Congressman Honda Responds to Curt Schilling

Statement

"As the proud grandfather of a transgender grandchild, Curt Schilling's post on social media was personal. The Sportscaster's booth is no place for such hate filled speech fueled by intolerance and divisiveness.

Apparently, posting hateful and derisive memes was not enough for Mr. Schilling, who through his Twitter account went on to call me "a coward' for standing with my grandchild and the transgender community.

Mr. Schilling, having a bloody sock is nothing compared to being put in a prison camp for three years by my own country just because of my ancestry. I could have easily allowed this experience to harden my heart. Instead, I've dedicated my life to fighting for the expansion of civil rights for all and protecting the diversity that makes our country so rich, while you got rich playing a sports game.

As a victim of one of the greatest blemishes on American history, I am determined not to repeat the mistakes of our past in acting out of fear, hate, and intolerance. That is why I founded the Congressional Anti-Bullying Caucus and serve as the Vice Chair of the LGBT Equality Caucus.

I implore all Americans to reject any brand of rhetoric -- whether it is on the baseball field or from a podium -- that is demeaning to individuals of any race, religion, gender, and sexual orientation. I applaud ESPN on their decision. Now is not the time to give a platform to any individual who has a history of spewing such insensitive, racist, sexist, and intolerant discourse as Mr. Schilling."

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