In a bizarre hybrid of “swatting” and cancel culture, left-leaning network NBC attempted to sabotage Chaya Raichik, content creator for social media brand Libs of TikTok (LOTT). NBC reporter David Ingram is the author of a piece that skirts the ragged edge of slander, as he suggests that Raichik’s postings have inspired bomb threats at various targets such as schools, libraries, hospitals, and businesses.
Raichik’s content exposes the indoctrination of children and teenagers with radical left-wing worldviews. Her email newsletter and her posts on Instagram and X contain daily examples of the culture war waged on young people. She presents examples of gender identity politics, radical LGBT ideology, school drag queen shows, Critical Race Theory (CRT), and other extremism being peddled to kids nationwide.
NBC News targets Libs of TikTok with hit piece accusing her of inspiring "bomb threats"https://t.co/5gUoDre9tchttps://t.co/5gUoDre9tc
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) February 8, 2024
Ingram is outraged at Raichik’s opinion that children should not be exposed to explicit and inappropriate material in schools. His indignation was so great that he was not content merely to combat her “offensive” speech with more speech. Rather, he weaponized his status as a journalist for a major network by compiling a list of 33 bomb threats — and linking them to Raichik’s LOTT content by date. The clear insinuation is that Raichik should be held partially liable for these crimes by “inspiring” the perpetrators.
Ingram is careful to include attorney-approved disclaimers in his nbc.com hit piece: “While the direct inspirations for the threats are not known, the timing suggests that LOTT posts have been used to pick targets.”
Buried in the details of Imgram’s activist project was a sheepish acknowledgment that neither Raichik nor LOTT was mentioned in police documents for any of the 33 incidents.
While Ingram did not directly accuse Raichik of violent threats, the damage to her reputation would have been easy to predict. Widespread false reports of Raichik being directly linked to these acts are a very logical outcome of his piece. The article is clearly an attempt to destroy Raichik and silence her conservative viewpoints in a manner that insulates Ingram and NBC from liability.
Indeed, a lack of understanding of free speech has ignited a wave of calls for her censorship. A superintendent of a targeted Oregon school district ranted about LOTT in Ingram’s piece: “I think there should be consequences when social media is used inappropriately and a community is harmed.”
She didn’t specify exactly what those “consequences” should be. But the meaning was clear: opinions in conflict with her own should be censored — because they are “harmful.” She suggests a dangerous precedent that would be chilling to free speech.
Raichik has made many liberal enemies due to the strong conservative associations she has formed. Former President Donald Trump hosted her for dinner at his Mar-a-Lago resort. She was a featured speaker at the Conservative Political Action Committee (CPAC) last March. Elon Musk frequently shares her material on his X platform. Musk reinstated LOTT on X, as under previous ownership the account had been banned.
