"Vermont recently became the fourth state to legalize same-sex marriage. Do you think every state should follow suit, why or why not."And here is her response:
"I think it's great Americans are able to choose one or the other. We live in a land that you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite marriage. And you know what in my country, in my family I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anybody there, but that's how I was raised and that's how I think it should be, between a man and a woman."Ok, so it shouldn't win any points for clarity or vocabulary, but she honestly stated her opinion - an opinion that the majority of people in her home state of California recently voted into the state Constitution. And here's the reaction of Perez Hilton, the man that asked the question:
If she had won "I would have gone up on stage -- I s--- you not – and snatched that tiara off her head and run out the door."Apparently there was only one even tolerable answer to his question.
Perhaps that thing that bothers me the most about the same-sex marriage debate is how many of those in favor cannot even imagine any acceptable reason why the majority of Americans oppose the idea and cannot tolerate even bestowing the not-so-esteemed title of "Miss USA" on someone who disagrees with their view.
Three things:
ReplyDelete1. In some sense Miss California, regardless of her personal convictions, is representing the state. Given the state passed prop. 8, I think any judge cannot not expect Miss California to side with gay marriage since she represents the state.
2. It's true, given everything else, it really appears that this is the reason she didn't win.
3. Whenever Miss California doesn't win, people should sense a problem with the judges. I mean seriously, it's Miss California! It's like she's up against little leaguers.
Thanks for the post Nick. I actually just heard about this today, and I must say that I was thrilled to see someone stand up for their own opinions, politely and courteously, on such an obviously polarizing issue. I really think that her courage to stand up for her own beliefs independent of the opinions of anyone else, among the judges, in the audience, or even in her whole state, was what most impressed me about this.
ReplyDeleteOh, and ummm... Joe, I think your #3 needs some checking. Miss California hasn't won Miss USA since 1992 (Miss Idaho was awarded it in 1997.) There have only been 5 times Miss California won Miss USA since the pageant began. (Compare to 9 for Miss Texas, 4 for each of Miss New York, Miss Hawaii, and Miss Illinois.) It seems to me that the "little leaguers" are doing pretty well.
ReplyDelete