Former baseball star-turned-conservative commentator Curt Schilling is apologizing after a botched attempt to defend disgraced alt-right icon and (for now, at least) Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos on Twitter.
Schilling is well-known for ludicrous political commentary, like suggesting journalists should be lynched.
But he’s now (voluntarily) eating crow after learning just what it is that has critics so upset with Yiannopoulos.
Yiannopoulos suffered a string of severe career setbacks in short succession today, stemming from comments he made defending pedophilia in an online video that came to light over the weekend.
In the wake of intense criticism from across the political spectrum, Yiannopoulos was disinvited from speaking this week at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). Hours later, he lost his $250,000 book deal with Simon & Schuster, just months before his book, “Dangerous,” was set for release.
And still later in the day, news reports suggested Yiannopoulos might be fired by Breitbart.
Barring any other information, perhaps it’s easy to conclude Yiannopoulos was unfairly singled out for his political views and robbed of his free speech rights. Schilling, who is also affiliated with Breitbart, certainly did.
So he took to Twitter to state that, whatever Milo may be, at least he isn’t a pedophile or defender of pedophilia — unlike certain celebrities conservatives frequently cite as icons of the political left.
Let me see if I have this right. @lenadunham child molestor Woody Allen, sex with a minor, Roman Polanski, rapist, But Milo is the problem?
— Curt Schilling (@gehrig38) February 21, 2017
Well, there’s at least one problem: In the video, Yiannopoulos at one point referred to pubescent children as “sexually mature.” He is also recorded saying that it is possible for a 13-year-old to be the “predator” in a relationship with an adult, he joked that being molested by a priest had made him better at oral sex, and also claimed to have attended parties with high-status people in the entertainment industry at which “some of the boys there were very young.”
“Some of the things that I have seen have beggared belief,” he added, without naming any names.
Yiannopoulos, in a statement, said his thoughts on relationships between young boys and adult men were inelegantly expressed and taken out of context. He also insisted that he agrees with current consent laws, and denied supporting pedophilia.
Soon after Schilling’s initial tweet, he was directed to a link containing Yiannopoulos’ shocking comments in full. At that point he changed his tune.
Well there ya go. Haven't read that or heard but if that is in fact true then I will stand humbly, and be rightfully pelted.
— Curt Schilling (@gehrig38) February 21, 2017
Ok, pretty important piece of news, and commentary, I went into this discussion without. That's a whole different ball of wax to be sure. https://t.co/qsvBiqfLWs
— Curt Schilling (@gehrig38) February 21, 2017
Lesson: Bone up on the specifics of whatever topic you’re talking about before you start accusing your political enemies of hypocrisy.
In fairness to Schilling, he immediately admitted his error, apologized and welcomed critics to let him have it.
UPDATE! I had NO idea of the video/audio of Milo's interview which he defends and hides the identity of pedophiles. There's no circumstance
— Curt Schilling (@gehrig38) February 21, 2017
In any setting ever where protection of a molester is appropriate and IMO legal? But I apologize if it appeared in any way I was 'defending"
— Curt Schilling (@gehrig38) February 21, 2017
that sort of commentary. I'll accept any and all abuse thrown my way for not thoroughly going through ALL the material before responding.
— Curt Schilling (@gehrig38) February 21, 2017
But, while we’re on the subject of grossly inappropriate comments sexualizing underage people, it’s worth noting that last summer, Schilling vociferously defended Donald Trump after Trump was accused of making comments sexualizing underage girls.
“How many times — and I have three boys and a daughter — how many times have you looked at a young man and said, ‘Wow, he’s a beautiful young man, wow, he’s a gorgeous young man,’” Schilling said to FBN host Trish Regan, as reported at the time by The Hill.
“Zero,” said Regan.
Said Schilling in response: “There’s no way you haven’t seen somebody else’s son and said ‘Wow, he’s beautiful.’”
Yiannopoulos, for his part, has stated that he himself is a victim of sexual abuse committed against him by an older man.