“Giving one’s life to [one’s] nation is the greatest sacrifice, followed closely by all Gold Star families, who have a right to make their voices heard”, he said.
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And in the last week, the concept has received singular prominence after the parents of a slain Muslim American soldier appeared at the Democratic National Convention and became the focus of the 2016 presidential race’s latest controversy.
Trump continued, “She probably, maybe she wasn’t allowed to have anything to say”.
For now, Detulio said she remained undecided in the Trump-Clinton contest.
Trump stoked outrage by implying that Ghazala Khan did not speak while standing alongside her husband at last week’s Democratic convention due to their Muslim faith.
Various organizations also bring together relatives of Gold, Silver or Blue Star families.
“Our gold star families have made a sacrifice that most of us can’t even begin to imagine”. American Gold Star Mothers Inc.is one such group, a veterans service group chartered by Congress in 1984 “to honor our sons and daughters through service – service to veterans and patriotic events”, writes the group on its website.
Both Zappala and Meredith stressed that they aren’t speaking on behalf of all Gold Star families, and that there are others who back Trump. Family members authorized to display the flags include spouses, parents, step-parents, adoptive parents, foster parents, children, step-children, adopted children, brothers, sisters, half-brothers and half-sisters.
For almost 100 years, inclusion has been earned for losing an immediate family member serving during wartime.
Brian Duffy, head of the 1.7-million-member VFW, said in a statement Monday that election year or not, the nation’s oldest and largest war veterans group will not tolerate anyone berating a Gold Star family member for exercising their free speech. Arizona Sen. John McCain also issued a strongly worded statement on Monday condemning Trump. Afterward, Trump questioned why the grieving mother, Ghazala Khan, did not speak during her husband’s address, and later criticized Khizr Khan in a series of tweets. “I actually saw her standing there as a kind of strength”.
“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”, the letter said.
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“This is a time to choose country over party for Chris Christie”.
