Share and Follow
Rep. Randy Fine has ignited a storm of controversy with remarks on the social media platform X that have been widely condemned as both racist and Islamophobic. The Florida Republican’s comments have not only drawn the ire of Democrats but also stirred disapproval among his peers in Congress.
The contentious statement came on a Sunday evening when Fine posted, “If they force us to choose, the choice between dogs and Muslims is not a difficult one.” He followed this by asserting, “We will not be shamed into being conquered like the Europeans.” These remarks quickly spread across the platform, amassing over 20 million views and garnering more than 91,000 likes by Monday.
Fine’s provocative comments were in response to a post by Nerdeen Kiswani, a Palestinian activist based in New York. Kiswani had commented, “Finally, NYC is coming to Islam. Dogs definitely have a place in society, just not as indoor pets,” referring to the status of dogs in New York City.
The backlash against Fine underscores the sensitivity surrounding religious and cultural issues in the political landscape, highlighting the need for respectful dialogue. As criticism mounts, the situation continues to unfold with potential implications for Fine’s political standing.
Fine was responding to a post by New York–based Palestinian activist Nerdeen Kiswani, in which she wrote “Finally, NYC is coming to Islam. Dogs definitely have a place in society, just not as indoor pets” in New York City.
Kiswani later told NBC News her comments were satire relating to recent conversations about dog waste in the city, and that she was “satirizing Islamophobic hysteria portraying Mamdani’s mayoralty as a societal takeover.”
First Coast News spoke with Fine, who reiterated his stance.
“If you’re gonna make me choose between having a dog or having Muslims in my city, I’m going to choose dogs,” Fine said. He added that “no religion has the right to dictate to the rest of us how we live our lives.”
On X, Fine also referred to Kiswani as “the leader of one of the key mainstream Muslim groups that supported” New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
The remarks drew swift condemnation from several Democratic officials.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom reposted Fine’s comment, writing, “Resign now, racist slob.”
Arizona Rep. Yassamin Ansari called on House Speaker Mike Johnson to “reprimand him immediately.”
At the same time, some social media users expressed support for Fine, posting photos of their dogs and messages backing the congressman.
On Monday, Fine doubled down, sharing multiple “Don’t Tread on Me” images featuring dogs and 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 said. “Everyone has the right to practice their religion and to live how they want, and one religion has no right to dictate to the rest of us how we live our lives.”
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, called on Fine to resign.
“It is vile, violent rhetoric. It’s completely unbecoming of a member of Congress, and it’s long past time for the leaders of Congress to condemn Mr. Fine and demand his resignation,” said Edward Ahmed Mitchell, the group’s national deputy director.
Fine responded to the group’s criticism by referencing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s decision to designate CAIR a terrorist organization, a move the organization is challenging in court.
“I think when a Muslim terrorist organization as designated by the state of Florida calls for your resignation, it means you’re doing something right,” Fine said.
Mitchell said elected officials must be held to consistent standards.
“Anti-Semitism is unacceptable, Islamophobia is unacceptable, anti-Palestinian racism, unacceptable, and anti-black racism, unacceptable,” he said. “We have to hold those standards equally, and we have to hold our members of Congress to those standards equally. That includes Randy Fine.”
First Coast News asked Congressman Fine whether he plans to delete the post or resign, and he said he does not.