Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) warned that “foreign countries” have “infiltrated” the minds of children in the United States regarding a recent poll showing a positive attitude regarding former al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
A poll conducted by The Daily Mail and J.L.P. Partners found that people between the ages of 18-29 held somewhat favorable views of the man who orchestrated the 9/11 attacks at the Pentagon, World Trade Center, and Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
Moskowitz pointed out in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, that “20 percent of young people” held a “positive view of bin Laden.”
“While we focus on enhancing our physical borders we must also realize Foreign countries have infiltrated our kids minds through online propaganda,” Moskowitz added.
20 percent of young people have a positive view of Bin Laden. While we focus on enhancing our physical borders we must also realize Foreign countries have infiltrated our kids minds through online propaganda. https://t.co/xNKksPXSoK
— Jared Moskowitz (@JaredEMoskowitz) December 27, 2023
Out of people between the ages of 18-29, 8% had a completely positive view of bin Laden, 12% had a somewhat positive view, 17% of people had a mix of positive and negative viewpoints on bin Laden. Meanwhile, 11% said they didn’t know, another 11% said they had somewhat negative views and 41% said they had a completely negative view.
The poll went on to find that among young, Black, and Hispanic participants, their views on bin Laden were more favorable.
Among Hispanic participants in the survey, 9% had a completely positive view, 6% had a somewhat positive view, 11% had a mix of a positive and negative outlook, 15% said they didn’t know, 7% had a somewhat negative view, and 51% said they had a completely negative view.
Meanwhile, among Black participants in the survey, 7% expressed a completely positive view of bin Laden, 11% had a somewhat positive view, and 15% were torn between having a positive and negative view. Nine percent expressed that they didn’t know where they stood, 7% held a somewhat negative view and 50% held a completely negative view.
“It is hard to avoid the conclusion that there is a cancer in the American body politic: a small but sizeable group of its youngest voters,” James Johnson, founder of J.L. Partners, told the outlet.
The survey comes after an open letter to the U.S. penned by bin Laden in 2002 surfaced through TikTok. In his letter, bin Laden claims that he was pushed to attack the U.S. based on several policies and the government’s support for Israel. Bin Laden adds in his letter that he is calling Americans to Islam, and continues on to condemn homosexuality, drinking, and gambling.
In response to the large numbers of people posting the letter from bin Laden on TikTok, the company banned searches for the document and issued a statement saying, “Content promoting this letter clearly violates our rules on supporting any form of terrorism.”