What everyone seems to be missing on the Trump-Khan controversy

Is anyone in this country allowed to savage another without consequence? Apparently some believe Khizr Khan is. You know the story by now. His son bravely sacrificed his life in Iraq. The Democrats highlighted Humayun Khan’s sacrifice on the last night of their convention. It was a moving tribute not only to Captain Khan but to the diversity of America. Had it been left at that it would’ve been great. But Hillary and the Democrats couldn’t resist. Neither could Khizr Khan. He turned a moving tribute to his son into a malicious attack against Donald Trump.

Media pundits over and over said Gold Star families, the families of fallen heroes, are off limits to criticism. No one is disputing their sacrifice. Everyone shares their sorrow, although we can never fully comprehend their loss unless we, ourselves, experience it. But that doesn’t mean you get to stand before a national television audience and attack someone and distort their position on an issue without a response.

Khan said, “If it was up to Donald Trump, he (his son) never would have even been in America.” That’s a ridiculous statement. Donald Trump called for a temporary ban on Muslims coming to America after the San Bernardino terrorist attack that killed 14 people. Prior to that, he had been adamantly opposed to a ban. In light of how easy it was for Tashfeen Malik to enter the country, Trump decided the only course of action was to ban Muslim immigration until we can ensure that we’re filtering out the terrorists. It’s a common sense approach that I’ve been calling for since 9/11.

Khan said Trump had never read the Constitution, insinuating that Muslims—or anyone else—have a Constitutional right to migrate to this country. Let’s be crystal clear about that. They don’t. United States law, under the Constitution, gives the president discretion to cut off immigration to this country as he sees fit.

Then Khan used the death of his son in one of the lowest public displays in modern politics. He told Donald Trump from the podium of the DNC, “You have sacrificed nothing and no one.” That’s when Khizr Khan crossed over from simply warping a tribute to his son into a political speech using his deceased son as a human shield. What kind of person would use their own loss to call someone else out to measure their own against it?

Donald Trump doesn’t need me to speak for him, but if you want to know what kind of sacrifice he’s made, ask him about Freddy. Frederick Trump, Jr. was Donald’s eldest brother. He was handsome, an airline pilot, and full of promise. He was also an alcoholic. Donald idolized him and did everything he could to stop the drinking. At age 43, Freddy Trump died from complications associated with alcoholism. Freddy’s alcoholism had such a profound effect on Trump that he eschewed alcohol and cigarettes.

I’ve never heard Trump recall the painful, fatal spiral of his older brother then scold someone else that “you have sacrificed nothing and no one.” 

And what did Trump say that was so bad about Khizr Khan? He asked if his wife, who stood silent beside him on stage at the DNC, was allowed to speak. It was a question that was on everyone’s mind. Trump simply asked it.

Trump has had nothing but praise for Captain Khan, but has defended himself against the slanderous attacks from his father. Since when does someone get to use their grief as a weapon? Since the DNC so shamelessly exploited the life of Captain Khan.

Phil Valentine is the host of the award-winning, nationally syndicated talk radio show, The Phil Valentine Show.