“In my country, and in my family, I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman,” she said on Sunday night. She went on to come in second to Miss North Carolina.
“It did cost me my crown,” Carrie told Billy, who co-hosted the ceremony, on Monday. “I wouldn’t have had it any other way. I said what I feel. I stated an opinion that was true to myself and that’s all I can do.”
“It is a very touchy subject and he is a homosexual and I see where he was coming from and I see the audience would’ve wanted me to be more politically correct,” she added. “But I was raised in a way that you can never compromise your beliefs and your opinions for anything.”
This story is all over the internet and I even watched it on Rachel Maddow a few minutes ago.
Everybody is very upset at this young lady and essentially making the case that she is anti-gay. But I happen to disagree with that.
Perez Hilton asked this young lady what her opinion was concerning same sex marriage. And she told him.
Now if she wanted to pander to the clearly liberal panel of judges she could have lied, but she decided to tell the truth about her beliefs.
I have no idea if this answer cost her the crown or not, but if it did than it is a tremendous miscarriage of justice. I mean she is competing for the title of Miss America for goodness sakes, and to be honest much of the country feels exactly the way that she does, and some have even stronger negative feelings about "teh gays".
Would it have been better if she had lied and made up an answer that would have helped her to win? I don't believe that for an instant. I have much more respect for somebody who honestly disagrees with my point of view than I do somebody who just tells me what they think I want to hear.
I disagree with this young ladies opinion. But I support her right to have it. And admire that she answered the question honestly.
But you know what does kind of bother me? The fact that this ridiculous competition still exists in America. The idea of young ladies, barely out of their teens, parading around in high heels and swimsuits for an audience of leering middle aged perverts is gross. And I am even more concerned with the message that this kind of "contest" sends to young women about how to be successful in life.
I am not a prude by any stretch of the imagination but this is just silly and disrespectful of women, IMHO.
By the way personally I would probably choose that "opposite marriage" option, you know if I was not completely opposed to marriages in general, no offense. (Update: I corrected this sentence because to be honest I had some wine before I posted and did not get her quote quite right. Remember kids, don't drink and blog!)
Good for her. She told it as she felt it. It's not as if she had a public office. What kind of a question was that in the first place? Certainly no like the mapreading abilities question a couple of years ago.
ReplyDeleteIt is refreshing to see a person (Gryphen) who is not offended by someone who holds a differing opinion. For a number of years, anyone who held an opinion different from the "politically correct" one was labeled as being intolerant. Often, they were even accused of trying to "force" their opinion on others, simply by stating it. It is good to know that there are people who realize that EVERYONE has freedom of speech, whether or not you agree with them.
ReplyDeleteI think her big mistake was first, not responding, "I believe in world peace", and second, she blurted out her ineligibility to be IN the competition by starting out her answer with, "In my country..."I mean, first we have Texas trying to secede, and now California? What next, Alaska??
ReplyDeleteSeriously, I think she's making a mountain out of a molehill -- in other words, she's been listening to too many other people whose normal method of discourse is hyperbole.
Although beauty pageant contestants HAVE been known to be petty and vindictive, so I guess it stands to reason that she might be suspicious of the judges.
Gryphen - I don't know if you are in a relationship or not - but you seem like a good catch - if only I was younger and had the energy - I totally would be stalking you!
ReplyDelete1
She was asked what she thought, and she answered. Though I disagree with her position, I respect her honesty.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit though, I died laughing at her speech pattern. Reminded me of GINO!
In MY country, I believe that there are several states that do allow same sex marriages, in order to accord the same rights to all people-- the right to inherit, visit a sick or dying loved one in the hospital, share in the partner's medical insurance coverage plan offered at work-- why should these rights be restricted to only certain relationships?? In some states, if a man and woman choose to live together without the governmental paperwork, they still may be considered a Common Law Marriage after a set number of years have passed. We're going to have to become a little more accepting of all kinds of relationships-- can't we just learn to get along?
ReplyDeletei think she was in the miss USA contest, which is different from miss america. and then there are teen and jr. versions, and on and on.
ReplyDeletechild beauty pageants are the very scariest imho. i guess pageantry is huge in the south, i never grew up with it and just find it bizarre.
I thought she said "opposite marriage". To me a whole other thing than opposite sex marriage.
ReplyDeleteI felt she just stumbled and wasn't very articulate. It doesn't matter what you say but how you say it. She didn't express herself very well.
I'm from California. She deserved second place.
I don't think she lost because she didn't support gay marriage, her answer was not poised nor polished. She could easily have answered without compromising her position and she was competing to represent the whole country so she needs to be able to handle the political issues without alienating a whole bunch of citizens.
ReplyDeleteWhat slank said.
ReplyDeleteWith a governor like Sarah Palin influencing many of today’s teens, I find this girl's honesty and convictions refreshing. This IS the USA after all, and though I disagree with her, it's wonderful that we live in a country where one can potentially choose.
ReplyDeleteYanno what even more effed up then the teen pageants? The little girl "Beauty" pageants. I've seen a couple of those pageant reality shows and it's is just disgusting the way little girls are coerced into this bizarre sexuality. MOthers-and some fathers- living vicariously through their children. Get a life. EEEEEEWW.
She lost because she needed to pay attention in English and Grammar class. I agree with slank, her answer was not poised or polished. Where does her concept of "choice" come from. I was not aware that being gay was a choice. Where did she get her education?
ReplyDeletemlaiuppa, I'm from CA, too, and I would have given her 2nd place without listening to her(because of putting on eye make up with a TROWEL)!
ReplyDeleteI've met "Perez Hilton" before he was Perez because he went to the same university as I did (a different program and later) and used to organize things in So Cal. He's turned going to parties and organizing things into quite a gig for himself!