The X account Libs of TikTok accused Eman Abdelhadi, an assistant professor at the University of Chicago and the half-sister of Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, of being anti-American over past social media posts. The account posted, “Meet MI Democrat Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed’s sister. This is what she thinks of the U.S. She’s also a professor at @UChicago. Why is @UChicago employing this radical lunatic who wants America to burn?”
The username “Libs of TikTok” has been reportedly linked to various American anti-LGBTQ and far-right social media accounts operated by Chaya Raichik.
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This post, in particular, included screenshots of Abdelhadi’s previous social media posts which included a caption that said “I hope the whole world rises against the U.S. empire,” and “Excuse me if I don’t celebrate the transfer of stolen land from one colonizer to another.”
Eman Abdelhadi is an assistant professor and sociologist at the University of Chicago, where she researches American Muslim communities, according to In These Times. She has been described as “an academic, activist and writer who thinks at the intersection of gender, sexuality, religion and politics.” She also co-authored “Everything for Everyone: An Oral History of the New York Commune, 2052 – 2072.” She has been vocal on issues including the Iran war, Palestine, and U.S. politics.
El-Sayed recently defeated Rep. Haley Stevens in the Michigan Democratic primary. His win was seen as significant because of his progressive stances which many saw as a challenge to the status quo.
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According to political observers, the bigger question may be what the result signals within the Democratic Party itself with a growing divide between progressives advocating a grassroots economic agenda, and centrists favoring a more pragmatic approach.
Like his sister, El-Sayed has faced scrutiny for his social media posts. A CNN report mentioned he had removed a YouTube video asking his viewers whether Americans could “PLEASE” find another way to celebrate the Fourth of July, in a video promising four reasons “why fireworks suck.” He also in other now-removed clips, argued that the southern border was not among Americans’ five biggest concerns and lambasted Republicans for focusing on it. In another, he floated replacing the Second Amendment’s right to bear arms with a constitutional right to health care. El-Sayed’s campaign said the old clips do not reflect his current views.