In an era when celebrity commentary often seems either performative or superficial, a rare moment of sincerity can stand out — especially when it affirms dignity over division. That's exactly what happened last month when I had a brief but meaningful encounter with Ben Affleck.

While walking together, my wife spotted Affleck in the distance. To her horror, I walked straight up to him before she could stop me. "Hey Ben," I said. He looked up, clearly caught off guard — likely expecting a selfie request or a comment about The Accountant 2. But instead, I told him, "You probably don't remember, but I want to thank you for standing up for Muslims and calling out Islamophobia years ago on"

Before I could finish, he smiled and said, "On Bill Maher show?"

I nodded. Without missing a beat, he replied: "It should be obvious. There's no place for hate."

My wife had caught up by then and instinctively recorded the tail end of our chat — a brief handshake, but a powerful moment of moral clarity. A moment that reminded me — and clearly millions of others, given how widely the story........

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