Republican Lawmaker Faces Calls to Resign After Suggesting He Would Choose ‘Dogs Over Muslims’
WASHINGTON — A Republican lawmaker from Florida is facing intensifying calls to resign from Democratic officials and civil rights groups after posting controversial comments on social media suggesting he would choose dogs over Muslims. The remarks, made by Representative Randy Fine on the platform X (formerly Twitter), have ignited a firestorm of criticism, with opponents characterizing the statements as racist and Islamophobic.
The controversy began when Fine responded to a post by Nerdeen Kiswani, a prominent Palestinian-American activist and co-founder of the group Within Our Lifetime. Kiswani had posted a satirical comment regarding a local debate about dog waste in New York City, joking that dogs were “unclean” and that “NYC is coming to Islam.” In response, Fine wrote, “If they force us to choose, the choice between dogs and Muslims is not a difficult one.”
As the comment began to circulate and draw ire, Fine posted a follow-up statement doubling down on his stance: “We will not be shamed into being conquered like the Europeans. I choose my dog.”
The backlash was swift and bipartisan, extending beyond Florida to national political figures. California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, publicly condemned the remarks, reposting the exchange with the caption, “Resign now, racist slob.”
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, issued a formal statement demanding Fine’s immediate resignation. CAIR-Florida stated that the lawmaker’s rhetoric was “long overdue” for condemnation by leadership in both parties, calling the comments hate speech that endangers the Muslim community.
“Representative Fine’s comments are not only offensive but dangerous,” a CAIR spokesperson said. “To dehumanize an entire religious community by comparing them unfavorably to animals is the textbook definition of hate speech. Elected officials must be held to a higher standard.”
Representative Yassamin Ansari also weighed in, calling on House Speaker Mike Johnson to reprimand Fine immediately. Critics argue that such language normalizes anti-Muslim sentiment at a time when reports of Islamophobia and antisemitism are already rising across the United States.
Despite the mounting pressure, Fine has shown no sign of retracting his statements. In the hours following the initial backlash, he engaged with multiple critics on X, rejecting accusations of racism. “Even if what I had said was negative in some way, it’s racist to refer to it as such,” Fine told reporters, insisting that his comments were a defense of Western values rather than an attack on individuals. He later posted an image of a “Don’t Tread On Me” flag featuring a dog, signaling his refusal to apologize.
Fine, who represents a district in Brevard County, has a history of making provocative statements on social media. Supporters of the lawmaker have rallied to his defense, arguing that he was responding to what they interpreted as a provocation regarding American cultural norms and pet ownership.
The incident has renewed debates regarding the code of conduct for elected officials on social media and the threshold for censure or resignation. As of Tuesday morning, Republican leadership in the Florida House has not released an official statement regarding potential disciplinary action.
The exchange highlights the volatile nature of political discourse on social media, where satirical comments can quickly escalate into national controversies involving cultural and religious identity. With calls for his resignation continuing to grow, it remains unclear whether Fine will face formal consequences from his legislative colleagues.
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