Everybody has the right to have freedom of religion and speech, and so does Trump, said Rashid, who said he would “defend his right to speak his mind” if he had to.
“But when you’re running for president and the most respected office," Rashid said, "words of prejudice and words that are insulting are beneath what a president should be saying or promoting."
Rashid said he could relate to Mr. Khan’s speech, not only as a Muslim American veteran and as an immigrant, but especially because he was around the age of Humayun Khan, whose parents were around the same age as his parents.
“I’m just a couple months younger" than Humayun, Rashid said. "Coming from Pakistan as an immigrant, Mr. Khan’s words resonated with me especially. This was an important moment."
He added, “American Muslims have sacrificed just as much as those who served before us."
Though Trump’s comments offended him on a personal level, Rashid said he was “first and foremost” offended as an American.
“What he’s doing is dividing the country even more, and he provides ammunition to extremist elements who wish to do us harm," Rashid said. "It only serves as a recruitment mechanism for them. When he offends me as an American, and he puts people at risk, and divides our country, that’s when I have the biggest problem."