Miss California gay-marriage debate coming to a head

The saga over Miss California and the whole gay-marriage debate may come to a head Monday.

The Miss California USA Pageant has scheduled a news conference on Monday in Beverly Hills to discuss the controversy surrounding title-holder Carrie Prejean.

Prejean made national headlines last month when during the Miss USA pageant she said that marriage should be between a man and woman. She said in later interviews that she does not support gay marriage (California voters voted to prohibit gay marriage last November).

Some have questioned whether her comments cost her the Miss USA title, and she's been the subject of much criticism from pro-gay-marriage activists.

Now, Miss California officials say they are looking into whether Prejean violated rules by working for a group opposed to gay marriage and by posing semi-nude. It's unclear whether she could lose her California crown if officials determine that she broke the rules. Prejean has said she did nothing wrong.

-- Shelby Grad

Photo: Associated Press

 

Comments

[thomasALEX]

She deserves to loose her crown, not because of her comment. But because she broke her contract. It would be unfair for the other contestants who followed their contracts.

[Dave]

A contract is a contract. She willfully violated that contract not once, but twice. It doesn't matter how she answered her question at the pageant. The damage had already been done. She had already lied to the pageant officials and to the people of California to whom she represents. She needs to lose her Crown and publicly apologize to the citizens of California.

[HisPker]

Soon we will also see people wanting to have their pets as couple. It is all the spiral of depravation. . . But, it's OK, Lets believe the lie long enough 'till it becomes a truth. And share the lake of fire. . . Yeh, yeh, I know that is to tough to take.

[peggy sasha]

Miss California is being punished for answering a question according to her conscience and religious beliefs. She is being treated totally unfairly. She did not make up that question, she did not initiate the controversy; she demonstrated courage in answering the question honestly. Everything else that is being dug up now is just an effort to humiliate, intimidate and punish her. The same sex marriage movement claims that they are being treated unfairly and persecuted----Miss California is the one who is suffering here, but she is so courageous in the face of mistreatment.

[Michael]

Miss California has modesty issues no question about it, but not political issues like gay marriage. California voted down gay marriage so she even represents the majority of the people there.

[sailhardy]

Miss California's detractors include a large number of heterophobes. Donald Trump should be shamed into (1) firing Perez Hilton as a judge, and (2) firing his California pageant officials.

An obvious heterophobe has no business judging a pageant composed of persons of the opposite sex. Raging heterophobes can, if they wish to judge beauty contests, judge contestants of their own sex. Otherwise, they are tempted to destroy one of more contestants, as is happening to this poor young woman who simply answered a question truthfully.

Her answer? I don't agree with it either, but that's not the point. She does not deserve the public humiliations she has been receiving.

All those people who supported Hillary Clinton's cries of "sexism, sexism..."Where did they go, and why aren't they assailing Miss California's detractors for sexism for that and heterophobia is what this is all the fuss about Miss California is about.

[keepitreal]

She not only should keep miss CA but be given miss Universe and kick that gay fool outa the judging panel. Why do we have gay men judging straigh twomen beauty, wha the hell do they know about beauty?

[Smokin' Deist]

While I disagree with her, Ms. Prejean does have the right to her own opinion and beliefs. Under the 1st Amendment, these rights are protected. While some of her other conduct may go against the contest rules, that is between her and the people running that competition.

That being said, I have been seeing the arguement against gay marrage as a religious one. As I am doing research for a speech, it seems that gay marrage is universially denounced by religious groups supported by "science" done by religious organizations. It is a religious push to enforce biblical law in what is supposed to be a secular goverment.

Let the religious right keep thier opinions, just don't enforce religious law on those of us who believe differently.

[Nick]

It seems to me that the actual winner of the Miss USA pageant Kristen Dalton of N.C. had a very tough question about whether the government should bail out big businesses? That was more politically incorrect than Miss Prejean's question and MUCH MORE IMPORTANT. She said an emphatic "NO, I don't think the government should bail out big business." And this is something the government has been doing with the big car companies. They have given them tax payers money bailing them out. To me that is a lot more important issue. I agree totally with her.

[Nazareth Ibarra]

im glad she lost her crwon how dare she discriminate gay like that i/m very very happy she lost it for saying that no gurl like that should deserve to gert a crown hell she doenst deserve to be running for miss USA

[Nikki]

I am glad that she has stood up. I am really tired of this Gay stuff going on this country. What you do in the privacy of your own home is your business, but now it is being pushed on people, like everyone should agree not. Marriage is between a man and a woman its GODs' way. You guys are confused and lost and its a Sin, you can try to convince yourself otherwise but the truth is, people will never agree.

