Florida Republican calls fellow member of Congress a ‘Muslim terrorist,’ responds to a photo of starving Palestinian civilians with the hashtag #StarveAway
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today sent a message to every member of the U.S. House of Representatives urging them to publicly condemn Florida Congressman Randy Fine’s (R-FL) violently anti-Muslim, anti-American, and anti-Palestinian rhetoric.
This urgent request follows Rep. Fine’s May 2 statement on X.com, in which he referred to a fellow member of Congress as a “Muslim terrorist” and responded to a photo of starving Palestinian civilians with the hashtag #StarveAway.
CAIR’s message was sent to more than 1,600 congressional staffers, including all House chiefs of staff, legislative directors, communications directors, and staffers assigned to civil rights, civil liberties, and minority affairs. To emphasize the threat posed by Congressman Fine’s rhetoric, CAIR included a list of ten past examples of Fine spreading hatred, dehumanizing Palestinians and Muslims, and promoting violence.
“Randy Fine’s long and documented history of promoting bigotry and political violence is a danger to his colleagues, to American Muslims and Palestinians, and to the foundational principles of our democracy,” said CAIR Government Affairs Department Director Robert S. McCaw, who authored the message. “Congress must take a stand against hate before it further poisons our national discourse or incites real-world violence and acts of terrorism.”
Among the examples cited in CAIR’s message were Rep. Fine’s past celebrations of Israeli violence against American citizens, open threats directed at Muslim members of Congress, endorsements of collective punishment against Palestinians, and Islamophobic attacks on constituents. CAIR warned that Fine’s behavior, now amplified by his federal office, demands immediate and unambiguous condemnation.
The message sent to congressional offices concludes with the following demands:
- Publicly condemn Randy Fine’s hateful remarks and make it clear that bigotry has no place in Congress.
- Confront and refuse to normalize Congressman Fine’s extremist discourse during this legislative term.
FULL TEXT OF CAIR’S MESSAGE TO CONGRESS:
Dear Members of the U.S. House of Representatives:
On behalf of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, we write to request that your office publicly condemn the violently anti-Muslim, anti-American, and anti-Palestinian rhetoric spread by Florida Congressman Randy Fine.
On May 2, Rep. Fine posted a statement on X.com that referred to a fellow member of Congress as a “Muslim terrorist” and responded to a photo of starving Palestinians with the hashtag “#StarveAway.”
This is morally reprehensible, dangerously inciting, and sadly typical for Randy Fine. Before his election, Fine openly celebrated an Israeli sniper’s killing of an American citizen who was peacefully demonstrating in the West Bank. Fine has also implicitly threatened violence against female American Muslim members of Congress, warning them to leave before he arrived and using the hashtag #BombsAway.
Now that he has joined the 119th Congress, it is critical that your office reject any collaboration with this extremist and confront his bigotry whenever it surfaces. It is also important for members of Congress not to silently sit by when Fine uses his office to attack fellow members of Congress with racist, bigoted, and violent rhetoric.
Below are just ten examples of Congressman Fine spreading hatred against not only the American Muslim and Palestinian communities, but our nation’s values of equality and justice for all:
- “The ‘Hebrew Hammer’ is coming. @RashidaTlaib and @IlhanMN might consider leaving before I get there. #BombsAway.” (11/26/24): Congressman Fine openly threatened two Muslim members of Congress, Reps. Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar, implying they should flee or face violence. By calling himself the “Hebrew Hammer” and concluding with “#BombsAway,” he effectively endorses the idea of forcibly removing or harming them. This chilling statement is far beyond any partisan disagreement; it encourages attacks on sitting elected officials. Fine’s willingness to target fellow lawmakers underscores his dangerously Islamophobic worldview.
- “Stop the trucks. Let them eat rockets. There are plenty of those. #BombsAway.” (12/2/23):
Here, Fine mocks the need for humanitarian aid, telling Palestinians to “eat rockets” instead of receiving desperately needed supplies. This statement goes beyond callousness, effectively endorsing collective punishment. Denying people lifesaving aid is a clear violation of basic human decency and international norms. By adding “#BombsAway,” he reduces Palestinian lives to nothing more than collateral damage.
- “Gaza must be destroyed.” (2/20/25): Declaring that Gaza must be “destroyed” calls for the annihilation of more than two million civilians. Such remarks are reminiscent of the most dangerous forms of hate speech that historically precipitate atrocities. This is not a critique of a political entity—it’s an outright call for genocide. Using his platform to normalize this mindset poses a serious threat to public safety and moral integrity.
- “Thanks for the pic!”(6/4/21): In response to a photo of a Palestinian infant reportedly killed by an Israeli air strike, Fine’s casual dismissal—thanking someone for the picture—reveals a disturbing lack of empathy. Children are the most vulnerable in any conflict, yet his reaction shows complete indifference. This callousness indicates how deeply entrenched his dehumanization of Palestinians is. It sets a dangerous precedent for normalizing cruelty toward civilians.
