Yesterday evening, the Miller Center at the University of Virginia hosted Gold-Star parent Khizr Khan for a conversation, and WMRA’s Jordy Yager was there.
Hundreds of people came to hear Khizr Khan speak Tuesday evening at University of Virginia’s Old Cabell Hall.
Three months ago Khan rose to international renown following his appearance at the Democratic National Convention, where he famously offered to lend Republican Presidential Nominee Donald Trump his pocket-sized copy of the U.S. Constitution.
Since then, Khan, who was born in Pakistan, has become perhaps the most widely recognized Muslim-American—a spokesman of sorts, speaking out against calls to ban Muslim immigrants.
On Tuesday, he called anti-Muslim graffiti found earlier this week at UVa an act of cowardice. He also made a fervent call for Muslims to reject violence in religion’s name.
KHAN: I think we’ve had, as Muslims, I have had enough of sitting quiet and not speaking against this hijacking of my faith and my religion.
Khan’s son, Humayun, attended UVa before going to Iraq, where he was killed in 2004 while serving as a U.S. Army captain.
A student in the audience asked Khan what it means to be an American. Khan said it means everything in the world. He recalled a man who approached him recently as he exited an airport. The man shook Khan’s hand and said, “Mr. Khan, I am so proud to be living in your country.”
KHAN: Nowhere else in the world, in any nation will grant such a dignity to an immigrant, except the United States of America. Why wouldn’t we [be] defending this? Why wouldn’t I stand for this? Why wouldn’t I live for it and die for it?