Dog Fight in New York: Rep Randy Fine’s Latest Attack on American Muslims

On February 15, Congressman Randy Fine took to X (formerly Twitter) to defend dogs and offend Muslims. Fine posted that “If they force us to choose, the choice between dogs and Muslims is not a difficult one.”

Where on earth did that come from?

Fine, a Republican representing Florida’s 6th Congressional District, was reacting to a post from Nerdeen Kiswani. Kiswani is the co-founder and chair of Within Our Lifetime, a Palestinian civil rights group operating in New York City. On February 12, 2026, Kiswani posted that “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.”[1]

Kiswani immediately added two posts in which she claimed that she was kidding:

“Lmao at the Zionists frothing at the mouth at this, thinking they’re doing something. It’s obviously a joke I don’t care if you have a dog, I do care if your dog is shitting everywhere and you’re not cleaning it.”

Fair enough. Kiswani added: “Also clearly trying to weigh in on an issue unaware of the current nyc discourse where we’re collectively (jokingly) hating on dogs given all the visible dog shit in the unmelted snow lmao”[2] She’s right. Kiswani’s posts were prompted by this Winter’s record-setting levels of snowfall in the Northeast. Dog shit is visible in snow banks on New York City streets, as a photo in the New York Post shows. Kiswani was one of numberless New Yorkers joking (or swearing) about it.

Kiswani was not calling for a ban on New Yorkers owning dogs as pets. But Fine makes it sound like she was.

Even the uber-conservative New York Post could tell that Kiswani was joking. The Post ran a story under the headline “Anti-Israel Activist Quips Dog Poop Apocalypse Proves Why NYC Should Turn to Islam” (my emphasis).

There the matter should have rested. It didn’t. No sooner did Kiswani’s posts go up than the pile-on began. Commenters on Kiswani’s posts werent buying her claim that she had been writing “jokingly.” Instead, Kiswani was accused of backpedaling once she saw the outrage her posts had created. Other posts vilified Muslims in the ugliest terms:

“You’re damn right we have a problem with Muslims, AFTER 9-11……. We don’t want you here.”
“Islam is a CANCER on the world.”

“Personally, I value my dog more than any Muslim. My message to you is GFY.”

“Dogs are way more loved and cherished than muzzies. Dogs are beautiful and loyal. Muzzies love death and destruction.” These are not even the ugliest comments.

Resign, Fine

Fine’s February 15 tweet was met by renewed calls for his resignation or censure. During his brief time in Congress (Fine won his seat in a 2025 special election) Fine has compiled a long rap sheet of Islamophobic remarks.

Last year, during an appearance on FoxNews, Fine made a statement which arguably called for the use of nuclear weapons in Gaza. Fine denies that that is what he meant. During the same interview, Fine, who is Jewish, said that “The Palestinian cause is an evil one.” He has smeared two of his House colleagues, Representatives Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar, as “terrorists.”

Fine supports the expulsion of all Muslims from the US, even if they are US citizens: “Mainstream Muslims have declared war on us. The least we can do is kick them the hell out of America.”

On February 20, 2026, Fine introduced in the House the Protecting Puppies from Sharia Act. I wish I were kidding. The bill prohibits any state or locality which bans owning dogs as pets from receiving federal funds. Has any unit of government in the US tried to outlaw dogs as pets, or more broadly, tried to legislate Sharia? Not as far as I can tell. Fine’s bill is yet another example of Republicans coming up with solutions to nonexistent problems while ignoring real problems like making healthcare affordable.

Fine has announced that he is bringing two guests to Tuesday’s State of the Union address. One is the Congressman’s father. The other is Sadie: his father’s seeing-eye dog.

Notes.

[1]  Most Muslims regard dogs as ritually unclean, but deserving of “kindness and compassion.” The ahadith (the recorded sayings and deeds of the Prophet Muhammad) describe acts of kindness the Prophet bestowed on dogs and other animals.

[2]  A 1981 Grammy Award-winning song by Kim Carnes describes a woman as “pure as New York snow.” Has Carnes ever been to New York?

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