A Muslim Marine reacts to Khizr Khan’s speech
Khizr Khan's son, Humayun, was killed serving in the US Army. At the DNC last week, Khan challenged Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump to read a copy of the US Constitution.
In the week after speeches from the Clintons, the Obamas, Bernie Sanders, Joe Biden and other big names at the DNC, Khizr Khan's speech has proven to be the most memorable.
With his wife by his side, Khan made a moving speech about their son, Humayun Khan, a soldier who was killed in the line of duty in Iraq.
One of the most memorable moments of the convention was when Khan pulled a copy of the American constitution out of his pocket and said, “Donald Trump … have you even read the United States Constitution? I will gladly lend you my copy.”
Since the speech, a pocket edition of US Constitution has become a bestseller on Amazon.
Tayyib Rashid, a Muslim and a former US Marine, is also an outspoken critic of Donald Trump. Khan's speech was particularly poignant to him.
“I was in awe, it was just such a proud moment for me as an American Muslim and a veteran,” Rashid said, “my heart was just filled with gratitude for Mr. Khan and his wife and the sacrifice that they've made for this nation."
Rashid was on active duty for five years, including three overseas deployments. The first time was in support of the Kosovo operation, the second time he deployed to the Middle East in the years between the Iraq wars, and the third time was on a training mission in Germany. Rashid said his experience in the Marines was overwhelmingly positive and he looks back at that time with "great fondness."
“It was among the best years of my life and particularly because of the way I was received,” Rashid said.
Rashid noted that in many cases he was the first Muslim some of his fellow comrades had ever met.
“With utmost admiration and respect, they would ask me questions about Islam — out of curiosity — and always treated me as one of their own. I never felt different in any way shape or form,” he says.
But Rashid says there are many who still hold misconceptions about the Muslim community in the US.
"I think first and foremost is the misconception that Muslims are not loyal to this country. Our faith tells us to be loyal to the nation in which we reside, that was one of the reasons why I enlisted into the Marine Corps,” says Rashid. "We’re willing to sacrifice just as much, if not more, than anybody else.''