- “Yesterday in Jerusalem, today in Palatka talking about the need to solve America’s #MuslimProblem. In just 26 days, Republicans can send the message that they agree with @realDonaldTrump and want a fighter to protect America! #ItsGoingToBeFine:” In this post, Fine brazenly describes Muslims in America as a “problem” that needs to be “solved.” By framing an entire religious community as a threat to national security, he deliberately invokes fear and prejudice. Invoking the President Trump’s name and urging Republicans to stand with him reinforces the idea that anti-Muslim sentiment is central to his political campaign. Such rhetoric fosters division and can fuel hate crimes, endangering the very people he swore to represent.
- “Throw rocks, get shot. One less #MuslimTerrorist. #FireAway.” (9/6/24): Fine brazenly celebrated the lethal shooting of protesters, including the recent killing of 26-year-old Turkish-American activist Aysenur Ezgi Eygi by Israeli forces in the West Bank. By labeling Eygi a “Muslim terrorist,” he promotes violence and extrajudicial killings of American citizens. This inflammatory framing ignores the reality that unarmed civilians—sometimes American citizens—are among those shot. Equating protest with terrorism is both unconstitutional and inhumane.
- “YES” (Responding to a Question About Being Okay With Building Being Bombed with U.S. Reporters Inside) (5/15/21): Fine publicly defended the bombing of a news building despite knowing that American journalists were inside. When asked if he was okay with reporters being among the targets, Fine tersely replied, “YES.” This stance not only places the lives of American citizens at risk but also reveals his willingness to silence or endanger the press when it does not align with his agenda. By trivializing the bombing of journalists, Fine undermines the very freedoms—speech and press—that uphold our democracy.
- “Go blow yourself up!”: Fine privately sent this message to a Florida Muslim who challenged his social media posts, effectively urging them to commit a suicide attack. Beyond being profoundly insulting, it’s also a darkly Islamophobic trope implying that Muslims are prone to violence or suicide bombings. Encouraging someone to harm themselves in such a manner reflects an extreme level of hostility. This is a direct instigation of violence rather than a policy debate.
- “Enjoy Your Terrorist Rag.” (3/29/25): During a Florida Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee hearing, then-State Senator Fine told a member of the public wearing a Palestinian keffiyeh to “enjoy your terrorist rag.” When others objected, he threatened to “clear the room,” declaring, “I’m the chairman, I can say whatever I want.” By using his official position to demean and intimidate someone wearing Palestinian cultural attire, Fine not only displayed blatant disrespect for free expression but also fostered a hostile environment for all who identify with or show solidarity toward Palestinians.
- Weaponizing Legislation to Silence Dissent: While in the Florida Legislature, Randy Fine openly threatened to use anti-protest and anti-boycott laws (including HB1 and HB741) against anyone who criticized Israel or advocated for Palestinian rights. By vowing to punish peaceful activists and business owners, he tried to chill free speech and subvert constitutional protections. This willingness to abuse public office reveals a deeply authoritarian mindset, one that endangers core American freedoms. His pattern of leveraging state power to silence dissent is a harbinger of what we can expect now that he sits in Congress.
These statements and positions should alarm any public official who values respectful debate and justice for all. Randy Fine’s rhetoric not only endangers Palestinians and Muslims but also degrades the integrity of our national discourse. He has gone so far as to directly threaten Muslim members of Congress, creating an environment where any disagreement risks being met with hateful, potentially violent responses.
In light of these disturbing facts, we call on every member of the 119th Congress to:
- Publicly condemn Randy Fine’s hateful remarks, making it clear that bigotry has no place in our legislative branch.
- Confront Congressman Fine’s bigotry at every step during this term, refusing to normalize his extremist discourse.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. We stand ready to provide any additional information or testimony you may need. If you have questions or would like further engagement, please reach out to us.
Sincerely,
Robert S. McCaw
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Randy Fine, recently elected to the 119th Congress, has a documented pattern of anti-Muslim, anti-Palestinian, and anti-American rhetoric during his time in the Florida Legislature and now in federal office. His use of social media to encourage violence and hatred raises serious concerns about the safety and rights of American Muslims, Palestinian-Americans, and other communities he targets with bigoted speech.
Yesterday, CAIR welcomed H.R. 867, the “International Governmental Organizations Anti-Boycott Act,” having been pulled from the House schedule this week following significant grassroots opposition.
Last Wednesday, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee delaying a vote on its considering of the misleadingly titled Antisemitism Awareness Act (S. 558), following bipartisan concerns over the act dangerously conflating criticism of the Israeli government with antisemitism and threatens to chill free speech on college campuses nationwide.
CAIR will continue working to ensure that public officials who spread hate are held accountable by their peers and by the American public.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-999-8292, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com