Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Miss California; Carrie Prejean Keeps Her Crown


Donald Trump, never missing a chance for publicity, stepped forward on whether Carrie Prejean should retain her crown as Miss California after the controversy ignited by her honest answer regarding same sex marriage which set off vicious attempts to smear her reputation. Soon, a series of racy photographs were unearthed, possibly against pageant rules, in an attempt to destroy her force her out of her position. She will retain her crown. "The Donald" announced she would retain her crown and in his remarks generally spoke quite favorably of her conduct completely dismissing the somewhat compromising photos from her past and absolutely defending her right to her opinion.

After Mr. Trump gave his remarks, Carrie Prejean took the podium and yielded no ground on her stated position and clearly indicated that “judge #8” had used his question to serve a personal agenda. She spoke candidly of the attempts to embarrass her, forgave her adversaries, and appealed for open discussion and civility. She came across as poised, resolute, mature, and absolutely stead fast in her convictions. Ms. Prejean showed a commanding and considered demeanor unlike any public presentation previously.

Beauty contests are an anachronistic concept perhaps best buried in the last century, so it’s within this context we approach the matter of Carrie Prejean, Miss California. For whatever virtues or flaws she might present, she was asked a question she took in good faith and answered accordingly. Her point of view is the prevalent view of the vast majority of Americans but it is an absolute taboo point-of-view in the entertainment, mass media culture and for that she has been subjected to one of the worst angry mob hysteria and character assassination we’ve ever seen. Move over Sarah Palin, you’ve got company now!

She was asked to comment on her stance regarding same sex marriage. After politely qualifying her answer indicating her respect for a country that allows for the open exchange of all ideas, she indicated from her standpoint, her upbringing, she believed marriage is between a man and a woman, a position that was ratified as a constitutional amendment by her state just last November.

The next morning, the sparks began to fly immediately as the judge who posed the question, homosexual activist blogger, Perez Hilton indicated, "She lost not because she doesn’t believe in gay marriage, she lost because she’s a dumb bitch!" The next morning, he further rubbed her character in the mud on NBC’s Today Show. While traditional marriage is a given for most Americans, legal recognition of same sex marriage is about the hottest cause célèbre out there.

An examination of the entertainment/mass media industry offers clear insight why this is so. First, this culture scoffs at any restriction to any form of sexual expression. Absolute free access to abortion with no restriction is the only acceptable position in that debate. Having children out of wedlock is perfectly acceptable as is adultery and all forms of infidelity. The entertainment and fashion industry has long been careers attractive to homosexuals so their cause is particularly sensitive among the ranks of the industry.

All that’s fine. People have the right to express their views on social behavior and morality. These are issues for public debate and to be decided through the legislative process and at the ballot box within the context of what the United States Constitution sets forth as the parameters of the law.

What is not fine is vilifying those with whom others disagree, viciously attacking them on the most personal level, and attempts to destroy others’ character for the sake of their strongly held beliefs.

If anyone cares to establish who the winners and losers in this media circus, we ask the reader to consider the actions and character of Miss Prejean compared to the exploits of Mr. Hilton. Miss Prejean’s “crime” is that of having very traditional Christian values, behavior and believes that are respected and accepted in most of the country but scoffed at in the media world of New York, Washington, DC and in parts of Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay culture.

Mr. Hilton is a media insider through his blogging. He is perhaps best known for “outing” homosexual celebrities who’ve chosen to keep their sexual preferences private. Hilton has no journalistic background but further lacks any kind of legitimate integrity having contributed such nonsense as false reports of Fidel Castro’s death perhaps to taunt the Florida community from which he came. Perez is also the subject of substantial litigation on infringement and defamation charges.

In the meantime, perhaps the worst of the vicious smear attacks against Ms. Prejean found MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann once again providing the forum, as Michael Musto, another gossip/celebrity reporter who built his reputation with The Village Voice, set forth the following vile, obscene, tirade on what’s supposed to be a news network!!!!! "You know what Mochila left out was that they also paid for Carrie to cut off her penis, sand her adam's apple and get a head to toe waxing. I know for a fact that Carrie Prejean was Harry Prejean, a homophobic man who liked marriage so much, he did it 3 times. Now he's a babe who needs a brain implant. Oh, maybe they can inject some fat from her butt. (Pause) Oh, they have."

This kind of talk is over-the-line even for the Howard Stern show, but we’re dealing with the media who continues to push “The Jerry Springer Show” perhaps on of the most dreadful reflections of the state of our culture. Remember, however, this tirade was broadcast on what was supposed to be a news network. That the program was an opinion commentator driven show doesn’t lower the bar to this kind of trash. The remarks by Hilton and Musto are but two conspicuous examples of one of the most vicious media lynchings we’ve ever seen and we’ve seen some horrible examples. Ask George W. Bush, Sarah Palin, or anyone who has dared profess traditional values or stand against the radical left’s most sacred beliefs.

If the voices of the media circus have any legitimate points to make they are buried by their hateful tactics and politics of personal distruction. Considering the protagonist and the antagonist in this drama, is there any question who right-minded Americans would support?

God bless, Carrie Prejean. May she continue to speak with conviction and civility with the kind of dignity she has shown in this unfortunate and unnecessary controversy. To most Americans, her opinion is not controversial at all. It's just the way things are and have always been. That's good enough for most of us. However, in the secular cesspool of "if it feels good, do it" values, her assertion to some moral principles grounded in the belief in a higher authority is too much to tolerate.
Count this as a major setback to the movement to advance same sex marriage as their loudest advocates came across as intolerant, mean-spirited, and hateful in this exchange. Miss Prejean refused to concede the high ground. To think, homosexual rights advocates have been asking us for tolerance all along, but we will not assume that the views and the way they were presented reflect how most would choose to pursue this issue; however, that no one attempted to calm the furor and the left-wing media generally sneered at Ms. Prejean's every pronouncement is a dreadful setback to the raucous counter culture that thinks it is the mainstream of American thought.

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