美国国家公共电台 NPR Khizr Khan Says His Faith In America Is Stronger Than Ever

 

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

When Khizr Khan heard of President Trump¹'s awkward phone call with a widow of a fallen soldier, the call where Trump said he knew what he signed up for, Khan had no doubt what to think.

What is wrong with that statement?

KHIZR KHAN: Everything. Every word is wrong.

INSKEEP: Khan described Trump as a man who could not understand military service, having avoided it in Vietnam. Khizr Khan is a familiar antagonist² of the president. He and his wife appeared at the 2016 Democratic Convention to challenge Trump's call to stop Muslims from entering the U.S.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

KHAN: Let me ask you - have you even read the United States Constitution?

(APPLAUSE)

KHAN: I will gladly lend you my copy.

(APPLAUSE)

INSKEEP: In response, Trump questioned the Khan's motives³ and religion, even though they are Gold Star parents whose son was killed in Iraq. Today, Donald Trump is president. And Khizr Khan is the author of a new book, "An American Family."

Where are you from?

KHAN: Well, I'm from Charlottesville, Va.

INSKEEP: He says he always tells people he's from Virginia, even though he was born in Pakistan. That's just the way he feels. Khan came from a Pakistani farming family. He was the first in his family to go to college. And it was in college, he says, that he encountered the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. He says the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness - those self-evident truths - were not self-evident where he lived.

KHAN: I have lived under two martial⁴ laws. Dictators decided⁵ what rights we will have, what rights we will not have. Can I come out of my home? - and what time I can come out of my home. I have seen with my own eyes newspapers burned, stopped because they were critical of the dictator.

INSKEEP: As a young man, Khizr Khan departed Pakistan. And in Dubai, he worked for an oil company. That's where he met an American for the first time.

KHAN: I'll lose my composure if I think of him. Alan was my first boss that hired me.

INSKEEP: Alan Crowl (ph), you said.

KHAN: Yeah, in Dubai. And what a wonderful man. I had not slept properly for the last two nights. I go to report to work - very first day. He looks at me. He picks up the phone, and he calls his wife. Within 45 minutes, Lisa shows up. And then he says to me, Khizr, we have a place for you to rest.

INSKEEP: He was a stranger to you. You were a stranger to him.

KHAN: Total stranger.

INSKEEP: But he saw that you could use a little...

KHAN: Kindness. A little kindness.

INSKEEP: Khizr Khan eventually went to Harvard. And in the United States, he and his wife sent three sons to college. One joined the Army.

I want people to know you've come by our studios - you're wearing a suit. And on the lapel, you've got a pin. Would you describe what that is, please?

KHAN: Yeah. This pin is to commemorate⁶ all those sons and daughters that have given their all in defense⁷ of this country.

INSKEEP: There's a gold star on it.

KHAN: It's a gold star pin. No family wishes to have it. it. No family wishes to have it. If you're fortunate to have this, it symbolizes⁸ not only the sacrifice of Capt. Humayun Khan but for all - and I call them literally⁹ my sons and daughters - that have sacrificed their life. So this is in commemoration of those sacrifices.

INSKEEP: Capt. Humayun Khan - he calls his son Captain every time - was killed by a suicide bomber¹⁰ in Iraq in 2004. And it was this death of a Muslim-American that gave Khizr Khan such authority when he criticized President Trump back in 2016.

Throughout your battle with Donald Trump, then the Republican nominee¹¹ for president - your debate - you expressed faith in this country again and again and again, essentially¹² expressing faith that the people would not elect someone with whom you disagreed so strongly to be president of the United States. What went through your mind when, in fact, Mr. Trump won?

KHAN: Disheartened. I was heartbroken. I was saddened. I remain saddened. But then my faith in the goodness of this country and the values of this country and the human dignities of this country is stronger now than ever before.

INSKEEP: I understand that you would say that. But think about the situation here. You had this very public dispute with Donald Trump. But, ultimately, for 62 million or so people, it wasn't the most important thing. Other things were more important to them. What do you think of people who felt that way?

KHAN: I really am not a political tourist.

INSKEEP: But you think about human nature a lot. And you know a lot of people, including people in Virginia, which voted for Hillary Clinton. But it was a tight election.

KHAN: Yes. I do respect their choices. I do respect their preferences and their concerns. To some extent, those concerns were misguided. This conversation takes us back to - I went to London to participate in a debate. And by some very thoughtful people I was reminded three things. Said, Mr. Khan, when you go back, talk about these three issues - nationalism, economic well-being¹³, fear of immigrants. These three scripts have been used in Europe twice - First World War, Second World War. Same scripts are being used in United States.

INSKEEP: Khizr Khan - his new book is "An American family." Can I ask one more question, Mr. Khan.

KHAN: Please.

INSKEEP: It's a personal thing. So please feel free to refuse. But I have a friend whose father died who told me, I think of my father more now that he's dead than when he was alive. And in some ways, I found out that's true of my own father. How often do you think of your son?

KHAN: Something - similar question was asked of Ghazala. And this is what Ghazala said. She said, why do these people ask me that he's not here? I see him every day. I hear him every day. He's here. Because of our handicap, because of our limitation, we may not be able to communicate directly with them, see them physically¹⁴. But they are with us. We feel the presence of Capt. Humayun Khan every moment.

INSKEEP: Khizr Khan, thank you very much.

KHAN: Thank you.

(SOUNDBITE OF NIKLAS AMAN'S "SHORT STORY")

1 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

2 antagonist   

n.敌人，对抗者，对手

参考例句：

• His antagonist in the debate was quicker than he.在辩论中他的对手比他反应快。
• The thing is to know the nature of your antagonist.要紧的是要了解你的对手的特性。

3 motives   

n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• to impeach sb's motives 怀疑某人的动机
• His motives are unclear. 他的用意不明。

4 martial   

adj.战争的，军事的，尚武的，威武的

参考例句：

• The sound of martial music is always inspiring.军乐声总是鼓舞人心的。
• The officer was convicted of desertion at a court martial.这名军官在军事法庭上被判犯了擅离职守罪。

5 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

6 commemorate   

vt.纪念，庆祝

参考例句：

• This building was built to commemorate the Fire of London.这栋大楼是为纪念“伦敦大火”而兴建的。
• We commemorate the founding of our nation with a public holiday.我们放假一日以庆祝国庆。

7 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

8 symbolizes   

v.象征，作为…的象征( symbolize的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The use of light and dark symbolizes good and evil. 用光明与黑暗来象征善与恶。
• She likes olive because It'symbolizes peace. 她喜欢橄榄色因为它象征着和平。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

10 bomber   

n.轰炸机，投弹手，投掷炸弹者

参考例句：

• He flew a bomber during the war.他在战时驾驶轰炸机。
• Detectives hunting the London bombers will be keen to interview him.追查伦敦爆炸案凶犯的侦探们急于对他进行讯问。

11 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

12 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

13 well-being   

n.安康，安乐，幸福

参考例句：

• He always has the well-being of the masses at heart.他总是把群众的疾苦挂在心上。
• My concern for their well-being was misunderstood as interference.我关心他们的幸福，却被误解为多管闲事。

14 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。