Trump is in trouble with veterans – groups and individuals alike – and just seems to be digging himself a deeper hole.
After Khizr Khan, the father of Humayun Khan, a slain Muslim captain in the U.S. Army, said at the Democratic National Convention that Trump “sacrificed nothing and no one” for his country and denounced him for his anti-Islamic views, Trump insulted Khan’s wife by saying that: “She had nothing to say. She probably, maybe she wasn’t allowed to have anything to say. You tell me.”
Trump went on to defend himself, saying “I think I’ve made a lot of sacrifices. I work very, very hard. I’ve created thousands and thousands of jobs, tens of thousands of jobs, built great structures. I’ve had tremendous success. I think I’ve done a lot.”
When pressed about those “sacrifices” by ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos, Trump used the highly controversial Trump University as an example. His other example was the so-called “millions” of dollars that he claims to have donated to veterans, which has been questioned by Veterans groups and has yet to be proven.
Then Trump’s Veterans Adviser further attacked the Khan family, suggesting that Khizr Khan is a “Muslim Brotherhood Agent” and that his son was a double agent “working for the US and Al-Qaeda…killed before his Islamist mission was accomplished.” http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2016/08/01/3803814/trump-al-baldasaro-khizr-khan-muslim-brotherhood/?utm_source=feedly&utm_medium=webfeeds
Mr. Khan more than an aggrieved father of a Muslim son- he’s Muslim Brotherhood agent helping Hillary https://t.co/mJuUYw60nK
— Roger Stone (@RogerJStoneJr) August 1, 2016
Read the truth about your hero, Mr Khan who used his son as Political Pawn @CNN @FoxNews @hooger123 @realDonaldTrump https://t.co/Nrt7CEU3ua
— Rep Al Baldasaro (@Al_Baldasaro) August 1, 2016
Now 11 families of fallen soldiers have written a letter to Trump:
Mr. Trump,
We are all Gold Star Families, who have lost those we love the most in war. Ours is a sacrifice you will never know. Ours is a sacrifice we would never want you to know.
Your recent comments regarding the Khan family were repugnant, and personally offensive to us. When you question a mother’s pain, by implying that her religion, not her grief, kept her from addressing an arena of people, you are attacking us. When you say your job building buildings is akin to our sacrifice, you are attacking our sacrifice.
You are not just attacking us, you are cheapening the sacrifice made by those we lost.
You are minimizing the risk our service members make for all of us.
This goes beyond politics. It is about a sense of decency. That kind decency you mock as “political correctness.”
We feel we must speak out and demand you apologize to the Khans, to all Gold Star families, and to all Americans for your offensive, and frankly anti-American, comments.
We hope you will hear us.
Sincerely,
Diane and Neil Santoriello, Mother and Father of 1LT Neil Santoriello, KIA, Iraq
Summer Lipford-Mickelson, Mother, Frederick Sirko, Father, Kirby Mickelson, Stepfather, Laura Sirko Samimy and Bridget Sirko Gentle, Sisters of PFC Steven Sirko, KIA, Iraq.
Sue and Randy Loudon, Mother and Father of 2ndLt. Christopher Loudon, KIA, Iraq
Melanie House, Widow of HM3 John Daniel House, KIA, Iraq
Derek and Lorene Davey, Mother and Father of Cpl. Seamus M. Davey, KIA, Iraq
Celeste Zappala, Mother, and Raphael Zappala, Brother of SGT. Sherwood Baker, KIA, Iraq
Sue Niederer, Mother of 2LT Seth Dvorin, KIA, Iraq
Fulvio and Gilda Carbonaro, Father and Mother of Sgt. Alessandro Carbonaro, KIA, Iraq
Karen Meredith, Mother of 1LT Ken Ballard, KIA, Iraq
Sergio Torres, Father, Lupe Torres, Mother and Beatriz Saldivar, Aunt of SGT Daniel Torres, KIA, Iraq
MG (Ret.) Paul D. Eaton, and Frank Eaton, sons of Col. Norman Eaton, KIA, Vietnam
Veterans of Foreign Wars, one of the largest and oldest Veteran’s groups in U.S. history, is condemning Donald Trump for his recent comments towards the Khan family:
Says VFW Commander-in-Chief Brian Duffy, “Election year or not, the VFW will not tolerate anyone berating a Gold Star family member for exercising his or her right of speech or expression. There are certain sacrosanct subjects that no amount of wordsmithing can repair once crossed. Giving one’s life to nation is the greatest sacrifice, followed closely by Gold Star families, who have a right to make their voices heard.”
Looks like Trump won’t be counting on any votes from veterans or their family members.
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