Khizr Khan delivered a poignant speech at the Democratic National Convention. He spotlighted the heroism of his son, a Muslim American who died while fighting in Iraq for the United States Army.
The Republican Party and their darling presidential nominee, Donald Trump, caught a whiff of the speech, which brought about an interesting sequence of events.
Mainstream media fawned over the speech, with many think tanks underlining the importance of our armed forces and the emotional weight of having a family member give the ultimate sacrifice to protect American freedoms and liberties.
Then there was Trump, who thought that it was appropriate to deliver asinine opinions about Khan, the speech, and his wife via his favorite outlet, Twitter.
Trump Attacks Silent Bystander
While Khan gave an emotional speech about his son, his wife stood by him for moral support. The silence of Khan’s wife apparently triggered Trump, who exclaimed that she “wasn’t allowed to have anything to say.”
Trump’s unwarranted attack prompted Ghazala Khan, the until-then-silent wife, to go on the defensive. Mrs. Khan stated that her husband had asked if she wanted to talk, and she had simply declined the opportunity. She explained that even though 12 years has passed since the death of her son, the grief still lives and she does not feel comfortable talking about her son on such a national platform.
Republicans Rally around the Khan Family?
Surprisingly, many Republicans defended the family, showing that some Republicans may indeed have a moral compass that is regularly calibrated. Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House, tweeted:
“many Muslim Americans have served valiantly in our military and made the ultimate sacrifice.”
Even Ohio Governor, John Kasich, defended the Gold Star parents, saying that Khan’s son is a “hero.”
There seems to be a trend of Republicans distancing themselves from Trump when he says something or does something controversial, but not vocally condemning his actions. Khan pushed back without pause, saying that Trump has a “black soul.”
Featured image is a screengrab from video.
