JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Local Congressman Randy Fine (R-FL 6th District) is in the doghouse with Muslim groups and Democratic lawmakers after making this post on social media, in which he stated, “If they force us to choose, the choice between dogs and Muslims is not a difficult one”.
The comment was made in response to this post by a Palestinian activist in New York City who wrote, “Finally, NYC is coming to Islam. Dogs definitely have a place in society, just not as indoor pets. Like we’ve said all along, they are unclean”.
That comment was made in the midst of several New York City leaders expressing anger about a spike in dog poop complaints on city sidewalks, and the poster has since indicated she was joking.
Fine’s rebuttal generated calls for his resignation, including from the Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
“The safety and security of over half a million Muslims that live in Florida is at stake because of Randy Fine’s hateful, racist rhetoric that goes unchecked by leadership,” said Wilfredo Ruiz with CAIR Florida.
Ruiz argued Fine’s comment is just the latest in a long line of anti-Muslim rhetoric coming from the Congressman.
“He’s more frequent and louder in what he says about what he says about people of other ethnicities and people of other religions. And like I said, Randy Fine does not represent anyone in Florida,” said Ruiz. ”Randy Fine doesn’t deserve a public seat. Randy Fine needs to be in the street, perhaps talking to other KKK or to other hateful people.”
We spoke with Fine, who told us he has no plans to resign and pushed back on those who have characterized his statement as racist.
“If they make us choose. I don’t think there should be a choice. If you don’t want to have a dog, then don’t have a dog, but how dare you tell me that I don’t have the right to,” said Fine.
We asked what his message was to Muslim constituents in his district who may have been offended by his comments.
This was his response.
“If your religion says I can’t have a dog because you don’t like them, my response is get the hell out of my country,” said Fine.
Congressman Fine’s comments have generated condemnation from several other high-profile figures, including CNN Anchor Jake Tapper, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY 14th District), and California Governor Gavin Newsom, who stated, “Resign now, you racist slob”.
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