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President Joe Biden on Friday announced his intention to nominate Khizr Khan, the Gold Star father who criticized Donald Trump, for the US Commission on International Religious Freedom.
“I wasn’t surprised at all,” Khan told BuzzFeed News of the two-year appointment. “I looked forward to playing a role where I could contribute to the well-being of my country.”
Khan’s son, Humayun Khan, a U.S. Army captain, was killed in a suicide bombing while serving in Iraq in 2004. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star with valor after the fatal attack in which he saved the lives of hundreds of Iraqi soldiers and civilians.
Khan, a Pakistani-born Harvard Law School graduate, is widely recognized for his powerful speech at the 2016 Democratic National Convention with his wife, Ghazala Khan, by his side, in which he spoke. lambasted Trump’s derogatory comments about American Muslims.
“Have you even read the US Constitution? I would be happy to lend you my copy. In it, look for the words ‘liberty’ and ‘equal protection of the law’, ”Khan said after pulling out a pocket copy for effect. “Have you ever been to Arlington Cemetery?” Go see the graves of the brave patriots who died defending America – you will see all faiths, genders and ethnicities. You have not sacrificed anything or anyone.
In response, Trump has frequently attacked the grieving Khan family, drawing criticism from his supporters and other Republicans, including the late Arizona Senator John McCain.
With the announcement of his new post, Khan said he wanted to thank his son, who he said is a “perpetual burning candle to guide us”.
“This light is the light of service to others in any position, in any place, in any ability,” Khan said. “We can all serve others. As long as we do this, we are creating a better community, a better nation, a better humanity. “
USCIRF is made up of private sector commissioners who volunteer for the agency and are appointed by the president, as well as members of Congress. The International Religious Freedom Act 1998 requires that commissioners like Khan be “selected from distinguished individuals known for their knowledge and experience in fields relevant to the issue of international religious freedom, including foreign affairs, direct experience abroad, human rights and international law. “
Khan said being nominated by Biden made him “so proud”, calling the president a “champion of tolerance”.
Khan, who immigrated to the United States in 1980, lives in Virginia and is the founder of the Constitution Literacy and National Unity Project.
Khan is one of two American Muslims appointed to key positions. Biden also announced his intention to appoint Rashad Hussain Goodwill Ambassador for International Religious Freedom.
“The appointments represent an important step in the Biden administration’s commitment to build a government that reflects the diversity of our nation,” Council on American Islamic Relations national executive director Nihad Awad said in a statement to BuzzFeed News. “It is important that American Muslims – and especially young Muslims – see themselves and their values reflected in the government of our nation. “
Khan told BuzzFeed News he sees the role as an opportunity to give back to his country all he has given him and his citizens. The first step in the new role will be to speak about the challenges of religious tolerance in the United States and abroad. The next step of progress, he said, goes beyond simply naming the problem, to engaging with communities and identifying how religious tolerance is linked to economic prosperity.
“We need the world to see how much we disagree while remaining true to our country,” Khan said.
He added that as a sophomore law student he immersed himself in the US Constitution. Of all the human rights in the nation’s guidance document, Khan said the one that stands out the most is the First Amendment.
“I don’t mean to say it’s a perfect document… there is still a lot to do,” Khan said. “I reflect on this, and I become more formed in my belief that… we have to talk, we have to share, we have to learn from each other because it teaches us with equal dignity, freedom. Something we all cherish.
Khan said he would like to see constitutional literacy “more commonly taught to everyone,” especially in the context of personal rights and freedoms. In a time of heightened intolerance across the country spurred by politics and the pandemic, Khan said that “knowing the DNA of this country,” the violence is short-lived.
“Instead of naming and shaming, I believe in commitment,” he said, adding that “the future of humanity” lies in peace and tolerance. “This is where I’m going to focus my energy.”
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