DENVER, CO – AUGUST 7: American Muslim Ahmad Ghais, holds up a picture of his brother Taher Ghais who died in action April 4th, 1968 while fighting in Vietnam for America at Fort Logan National Cemetery on August 7, 2016 in Denver, Colorado. Mike Sexton, from Highlands Ranch, decided to put flowers on the gravestones of American Muslims who served our country in uniform and lost their lives to honor them. This was sparked as a protest against the vilification of the family of fallen American hero Captain Humayun Khan by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Sexton asked that if you could not find the grave of a Muslim-American then place a flower on the grave of someone different than you in some way; someone of a different faith or ancestry. Because Fort Logan only allows flags to be placed on graves on Memorial day, those who attended mark the graves with flowers, rocks, and colorful glass stones. About 50 people turned out for the event. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
Ahmad Ghais, the 78-year-old brother of a dead Vietnam War veteran, stooped in front of the headstone of Vincente Lopez, a Korean War veteran, and placed a pink and white rose on top of it. A Muslim star and crescent — just what Ghais was looking for — was etched at the top of the stone.
Ghais and more than 30 others went to Fort Logan National Cemetery on Sunday to honor veterans of all races and religions. Mike Sexton, a Highlands Ranch man, organized the event with the family of a Muslim U.S. Army captain who died in Iraq. Khizr Khan, the captain’s father, spoke at the Democratic National Convention.
On Sunday, some carried bouquets of roses, but Ghais was carrying a framed picture of his brother, Taher, who died in Vietnam. “This transcends all politics,” said Ghais, who said he has been following the presidential campaign closely. “And I’m hoping we can preserve American values, because they seem to be under attack.”
Terie Miyamoto, a 66-year-old, third-generation Japanese-American woman from Centennial, carried a framed picture of her father, a World War II veteran, and her mother, who was put in Japanese internment camps during the war.
“I think itap a sad state in America when one of our leaders running for the highest office — who would be the leader of the free world — has such a prejudiced view of ethnicities and genders that are different from him,” said Miyamoto, whose father, Ted Miyamoto, was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal posthumously in 2011.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
DENVER, CO - AUGUST 7: A red rose is left on top of the tombstone of American Muslim Vincente Lopez at Fort Logan National Cemetery on August 7, 2016 in Denver, Colorado. Mike Sexton, from Highlands Ranch, decided to put flowers on the gravestones of American Muslims who served our country in uniform and lost their lives to honor them. This was sparked as a protest against the vilification of the family of fallen American hero Captain Humayun Khan by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Sexton asked that if you could not find the grave of a Muslim-American then place a flower on the grave of someone different than you in some way; someone of a different faith or ancestry. Because Fort Logan only allows flags to be placed on graves on Memorial day, those who attended mark the graves with flowers, rocks, and colorful glass stones. About 50 people turned out for the event. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
DENVER, CO - AUGUST 7: Jonald Thurheimer looks for a tombstone to put a red rose onto at Fort Logan National Cemetery on August 7, 2016 in Denver, Colorado. Mike Sexton, from Highlands Ranch, decided to put flowers on the gravestones of American Muslims who served our country in uniform and lost their lives to honor them. This was sparked as a protest against the vilification of the family of fallen American hero Captain Humayun Khan by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Sexton asked that if you could not find the grave of a Muslim-American then place a flower on the grave of someone different than you in some way; someone of a different faith or ancestry. Because Fort Logan only allows flags to be placed on graves on Memorial day, those who attended mark the graves with flowers, rocks, and colorful glass stones. About 50 people turned out for the event. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
DENVER, CO - AUGUST 7: Vietnam Army Veteran Edward Laurson looks at tombstones as he walks among them at Fort Logan National Cemetery on August 7, 2016 in Denver, Colorado. Mike Sexton, from Highlands Ranch, decided to put flowers on the gravestones of American Muslims who served our country in uniform and lost their lives to honor them. This was sparked as a protest against the vilification of the family of fallen American hero Captain Humayun Khan by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Sexton asked that if you could not find the grave of a Muslim-American then place a flower on the grave of someone different than you in some way; someone of a different faith or ancestry. Because Fort Logan only allows flags to be placed on graves on Memorial day, those who attended mark the graves with flowers, rocks, and colorful glass stones. About 50 people turned out for the event. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
