It’s an amazing time in America when a statement like this from a Miss USA contestant can become a flashpoint for controversy:
“I think it’s great 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. Thank you.”
So somehow this was interpreted as being against gay marriage. And you know what? I can see why you’d think that, since her statement wasn’t something that conformed exactly to the Gay Marriage Shibboleth Test, where you pledge absolute allegiance to a rainbow-colored flag and say something like,
“I was raised by horrible people who don’t believe in gay marriage, but I have since seen the light because TV told me so. My parents are bastards who raised me wrong, but don’t blame them. Blame Christians instead. I hate Christians, even though I am one. Civil unions are like another form of genocide. Everyone must have equal rights all the time, or the terrorists win. And by terrorists, I mean my parents.”
So you see, Perez Hilton’s question put her in an impossible position, especially for a Miss USA candidate. She would have been better off playing dumb, since everyone thinks a girl like her is dumb anyway. But by not not standing up for what she believed, she exposed herself to political forces outside her control. The funny thing is, she made sure to explain (in her own Miss USA way) that while she doesn’t agree with gay marriage, that opinion is entirely her fault. Furthermore, even though she disagrees with gay marriage, she thinks it’s great to live in a country that might have it. Not only that, but she only thinks she disagrees with gay marriage. It’s not exactly a strongly worded position.
…And she totally lost a beauty pageant because of it. Who’s intolerant now?
ed. note — This is Epth Nation 2.6 takes no stand for or against gay marriage, nor do we believe that “If you choose not to take a stand you have actually taken a stand” B.S.
