Miss North Carolina Kristen Dalton won the Miss USA pageant held at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sunday, April 19, 2009, while Prejean (Miss California) was voted first-runner up.
When asked about legalizing same-sex marriage from judge Hilton, Prejean acknowledged her opposition to same-sex marriages, predictably disappointing the celebrity blogger as well as some of those in the audience.
During Sunday night's live telecast, the Internet blogger behind perezhilton.com asked Miss California: "Vermont recently became the fourth state to legalize same sex marriage. Do you think every state should follow suit, why or why not?"
Prejan, the statuesque San Diego blond, answered: "I think its great Americans are able to choose one way or another."
She continued. "We live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite marriage. 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, and that's how I think it should be -- between a man and a woman."
Prejan's controversial remarks about gay marriages made Hilton visibly upset and earned a mixed reaction from the live audience. Prejean ultimately came up short, losing the Miss USA crown to Miss North Carolina, Kristen Dalton.
"It did cost me my crown," Prejean said of her response to pageant host Billy Bush on his Monday's "Billy Bush Show". She continued: "I wouldn't have had it any other way. I said what I feel. I stated an opinion that was true to myself and that's all I can do."
But, her response offended one more person: Keith Lewis, the executive director for Miss California USA/Teen USA competition, who said he was saddened by Prejean's response. "I am personally ... hurt that Miss California believes marriage rights belong only to a man and a woman," Lewis said.
Hilton, too, said in an appearance Monday on MSNBC that he was absolutely "shocked and incredibly frustrated and disappointed" with Prejean's remarks. "That's not the kind of woman I want to be Miss USA," he said. "Miss USA should represent all Americans and, with her answer, she instantly alienated millions of gays and lesbians and their friends."
But Prejan is not regretful about her gay marriage opinion, saying: "It is a very touchy subject and [Hilton] is a homosexual, and I see where he was coming from and I see the audience would've wanted me to be more politically correct. But I was raised in a way that you can never compromise your beliefs and your opinions for anything."
"I feel like I won," she continued. "I feel like I'm the winner. I really do."
The one person who loudly supported Prejan's remarks was Charmaine Koonce, the mother of third-place finisher Miss New Mexico, Bianca Matamoros-Koonce.
In a post-pageant argument in the hotel lobby, Koonce said: "In the Bible it says marriage is between Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve."
She didn't "alienate" the
She didn't "alienate" the gay and lesbian community.
Bible-believing Christians love everyone, including gay and lesbian people. God loves everyone.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion or belief. It's unfair for her to be looked at so critically and controversially by answering a question truthfully.
What is wrong with everyone?!
Mental dissorder
By the way, I found a reference to a mental dissorder that may ring a bell:
"There is certainly a well documented link especially with schizophrenia but it does appear that the religious mania is usually caused by the condition.
Religious mania on the other hand such as deeply fundamentalist beliefs are well documented as a socio/psychological problem."
I guess from one mental defective person to another we are going to have to agree to disagree.
Rediculous.
What is wrong with this world?
Every freaking liberal is shoving the "transgender, gay, bi, lesbian" support down other peoples throat, but if you are to say how you feel and it goes against them, YOU'RE WRONG. How does that work? They shove that crap down people's throats and when you just state how you feel they're like, "You shouldn't push your views on people that strongly," when they do it themselves.
Is it so hard to accept that people have different opinions? Apparently if you believe marriage is between a man and a woman YOU'RE WRONG!
What a joke.
Let Freedom Ring
Has anyone heard of the first amendment? Miss California was asked her opinion, and she should be judged on merit not content. Either answer she could have given was going to offend a portion of America, so Hilton's quote, "Miss USA should represent all Americans and, with her answer, she instantly alienated millions ..." is true and a minefield that Hilton knew was going to be controversial. Kudos for Prejean who exercised her freedom of speech irrespective of the pressures of being PC. Just remember she represents a very liberal State that nonetheless had a majority vote that marriage is between a man and a woman. If you ask me Hilton is much more offensive in not allowing opposition opinions, and quashing a fundamental freedom that represents one of the tenants of liberty.
