Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Miss California Is Just Like Our Prez Except for the Huge Dangling Things




I've been wondering the same exact thing that Ron Kuby (see his take, below) and many others have, since I first heard Obama's belief that gays should not be able to marry, way back when. Then during the primary season, I figured it was just lip service, to win over the "undecideds" and "moderates" (what a fickle and annoying sub-sect they are, their hugely important votes in national elections notwithstanding), and to not upset the republicans/conservatives out there, who didn't want to vote republican, but live with the concern/fear, that if they voted for a pro-gay marriage candidate, they wouldn't get into heaven. Alas, it appears Obama truly is against gays marrying and feels the same way that Miss California and tens of millions of republicans/conservatives throughout America feel. Needless to say, I hope he changes him mind. And I hope that the states, one-by-one, will continue to move in the direction they are, legally recognizing marriage as a right for gays and lesbians everywhere. There is no reason not to. - sj

By Ron Kuby
In case our audience wasn't paying attention to the Miss USA contest (I only watch because it is my duty to do show preparation), Miss California was a shoo-in to take the crown until she drew Perez Hilton as her questioner in the section of the contest that determines the candidate's thoughtfulness on the issues facing our world.

Usually it is a question about AIDS (bad), world peace (good), or what you can do to make people happy (having sex with many, many people, while true, is not a winning answer. Usually they go with education). Hilton, however, asked her whether other states should follow the lead of the four that permit gay marriage, why or why not?

Miss California (aka Carrie Prejean) stated that she believed marriage to be between a man and a woman, that is how she was raised.

She also managed to say that we live in a country where people of the same sex are free to marry (except in 46 states), and, in a subsequent interview, inadvertently outed her sister, who is in the U.S. Air Force.

Howls of protests greeted her answer. Perez Hilton referred to her as a "bitch." Classy. The head of the Miss California contest expressed his sadness. And Miss North Carolina, who was clearly in second place, jumped ahead with her thoughtful exposition on corporate bailouts (spoiler alert--she opposes them).

I would love to berate this blonde with the big, uh, earrings (huge dangling things). But support for marriage equality is not a qualification for entry into the Miss USA pageant. It seems somewhat unfair to ask a question regarding a person's opinion, when there is only one right answer.

More to the point, President Barack Obama has said precisely the same thing, using almost exactly the same words and exactly the same justification. Why are we so pissed that a beauty queen does not accept same sex marriage, when our president doesn't either?

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