“As co-executive director of Miss CA USA and one of the leaders of the Miss CA family, I am personally saddened and hurt that Miss CA USA 2009 believes marriage rights belong only to a man and a woman. Although I believe all religions should be able to ordain what unions they see fit, I do not believe our government should be able to discriminate against anyone. Religious beliefs have no place in politics in the Miss CA family.”
Keith Lewis, the Executive Director of Miss California USA/Teen USA, in a statement regarding this.
In fairness, if we really wanted to keep religious beliefs out of this, Perez Hilton never should have been able to ask that question. It was a loaded gun. Keith works for Miss California USA, not at the national level, so it’s not like he could have had a say in this anyway. But you know that the Miss USA organization approved Perez’s question beforehand. They were asking for a powder keg like this to explode.
It brings a lot more publicity to the pagent. I can see them approving the question for that alone. I’m in Canada and I didn’t even know the Miss USA was going on until I heard about these shinnanigans.
If it pisses of “Perez Hilton” then I’m fine with her saying that. I’m sure she meant it, and she’s a retard for thinking that way but I wouldn’t give that moron a serious answer.
Why was Perez doing that show? He can be such an asshole. I had no idea it was even on anymore!
I don’t really get it. They got mad when she replied with an answer they didn’t want? While I disagree with her stand on the issue, I see nothing wrong with her stating her opinion. That’s what she was supposed to do!
Exactly what Meg says.
I have to agree as well.
I also totally think this is all about drawing attention to the pageant.
Indeed. Whether or not we agree with her beliefs does no mean we cannot admire her for sticking with them. Kudos.
not** lol sorry my t key keeps sticking.
She stated her OPINION which was what she was supposed to do. She gave an honest answer instead of some BS answer and people get mad at her for that? Sounds to me like they knew in advance what her opinion was and set her up. It’s like asking a devout Catholic their opinion on abortion then getting mad that they don’t agree with it.
I totally believe that everyone has the right to their opinion and the right to express that opinion.
I think the problem with the question is that it went beyond asking her opinion of the issue — I think it was something about whether or not other states should legalize gay marriage. Thus it went to whether or not she wants to force her opinion on everyone else through legislation or lack thereof. That’s what I have a problem with.
I’ve heard people on the other side saying things like “they want to force gay marriage on everyone.” That, however, is simply not the case. Before prop 8 passed in California, I didn’t hear of a single incident where someone was forced to marry someone of the same gender. Please let me know if I missed something. Sorry, I digress.
I agree. People are mad bc she didn’t give the answer they wanted. She stated her belief and opinion. That should be respected.
Congradulations Miss California for being honest, there is nothing wrong with having a core set of values and speaking about them….. This is America and most of the people in this country agree with you.
There is something wrong with forcing your values on everyone else, which is the end result of not allowing marriage for all couples. Even if a majority of people agree on something, the rights of minorities should not be up for a vote.
I totally disagree with you. As a country, and as a world, we constantly force our values (the values of the majority) on “every one else”. They are called laws and each state in America has them. Moral values we impose by way of law include: Do not steal (from God to Moses directly), Do not committ murder (from God to Moses directly), and so on and so forth. So, by way of your logic (or lack thereof), if the majority of Americans felt it should be legel to steal, we should allow people to steal?
Well stated. I dont understand why more people dont understand this??
Gary. Please do not make blanket statements, I do not want to be placed into a group full of bigots.
As for what she said: it’s the manner in which she said them, you can have an opinion, but you’re also a public figure. Have a little tact.
Please cease calling people who disagree with you bigots. We simply have a very different set of core beliefs that have a proven track record of success. Adding the term “bigot” tells me you do not want any kind of discussion. You are one who wants compromise on your terms with no say from those who disagree with you. To do this, you marginalize them with derogatory,inflammatory, and insulting language. Once that happens true dialogue ends. You will have just as much luck discussing slavery with a black person and using the N word. Be polite. Disagree, state your point, and don’t lower the conversation to a useless level.
Well said.
Well unfortunately this is impossible. If anyone expresses an opinion the PC Nazis don’t like they attack our character. We must think like they think or we are bad people. We cannot question anything or we are racists, homophobes, bigots ect. The PC nazis aren’t interested in polite conversation, they are interested in bullying us into submission. They don’t seem to realize that by doing this they are hurting their own cause.
Well put. Until this incident, I had no idea how deep in our country this PC crap has run. I for one never compromise who I am for the sake of being PC. It is scary to me that someone like Perez Hilton is judging the pagent in the first place. What a sad joke for the pagent.
I am proud of Miss USA. She new when she heard the question how difficult the repercussions would be based on the person asking the question. She has guts and stood up for her beliefs in what I believe was a very polite and sensitive manner. The pill may have been bitter for some, but I don’t think she could have said it nicer.
I also have to disagree with the above poster. Ashley, PLEASE show me where marriage is a “right”. Stop twisting words. Marriage is no more of a right than a college education.
Equality under the law is a right.
Ashley, they have the same rights as I do. Marriage is NOT a right. No one is guaranteed to be allowed to marry, as my single, heterosexual brother is proof.
As far as your “equality”. Show me where the law discriminates. It does not. All people within the United States are free to marry a member of the opposite gender. It is not discriminatory. It covers ALL people and ALL situations. The law guarantees nothing beyond that. No one is permitted to marry multiple partners, no one is permitted to marry animals and no one is permitted to marry within the same gender. It is an “equal” situation.
The fact that homosexuals choose to not understand this point baffles me. I can understand that they don’t like it. I do not understand how they don’t understand how fundamentally wrong they are on interpretation, activist judges aside.
Just saw PH on Larry King. Very surprised to be saying this, but dude did a tremendous job defending his question, and the result of it. Very articulate and, dare I say, correct – won me over, in any event.
i think that she was blindsided by the question. i also think she missed the part about answering it.
is it ok if I marry my dog then? I mean I am really in love with him…..same principle not anti gay, pro marriage….