Ignorance and arrogance

Khizr Khan: Trump’s statements ‘proof of his ignorance and arrogance’

By Louis Nelson

Just days after taking an unexpected star turn on the Democratic National Convention’s final night, the father of a Muslim army captain killed in 2004 in Iraq said Donald Trump’s bombastic rhetoric is “proof of his ignorance and arrogance.”

Once again appearing with his wife at his side, Khizr Khan Monday morning attacked the Republican nominee as unfit not just for the presidency, but for even the nomination of one of America’s two major political parties. He said he felt compelled to speak out at the Democratic National Convention because “we had been patiently subjected to the maligning of this candidate for a whole year. Enough is enough.”

Outside of Trump, Khan was overall complimentary of the Republican Party, which he described as equally patriotic as the Democratic Party. The problem, Khan said, is that while many in the GOP have been quietly critical of their party’s nominee, very few Republican leaders who might be in a position to influence Trump have been publicly critical of his comments.

Without providing any further detail, Khan said he was aware that House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell had been among those who have privately urged Trump to tone down his anti-Muslim rhetoric. Monday morning, Khan called for them to go further.

“Every decent Republican has said — I apologize if I'm a little emotional about this — every Republican has rebuked his behavior, yet no one has stood up and said, enough, stop it, you will not be our candidate. In private they have done this. We are aware of it, that in private they have done this,” Khan said. “We will continue to speak up until this candidate behaves in a dignified manner deserving of the candidacy of this office.”

Khan first stepped into the public eye on the fourth and final night of the Democratic National Convention, delivering an impassioned speech with his wife at his side. He honored the memory of his son, Army Capt. Humayun Khan, who was killed in 2004 in Baghdad. But he also accused Trump of never having read the Constitution, offering to lend him the version of the document that Khan pulled from his jacket pocket on stage.

Trump seemed to take particular offense to the charge that he had never read the Constitution, firing back at Khan that the fallen soldier’s father had “no right” to go on stage in Philadelphia and make such an accusation on national television. Asked about Trump’s retort, Khan said it once again proved that the Republican nominee lacks an understanding of the basic tenants of America’s governing principles.

“He wants to have one set of rights for himself, and he wants to have another set of rights for others,” Khan said, reaching once again into his jacket for his pocket copy of the Constitution. “No, somebody should tell him that there is equal dignity, equal protection of law in this country. That is why that constitution came to play. I keep that in my pocket because I cherish this document. I wish somebody would read it to him. Certain fundamental values that enshrine in this document.”

Khan offered a warmer reception to the statement released late Sunday night by GOP vice presidential candidate Mike Pence, who attempted to shift the topic away from the Khan family’s fallen son and onto terrorism and immigration, more comfortable topics for the Trump campaign. Khan said he was “heartened” and “grateful” for the kind words Pence offered to his son and seemed to agree with the GOP ticket’s assertion of a need for stronger immigration controls.

“As far as the policy and tightening the policy, that is what we need. We already have those measures in place. Can we make them better? Of course we can make them better,” Khan said. “Are there better solutions? Of course there are better solutions. Let's go and implement them. Let's make those policies and implement them. But let's not create, strengthen the hands of enemies by these remarks, by these statements. Believe me, these statements strengthen their recruitment process.”