Gold Star father Khizr Khan appeared on CBS' Face the Nation yesterday, and shared his disappointment in the Trump administration and particularly General Kelly. He was asked about Trump's feud with a Gold Star family and their friend Congresswoman Wilson.
KHIZR KHAN, AUTHOR: In two words: dignity and restraint.
First, I offer my deepest condolence to the families of my four sons, brave hero sons that died protecting us. Without their sacrifice, this nation would be vulnerable. They were serving this nation.
They will always be remembered. Their families will always be remembered as best of America. I stand with them. I support them. They deserve utmost dignity and respect and privacy at this moment.
That should have been accorded when this matter came to public. But that had not been done. It had been made political football. Again, I request and I ask utmost dignity, respect and privacy.
DICKERSON: This week, General Kelly, the chief of staff, also talked about number of things in American life that had fallen away.
He talked about respect for women, for religion. And he said this. "Gold Star families, I think that left in the convention over the summer."
He was talking about the respect accorded to Gold Star families.
You spoke at one of the conventions. What did you make of those words?
KHAN: We stood for the best of America, for the values of this country.
We spoke about the blessed documents and the traditions of this country. We spoke about the best, citizen Kelly, former general, and we acknowledge his sacrifice, as in service and his family's service.
But now he is citizen of United States. Should have refrained from doing exactly same thing what he was complaining about.
In case of former General Kelly, he had -- I was shocked. I was shocked to see citizen Kelly standing next to the president when he -- when the president could not have the proper word to condemn the attack on the blessed city of Charlottesville, Virginia, by neo-Nazis. He stood -- you could look at his face and his gesture in disgust, but he stood in support of that moment when Donald Trump could not condemn the attack that took place.
Then again, instead of advising the president that restraint and dignity is the call of the moment, former General Kelly indulged in defending the behavior of the president and made the situation even worse. Our political leaders, elected by the people, are -- deserve -- deserving of equal dignity and equal respect, instead of being maligned on misstated facts. And that was beyond the call of the moment.
DICKERSON: We should note that you live in Charlotte.
But now he is a citizen of [the] United States. Should have refrained from doing exactly same thing what he was complaining about.
