United States President-elect Donald Trump is encouraging a Florida legislator who celebrated the killing of an American citizen by the Israeli navy to run for Congress.
Trump mentioned in a social media put up on Sunday that if State Senator Randy High-quality decides to hunt a congressional seat in Florida, the state lawmaker would have his “Full and Whole Endorsement”.
High-quality, who has a protracted historical past of anti-Muslim statements, sparked outrage earlier this yr when he appeared to reward the killing of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, a US activist who was fatally shot by the Israeli navy within the occupied West Financial institution.
“Throw rocks, get shot. One much less #MuslimTerror ist. #FireAway,” High-quality wrote in a social media put up in September.
Eygi was participating 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.
High-quality’s put up – which X (previously Twitter) discovered to be in violation of its violent speech coverage – is a part of a protracted checklist of inflammatory, anti-Palestinian and Islamophobic feedback by the state legislator.
“High-quality is a buddy to nobody besides fascism,” Rasha Mubarak, a Palestinian-American activist from Florida, informed Al Jazeera.
“Trump’s endorsement indicators a deepening alignment with the violent, fascist components inside the capitalist class, whose pursuits are served by sowing division and perpetuating the dominance of imperialism.”
High-quality typically proclaims that the US has a “Muslim drawback”. In 2021, when informed by a social media consumer that Palestinians had been being compelled out of their houses by Israel, he responded with: “#BlowThemUp”.
In response to 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, High-quality referred to Jews who assist Palestinian rights as “Judenrat” – Nazi collaborators.
Final yr, High-quality argued that concern of Muslims is justified.
“Whereas many Muslims aren’t terrorists, they’re the radicals, not the mainstream,” he wrote in a put up on X. “Now’s the time to talk reality, not bathe in political correctness that may kill us.”
High-quality’s workplace didn’t instantly reply to Al Jazeera’s response for remark.
Through the years, CAIR has referred to as on Florida lawmakers to censure and penalise High-quality, together with over his latest feedback on Eygi’s killing.
“We battle to think about one other time in trendy American historical past when an elected official brazenly celebrated the homicide of an American by a overseas authorities and inspired extra such killing,” CAIR’s deputy govt director, Edward Ahmed Mitchell, mentioned in Could.
“Randy High-quality has made it clear the place his priorities lie, and it’s not 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 navy, Trump described High-quality as an “America First Patriot”.
He referred to as on him to run for the seat of Congressman Mike Waltz, who will depart 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 yr.
High-quality, who beforehand served in Florida’s Home of Representatives and was just lately elected to the state’s Senate, has not introduced his candidacy, however he welcomed Trump’s assertion.
“It will be the respect of my life to be one among your footsoldiers,” he wrote, addressing the incoming president. “Your confidence is overwhelming and I’ll have information to share quickly!”
Trump himself has frequently unfold anti-Muslim rhetoric, together with saying that the Quran, Islam’s holy e book, teaches a “very damaging vibe” and proclaiming that “Islam hates us”.
He additionally imposed a journey ban on a number of Muslim-majority international locations throughout his first time period as president.
However this yr, 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 High-quality in addition to a few of his staunchly pro-Israel cupboard picks highlights the depth of his alliance with far-right forces.
