Rep. Justin Amash (R., Mich.) accused Sen. John McCain (R., Ariz.) of being a "racist" Monday after McCain tweeted a joke about Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
"So Ahmadinejad wants to be first Iranian in space—wasn't he just there last week?" McCain tweeted along with an article about Iran’s recent launch of a monkey into space.
McCain’s comparison of the Holocaust-denying Ahmadinejad to a monkey did not sit well with several Twitter users, including Amash.
"Maybe you should wisen up & not make racist jokes," Amash tweeted.
McCain, however, stood his ground, telling angry users to "lighten up."
"Re: Iran space tweet—lighten up folks, can't everyone take a joke?" McCain wrote following his initial tweet, which has garnered more than 1,000 retweets.
Ahmadinejad announced Monday that he aspires to become Iran’s first astronaut.
"I’m ready to be the first Iranian to sacrifice myself for our country’s scientists," Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying in the Iranian media.
Amash appears to be courting as much controversy as his congressional guru, former Rep. Ron Paul (R., Texas).
Paul attracted scorn this afternoon after he tweeted about the death of former Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, who was murdered Saturday at a gun range in Texas.
"Chris Kyle's death seems to confirm that 'he who lives by the sword dies by the sword.' Treating PTSD at a firing range doesn't make sense," Paul tweeted.
His comment immediately drew a pitched response.
"Unbelievable," tweeted writer Joshua Trevino.
"This is appalling," added Commentary magazine editor John Podhoretz.
Paul has yet to clarify or explain his comments.