Subscribe to Breaking NewsRuby-Sachs: Why Miss California Matters
James and I usually only get to disagree on Fridays. But today, I have to say, he got it wrong about Miss USA 2009.
He wonders why we care about what a Miss USA candidate says in an impromptu answer? Easy. The Miss USA pageant reflects mainstream American discourse. It could be argued that what Miss California thinks about gay marriage is far more important than the latest ramblings from Rudy Giuliani.
More significant, perhaps, is the fact that the Miss USA 2009 pageant averaged five million viewers each preliminary. Millions more tuned into YouTube after the answer from Miss California broke.
We can spend eons arguing with elected representatives about marriage equality, but tolerance for LGBT people can’t be achieved through a simple vote. That kind of equality requires outreach, education and, in some cases, public shame for intolerant views. Kids need to learn that discriminating against gay people is not okay, even if you are blonde, skinny and look good in a bathing suit.
Miss California (a mere “kid” according to James) also has plenty of opportunity to educate herself about LGBT issues. Her sister is a gay rights advocate and her family has had many discussions on the subject. She could have, as Perez Hilton described on his “dumb b****” post, simply ducked the question altogether.
Instead, she took the opportunity to speak out in favor of discrimination. I hope it cost her the crown. I hope that the outcry continues. I hope we continue to pay attention to mainstream media when it comes to these kinds of issues.
Every future Miss USA contestant will learn from Miss California’s mistake. It will be seen as a mistake. This is an important victory and, though I never thought I’d be doing this, I applaud Hilton for his question and his outrage even as I object to his language.
Respectfully disagree? OK, If this evil homophobic c*nt had said I support marriage choice but I believe marriage is between a man and a woman. This would be something to respectfully disagree with. Because she respects gay and lesbian rights, while not agreeing with them. She didn’t do this, so why should Perez Hilton extend her the same courtesy. Rights, such as the civil right to marry and the freedom of speech are two way streets, if you don’t believe we, gays and lesbians, have the right to marry, then your precious free speech means fly sh*t to us.
No one’s freedom of speech or religion overrides gay and lesbian rights to equal treatment. Furthermore, Free Speech is not free, if you espouse a belief that all jews should be gassed, blacks lynched or gays and lesbians denied the right to marry, then you have to pay a price for that speech. If you don’t like it, tough sh*t!!
Marriage equality entails more than 1,700 rights, such as the 5th Amendment, 4th Amendment as well as a host of other more important rights then someone’s freedom to express bigotry. For this evil homophobic c*nt bit*h hypochristian piece of fecal matter to express her evil beliefs and spread her mental illness(homophobia) to the masses is a crime. Perez Hilton in my opinion is being too nice, too diplomatic and too apologetic. Look at what happened when Ann Coulter said Jews would be “complete” if they converted to Christianity. She was rightfully singled out for her bigoted beliefs. Christians have the right to be Christian, but don’t force your religion on Jews or others. Heterosexuals have the right to be heterosexual and believe in traditional marriage, but they don’t have the right to deny marriage equality to gays nor to express anti-gay bigotry without public sanction and ridicule.
I am happy to see the tables turned on homophobes. After the decades and centuries of bigotry gays and lesbians have experienced, justice is due. “Peace is not the mere abscence of tension but the presence of justice”. Homophobes beware, expressing your evil bigotry will cost you as it dam* well should!!
No one should be surprised Miss California said what she said She attends San Diego Christian College, on a scholarship. It’s not rocket science to figure out what she was going to say. Wrong or right, no one should be shocked.
Perez Hilton’s remarks about Miss Calif. are disgraceful. At a time when one of our goals is to project positive images of GLBT people and their conduct, we are saddled with this screaming wildman as a spokesperson. His use of vituperation and namecalling is perceived by the heterosexual public as an expression of the very type of irrational hatred (H8) that gay people are trying to deflect. Moreover, his words can only validate in many minds the use of analogous slurs against us. The phrase “I respectfully disagree” is obviously not in Mr. Hilton’s lexicon because respect for diversity is, ironically, not an arrow in his quiver. Gays and straights alike should feel shamed and outraged by this man and his vicious mouth and mind.
Well said, Emma. Right on the money.