DENVER, CO - AUGUST 7: People pledge allegiance to the flag before heading out to put flowers on gravestones at Fort Logan National Cemetery on August 7, 2016 in Denver, Colorado. Mike Sexton, from Highlands Ranch, decided to put flowers on the gravestones of American Muslims who served our country in uniform and lost their lives to honor them. This was sparked as a protest against the vilification of the family of fallen American hero Captain Humayun Khan by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Sexton asked that if you could not find the grave of a Muslim-American then place a flower on the grave of someone different than you in some way; someone of a different faith or ancestry. Because Fort Logan only allows flags to be placed on graves on Memorial day, those who attended mark the graves with flowers, rocks, and colorful glass stones. About 50 people turned out for the event. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
DENVER, CO - AUGUST 7: American Muslim Ahmad Ghais, holds up a picture of his brother Taher Ghais who died in action April 4th, 1968 while fighting in Vietnam for America at Fort Logan National Cemetery on August 7, 2016 in Denver, Colorado. Mike Sexton, from Highlands Ranch, decided to put flowers on the gravestones of American Muslims who served our country in uniform and lost their lives to honor them. This was sparked as a protest against the vilification of the family of fallen American hero Captain Humayun Khan by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Sexton asked that if you could not find the grave of a Muslim-American then place a flower on the grave of someone different than you in some way; someone of a different faith or ancestry. Because Fort Logan only allows flags to be placed on graves on Memorial day, those who attended mark the graves with flowers, rocks, and colorful glass stones. About 50 people turned out for the event. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
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DENVER, CO - AUGUST 7: A red rose is left on top of the tombstone of American Muslim Vincente Lopez at Fort Logan National Cemetery on August 7, 2016 in Denver, Colorado. Mike Sexton, from Highlands Ranch, decided to put flowers on the gravestones of American Muslims who served our country in uniform and lost their lives to honor them. This was sparked as a protest against the vilification of the family of fallen American hero Captain Humayun Khan by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Sexton asked that if you could not find the grave of a Muslim-American then place a flower on the grave of someone different than you in some way; someone of a different faith or ancestry. Because Fort Logan only allows flags to be placed on graves on Memorial day, those who attended mark the graves with flowers, rocks, and colorful glass stones. About 50 people turned out for the event. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
Flint Whitlock, a 74-year-old Vietnam War veteran, went to the cemetery in part to shoot video for his wife’s film on Islamophobia.
“Itap unbelievable that (Trump) would say the kinds of things he did, especially when trying to get elected,” said Whitlock, who said his wife is a retired professor at Metropolitan State University of Denver and works on films for classrooms. “You don’t want to alienate voters, and he’s certainly gone out of his way to do that.”
Sexton, who began the event with a talk that quoted Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, asked attendees to find a grave of someone who doesn’t share their background and pay respects.
“No matter what our political differences are — I’m sure there were conservatives here, and I know there were liberals here because I am one — it didn’t matter,” said Sexton, a computer programmer. “We could all honor our heritage.”
He placed an orange flower on the headstone of a Latino World War II veteran.
“I’m here in part because I’m personally offended,” said Ghais, a Muslim American who immigrated from Egypt in 1958. He said America has great tolerance despite its lingering racism and religious intolerance.
“Itap rising again these days. It just seems like American values are under attack,” Ghais said. “I hope itap an aberration.”
Sexton said he plans to come to pay respects at the cemetery once a week until the election is over and will post updates on his “Honor the fallen” .
“I wanted to show respect, and I am touched by all these people who share my attitude,” Ghais said.
“Avoid Islamophobia because it plays into the hands of Islamic extremists who want to start a religious war,” Ghais said. “Islamic terrorists are an aberration of their own.”
