Miss California Carrie Prejean, whose comments about gay marriage set off a firestorm, will keep her crown, Donald Trump announced today.
The controversy began nearly a month ago, when Prejean was asked about her views on same-sex marriage during the nationally televised Miss USA pageant. Although she said she believed people were entitled to do as they liked, she said marriage should only be recognized as an institution between a man and a woman.
Trump said he had no problem with Prejean's comments. "She gave a very honest answer when asked a tough question," he said at a New York press conference with Prejean sitting next to him. "It was the same answer the president of the United States gave... She has to be commended."
It's just as I figured and this is NOT something to freak out about.
I personally couldn't care less on whether or not she lost the crown but in assessing the situation, let's look at the winners and losers:
The Winners
Winner: Carrie Prejean - Sometimes any press can be considered as good press. Her controversy has overshadowed the winner of the pageant. She has become a cause celebre of the religious right.
Winner: Donald Trump - You just know that Donald Trump enjoyed the role of the "decider."
Winner : The Miss USA Pageant - Controversy creates attention and cash.
The Losers
Loser: Miss North Carolina - she is being overshadowed by the first runner up, big time.
Loser : Carrie Prejean - While she has garnered a lot of attention for her stance, she is not an untarnished figure. The semi-nude pictures and the breast implants came back to haunt her and will continue to do so. So while she travels the country talking about her "values" and how "Satan was trying to tempt her with the question," people are no doubt thinking, "didn't Satan already tempt you with those breast implants and semi-nude photos?" In the Scarlet Letter, character Hester Prynne had to wear a red "A" for adulteress. For a long time in some people's minds, Prejean will be wearing a red "H" for hypocrite.
BIG LOSER: Maggie Gallagher and the National Organization for Marriage - The "Gathering Storm" debacle made them laughing stocks. This situation makes them look downright sleazy. The organization did make Prejean their spokesperson and then backtracked when the nude photo controversy began to come out. Add to that the tongue lashing Gallagher received from pageant official Shanna Moakler on Larry King Live and the revelation yesterday that she benefits greatly on a monetary basis from NOM.
Loser: Anti-gay marriage movement - A while back, it had James Dobson leading it. Look who is in charge now. If folks like Gallagher and NOM continue to make big mistakes like "Gathering Storm" and this situation with Prejean, it won't be long before I will be able to register my gifts at Bloomingdales.
Okay folks, the circus is over for now. Might I suggest we get to more pertinent issues.
My favorite argument against gay marriage still has to be the whole "sanctity of marriage" remark. Excuse me, but I work for a family law attorney. I happen to know that right now, 64% of straight, heterosexual marriages end up in offices just like the one where I work... with Mommy and Daddy nearly tearing their children apart at the limbs while they fight over custody, possession of material goods and everything else they can fight about. So the next time some fundamentalist idiot wants to wave his "sanctity of marriage" flag in my face, I'm going to ask him why he doesn't put so much fervor into boycotting my boss!
ReplyDeleteLoser: me, for having to listen to Mr. Prejean bumble her way through incessantly incoherent statements about, well, something.
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