I wonder if perhaps you need to think about what you have written above. What kind of society are we living in if we are to decide a person needs to be publicly shamed for their views- no matter what their views. And who would you suggest we appoint the “view police”
Either we truly believe we are a free country, free to have our own beliefs and set of morals or we do not.
No matter who you are or what you do, If you have denigrated, punished, or in anyway made a person to fell ashamed of their views- Then you are the intolerant one.
It was Perez Hilton who brought this subject up. I am quite sure of Perez Hiltons views on the subject and I (a straight man) HAVE NO RIGHT to denigrate him in any way because I truly am not an intolerant person.
However, I ask you, if I were intolerant to your beliefs- what would be the difference between my actions and Perez Hiltons intolerant response to this young Lady,s beliefs.
p.s. i am wondering if you will even publish this?
I agree with you Stacey! If the question was posed to all contestants, then fine. Frankly, I thought she was ambushed by an idiot who has no clue about being civil. This is just like a schoolyard fight.
Yes, I disagree with her answer. I really think she is only speaking for herself, however. Her blaming others for her not winning is absolutely ridiculous. Wake up darling! Presentation is just as important as substance in a beauty pageant.
Jerry
Tucson, AZ
Why was that question allowed? While I believe that every American deserves the same rights equally, I also believe in freedom of speech and religion. Frankly, this was a beauty contest and no one really cares what any of these girls actually think. Perez Hilton asked a loaded question and it wasn’t fair. Unless every contestant was going to be asked what her views on this subject were, no one should have been asked.
It should be noted that her answer wasn’t even an answer. It was a yes or no question, and she chose yes AND no, by first saying it was “great” that people could choose to marry a same-sex partner, but that it shouldn’t happen “in my country”. One of those must be a lie. That’s what should have cost her the win.
I thought it was interesting that while she wants to cut LGBT people’s rights, she’s now playing the martyr card. She feels that she is the one hurt from all this.
@ Koby,
She exercised her right to freedom of speech and religion. I haven’t seen anybody suggest she should have been censored. It was a controversial comment, why do you think everyone should agree with her?
I’m not aware of any law or legislation that protects my credibility or image when I say something offensive or make controversial comments. She could have been a bit more diplomatic and postured herself more in the middle.
And for the record, her freedom of religion doesn’t give her the right to trample on my religious beliefs. If her church doesn’t want to allow gay marriage, that’s fine, but they should not have the right to force their religious belief on me.
No, it was a good question. She gave an answer that may have been sincere, but wasn’t very smart. She has the right to believe whatever she wants. But others (including judges) have the right to react they way they do. One judge (Willy Geist) said this morning that he ranked her first because of her “courage” in answering the way she did. I am glad that Perez Hilton ranked her low because of the stupidity of her answer. People have the freedom to say what they want, but they need to be prepared to pay the consequence for what they say. She will probably carve out a career for herself on the Bible-thumpers circuit in Branson, Missouri, though her obviously fake boobs might be too racy for them there.
How ridiculous. This is an important personal decision and yes, I think she’s completely wrong, but that’s beside the point.
It was a bad question and a REALLY bad answer. She needs to learn how to become more diplomatic – the way she answered the question should’ve affected her score, but not the content of the answer itself. She lives in the US, she’s free to believe whatever the hell she likes. It’s up to *us* to change her mind.
But it was a bad question. And an irrelevant one, considering the scope of the pageant. It should’ve never been allowed.
Taking the opportunity to speak in favor of discrimination SHOULD have cost her the crown – Miss USA candidates are being evaluated for poise and the ability to handle situations diplomatically – her answer failed on both counts. The more interesting question is whether an answer as equally blunt in SUPPORT of gay marriage should have similarly cost her the crown…Perez Hilton put her in a difficult position but that is the point of the Q&A section.
Sorry, I said “to condone her use of hers” when that should read “to attack her use of hers”
“Instead, she took the opportunity to speak out in favor of discrimination. I hope it cost her the crown.”
So it’s “freedom of speech and religion” as long as you agree with the large part of the liberal left that believes gay marriage to be okay?
Call me crazy, but shouldn’t ANYONE be allowed to state their beliefs and point of view without fear of public reprisal? You seem to have done just that so why can’t Miss California?
I for one find it odd that she is being called horrendous names on the internet for simply stating her beliefs. Sure those people have freedom speech to call her such names, but I find it hypocritical that they are using their freedom of speech to condone her use of hers.