[Joel]

You can wrap yourself in The Bible all you like and predict the end of the world but, at the end of the day, it's pretty apparent that this woman broke the contract she signed with the organization that sponsored her. It's her own fault if she loses her crown. The same thing happened to Vanessa Williams. This isn't about religion. It's about living up to your agreements that were signed willingly.
Peace

[BlueStapler]

Of curse she has a right to her own opinion and she had all the freedom and time to do it. Her answer showed the world that she is in favor of discrimination based on sexual orientation. Additionally, it showed that she supports unequal civil marriage rights for her fellow citizens. Furthermore, she justified her view based on how she was raised, rather than on any critical thinking of her own. Miss Prejean doesn't need the liberal left nor homosexuals to bring her down. Her personal statements do that on their own. Yes, she has the freedom to give her opinion, and while she certainly didn't deserve the rantings of a certain judge, she is responsible for the consequences of voicing her offensive, discriminatory and intolerant views as a contestant for Miss USA.

[Andrew]

I am so sick and tired of "Bible Thumpers"! If these hateful, judgemental people are the same ones that will be in heaven, then I really hope I end up somewhere else. It would be so miserable to have to spend eternity with these hate-mongers, riding around in their high-horses! For me, spending eternity in hell vs. eternity with these folks would be a toss-up.

[Mat]

NIkki your in for a rude awakening when you die. You and all these other closed minded homophobes in this world. Nothing is being pushed on anyone, and you and your religious cults are spending just as much time, money, and advertising to stop it, as they are trying to get the right to marry who they love. The bible is man made, Joseph Smith got caught cheating on his wife, so he manipulated his way outta it and turning it into a twisted mormon religion. Religion causes wars, angry debates, and hateful people, remove that and this world would be a better place. You people that come on here and judge others and decide what is right and wrong need to stop, that is gods job, and I was raised in the corrupt LDS church and that is like the worst thing you can do is to take on the act of god in that religion, and 90 percent of you are doing that, so in reality that makes you worse then gay people according to your own religion. ( :

[missin linq]

how the heck does a person suport discrimination because they believe a man should marry a woman.miss california has a right to what she believes,just as those who believe its right to have same sex partnerships.but if you speak against it you are some how a discriminator.i guess whats been going on in the cathlic church for centuries is right too.me,myself believes i should marry a woman.if a man marries a man thats his choice,but please dont hate me for my beliefs.keep ypur head up ms.california.for those hating on her,well whose the close minded idiot now...

[Rick Zabala]

So some people call Carrie Prejean's bear back and wearing more than some females where at the beach and showing less nude not ethical. Who knows how much the photos were doctored. However, one would need to be a little spirited and negotiably risqué to also be of good and tough spirit to speak from good conscience and independent mind.

[daniel mccraven]

There has been much debate about religion and gay marriage.
my take is, if you get married in the catholic church or the church of transcendental meditation. You still need to get a license from the state, a marriage license. So in my mind the state has more to do with marraige then the church. So why are people hiding behind the church in their prejudiced. I would like to ask anyone who knows where you can get married, in the US, without a state issued marraige license? The state is the one who allows you to marry. Not the church, any church.

[Jennifer Ward]

Good grief- nobody is allowed to express their honest opinion any more? I don't care if there are civil unions- but marriage is about procreating children and guiding them through life. Twisting things around to suit homosexual lifestyle choices when it comes to kids is outrageous- it wasn't that long ago that hetros were sneered at by gays for being 'breeders'- now the gays want to join in- get a dog guys- less hassle when you bust up.

[Observer]

now all we need is for the California Supreme Court to uphold the will of the people.

I can't wait to buy anything that Carrie is associated with.

Guess the beauty pagents feel they need to shoot themselves in the foot.

[Observer]

oh yeah

I am pretty sure the hatefull effigy of Sarah Palin is what through the gays over the edge on the vote.

Nice display of hate gays. Nice effort to shut it down....oh yeah, no one bothered to get that effigy shut down in West Hollywood.

Until there was one of obama in texas....

keep up with the hate gays.

[Daniel B.]

Honestly I dun have a problem with her having semi nude pictures out there she's an adult, however as a spokesperson she should stay out of a political debate, which is denying 10-15% of the population equal rights. Mind you I'm not gay but out of fear restricting rights or creating any laws has always been a bad idea
. Gay marriage should be just as legal as speaking your mind, no wait california has no problem throwing people in jail for that to. Face it we don't live in the land of the free and the home of the brave, but the land of the chicken and the home of the jailed.