War Of Words: Miss California Vs. Perez Hilton
Carrie Prejean reportedly lost the Miss USA pageant on Sunday because of her views on same-sex marriage. But thanks to blogger and pageant judge Perez Hilton’s rants, we all lose.
For those who’ve been living under a daytime TV rock the past few days, here’s the story: the 21-year-old Prejean, a contestant from Califronia, was asked by Hilton during the pageant,
“Vermont recently became the fourth state to legalize same-sex marriage. Do you think every state should follow suit? Why or why not?”
Prejean answered,
“We live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite. And you know what, I think 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 out there, but that’s how I was raised.”
A stupid answer, to be sure, as the large majority of Americans actually cannot choose between “opposite” or same sex marriage, and because she basically inarticulately advocates for a federal Constitutional amendment to prevent it (“in my country”) despite the fact that the question specifically referred to state legalization.
Hilton suggests that Prejean should have given a more wishy-washy answer — a decent, if annoyingly political one:
“Hm. Perez, that’s a great question. That’s a very hot topic in our country right now. And I think that is a question each state should decide for themselves because that’s how our forefathers designed our government, you know. The states rule themselves and then there are some laws that are federal.”
Kind of a stupid answer, when put in those terms — but it’s about as responsive as most pageant answers, which the Today show’s Matt Lauer characterizes as “questions that allow the contestants to pray for world peace and tell how much they love puppies and kittens.”
Prejean, naturally, is hurt that Hilton is calling her names but is sticking by her answer as a matter of faith. However, Hilton, who initially apologized, decided not only to stick by his assertion that she’s a “dumb bitch” but proceeded to all but call her a “dumb cunt” on MSNBC.
In other words, the woman who lost a pageant because she doesn’t believe in equality for LGBT Americans is coming out smelling like roses for sticking by her beliefs, while those of us who despised her answer may be lumped in with someone who apparently believes that the best way to change the hearts and minds of those against same sex marriage is to insult them with misogynistic characterizations, like “dumb bitch”. Thanks, asshole. Whose side are you on again?
Did Miss California’s Answer Really Cost Her the Crown? [Fox News]
Everyone Is Entitled To Their Own Opinion, But… [Perez Hilton]
Miss California: I Stand By Gay Marriage Remark [MSNBC]
Exclusive: Carrie Prejean Says ‘God Was Testing My Faith’ With Gay Marriage Question [Fox News]
Miss Congeniality Mishap [MSNBC]