Haitian-American Garcon ready to forgive Trump's 'shithole' comment

Pierre Garcon isn't exactly surprised that President Donald Trump referred to Haiti as a "shithole" - but that doesn't mean the San Francisco 49ers receiver wants to fight hate with hate.

Garcon, whose parents were born in Haiti, says he was initially angry and confused as to why the president of the United States of America would make such "embarrassing" remarks. Asked what he would say to Trump, however, Garcon told TMZ Sports: "We would forgive him."

Garcon continued, "That's all we really can do. You can only try to show somebody something. If they don't want to experience it, that's theirs, but we are happy to be from Haiti. We are happy to be Haitian immigrants."

The 31-year-old receiver says there's no point to "stooping" to Trump's level with personal attacks.

"You don't fight fire with fire," said Garcon, who held up Haiti's flag while celebrating winning the AFC championship with the Indianapolis Colts in 2010. "You try to shed light on the situation and try to see it from a different point of view ... Let's not get into a shouting match."

Garcon's charity, the Pierre Garcon Helping Hands Foundation, works to bring education, health, and community programs to Haiti, and was founded several months after the devastating earthquake that hit the country in January 2010.