United States President-elect Donald Trump is encouraging a Florida legislator who celebrated the killing of an American citizen by the Israeli army to run for Congress.
Trump stated in a social media put up on Sunday that if State Senator Randy Fantastic decides to hunt a congressional seat in Florida, the state lawmaker would have his “Full and Whole Endorsement”.
Fantastic, who has an extended historical past of anti-Muslim statements, sparked outrage earlier this 12 months when he appeared to reward the killing of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, a US activist who was fatally shot by the Israeli army within the occupied West Financial institution.
“Throw rocks, get shot. One much less #MuslimTerror ist. #FireAway,” Fantastic wrote in a social media put up in September.
Eygi was collaborating in a peaceable protest when she was shot. Each Israel and the outgoing administration of US President Joe Biden have dismissed her killing as an accident.
Fantastic’s put up – which X (previously Twitter) discovered to be in violation of its violent speech coverage – is a part of an extended listing of inflammatory, anti-Palestinian and Islamophobic feedback by the state legislator.
“Fantastic is a good friend to nobody besides fascism,” Rasha Mubarak, a Palestinian-American activist from Florida, instructed Al Jazeera.
“Trump’s endorsement indicators a deepening alignment with the violent, fascist components throughout the capitalist class, whose pursuits are served by sowing division and perpetuating the dominance of imperialism.”
Fantastic typically proclaims that the US has a “Muslim drawback”. In 2021, when instructed by a social media consumer that Palestinians had been being compelled out of their houses by Israel, he responded with: “#BlowThemUp”.
In accordance with the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), he additionally despatched a non-public message to a Florida resident saying: “Go blow your self up!”
Two years earlier, Fantastic referred to Jews who help Palestinian rights as “Judenrat” – Nazi collaborators.
Final 12 months, Fantastic argued that concern of Muslims is justified.
“Whereas many Muslims are usually not terrorists, they’re the radicals, not the mainstream,” he wrote in a put up on X. “Now’s the time to talk fact, not bathe in political correctness that may kill us.”
Fantastic’s workplace didn’t instantly reply to Al Jazeera’s response for remark.
Through the years, CAIR has known as on Florida lawmakers to censure and penalise Fantastic, together with over his latest feedback on Eygi’s killing.
“We wrestle to consider one other time in trendy American historical past when an elected official overtly celebrated the homicide of an American by a overseas authorities and inspired extra such killing,” CAIR’s deputy government director, Edward Ahmed Mitchell, stated in Could.
“Randy Fantastic has made it clear the place his priorities lie, and it isn’t with the American individuals. We urge the Florida Home of Representatives to censure him for this hateful, un-American rant.”
Regardless of celebrating the killing of an American lady by a overseas army, Trump described Fantastic as an “America First Patriot”.
He known as on him to run for the seat of Congressman Mike Waltz, who will go away his seat to serve within the White Home as nationwide safety adviser.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis will name for a particular election to fill the emptiness subsequent 12 months.
Fantastic, who beforehand served in Florida’s Home of Representatives and was lately elected to the state’s Senate, has not introduced his candidacy, however he welcomed Trump’s assertion.
“It might be the dignity of my life to be one in all your footsoldiers,” he wrote, addressing the incoming president. “Your confidence is overwhelming and I’ll have information to share quickly!”
Trump himself has recurrently unfold anti-Muslim rhetoric, together with saying that the Quran, Islam’s holy e book, teaches a “very unfavourable vibe” and proclaiming that “Islam hates us”.
He additionally imposed a travel ban on a number of Muslim-majority international locations throughout his first time period as president.
However this 12 months, the previous president softened his tone as he courted Arab and Muslim voters, promising to deliver “peace” to the Center East.
Trump’s endorsement of Fantastic in addition to a few of his staunchly pro-Israel cupboard picks highlights the depth of his alliance with far-right forces.
