Gold Star father Khizr Khan is now the self-proclaimed voice of the U.S. Constitution.
Introducing himself at a panel discussion on race at an Aspen Institute event in Washington, Khan said by profession he is a lawyer. But “these days I speak on behalf of the Constitution of the United States,” he said. “And I am a patriot, American Muslim.”
Khan, father of a Muslim U.S. soldier killed in 2004 in Iraq, rose to fame during the 2016 presidential campaign due to his rousing speech at the Democratic National Convention during which he used a pocket Constitution to make his case.
He criticized candidate Donald Trump for how he “consistently smears the character of Muslims,” “disrespects” other minority groups and women, and plan to build a border wall. Khan lifted up a pocket copy of the Constitution and asked Trump if he had ever read the document. “I will gladly lend you my copy. In this document, look for the words ‘liberty’ and ‘equal protection of law,'” he said.
Khan said he has spoken publicly more than 100 times since the convention. He has become a vocal critic of President Trump’s two travel bans aimed at several Muslim-majority countries.
Khan said Tuesday he promised civil rights leader Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., that he would continue to speak out after the convention. “I’m keeping my promise,” Khan said.
I met Khizr and Ghazala Khan. They are kind and wonderful people. We all can learn from this family. #goodtrouble https://t.co/qsUpsgoIgT
— John Lewis (@repjohnlewis) July 31, 2016
He said he doesn’t talk about the Constitution just because it is Constitution. “I talk about it because some people call those amendments, I call them human dignities.”
