In Humayun Khan and His Family, A Complex Portrait of Patriotism

US Army Captain Humayun Khan, 27, the son of Pakistani immigrants, died in service of his country in Iraq. Twelve years later, Khizr Khan, spoke at the Democratic National Convention in support of candidate Hillary Clinton. The father’s speech, a powerful testament to American values, criticized Donald Trump and resonated in the convention hall and beyond, demonstrating the ability of US citizens to rebuke their leaders: “Have you ever been to Arlington Cemetery? Go look at the graves of brave patriots who died defending the United States of America. You will see all faiths, genders and ethnicities. You have sacrificed nothing and no one. We cannot solve our problems by building walls, sowing division. We are stronger together.” Khan urged fellow US voters not to take the presidential election lightly. AJ Willingham writes for CNN about the sacrifices of Captain Khan and a father’s moving speech: “It signaled that patriotism and Islam are not mutually exclusive, that sacrifice and grief have no religion, and that the similarities that the Khans share with so many American families are far more meaningful than their differences.” – YaleGlobal