new autobiography My Name is Karen.

Perhaps it’s a lesson for all of us: Don’t let politics “rain on your parade.”

 

Al Perrotta is the Managing Editor of The Stream, co-author, with John Zmirak, of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and co-author of the counter-terrorism memoir Hostile Intent: Protecting Yourself Against Terrorism.