Her Answer Was Factually Incorrect
Has anyone examined her statement closely? The first part -- “I think it's great that Americans are able to choose one or the other. We live in a land that you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite marriage ..."
Um, no, that is incorrect. In a few states, yes but there are others where there aren't even domestic partnerships, and gay people certainly do not have equal marriage rights nationally. In the past contestants have lost for uninformed answers such as that.
Regardless of her personal view on gay marriage, her facts are incorrect. That alone is reason enough that she doesn't deserve the crown. It's no different than if she had stated that it's legal to swim the Rio Grande to enter the U.S. or that the president's term is six years. Anyone representing the U.S. should have better knowledge than she does.
facts incorrect
ur a douche shut the fuck up whore
Um, excuse me... She was NOT
Um, excuse me... She was NOT factually incorrect. She was speaking on the FIRST AMENDMENT, meaning she was expressing the fact that we have the right to agree with homosexual marriage or disagree with homosexual marriage and that she, herself, disagreed with it. You are the one reading into it and getting your facts incorrect.
Um, yes, you CAN choose.
Um, yes, you CAN choose. You can get married in a different state than the one you live in.
If it's no good in the state
If it's no good in the state I live in, there's no point. And please don't bother with the ignorant response that I should move. Even if I move to a state that allows gay marriage, I still won't be eligible for hundreds of federal benefits only available to married people recognized at the federal level. Her answer was incorrect insofar as it applies to the USA, which is the pageant she was competing in. Not to mention the question to her was specifically if she believed gay people should be allowed to marry in California - gay marriage is currently illegal in California, so her answer on that front was also incorrect. Perez was a jerk and I'm ashamed he is a representative of the gay community, but Prejean was uninformed.
That is what is wrong with
That is what is wrong with the world today. Mr. Hilton is entitled to his beliefs but because Miss California doesn't believe what he feels she is wrong. How is that? So she offended people. Had she said the opposite she would have offended people just the same but a different group of people. Good for her for being a leader and not a follower. You are not a person that matters in this world if you can't think for yourself. If you go around in life lying about what you believe just so you won't offend people, what kind of person are you? I don't believe in same sex marriages. That is not what is in the Bible and that is not how I was raised. Does that make me wrong? Does that make me a horrible person. Government today is run by crooks who don't know how to speak for themselves. You don't know what they believe because they only tell you what they think you want to hear. And that is what is wrong with society today. If you are gay and believe that it is your right to be married it is okay for you to push that on those of us how don't believe the same or to offend us but god forbid we offend you by telling you what we believe to be right. You, Mr. Hilton, are a small minded person who doesn't matter in the real world. How dare you be offended by someone speaking their mind and stating what they believe and not caring if you do the same.
REAL OR FAKE
Perez Hilton was acting as if it was him up there.
This lady is a real and true person.
Perez Hilton wanted his answer not a true answer. Are the ladies so post to be true or fake. I for one would want the real not fake to represent the USA.
ps in my eyes she is the pure,real person and the real MISS USA
you go
Rights Movement
I am not surprised that a girl in a pageant, which is referenced for the suppression of women, would disregard the rights of others. She is a disgrace to the equal rights movement. Miss California exemplifies why women should not have the right to vote in the first place. I know that it sounds ridiculous to say that women should not have the right to vote but hopefully gay marriage will sound the same in ten years.
way to go Miss California!!
I'm glad that Miss California stepped out there and stood her groung on what she believes. In this world today, no one wants to hear your opinion unless it agrees with theirs. I was raised if you don't stand for something that you believe in then you'll fall for anything. There's nothing wrong with someone standing for what is morally right. It's sad that more and more people want to do away with morals and ethics and have no standard of right and wrong. What have we become??? God help us all.
not representing equality, not surprised!
"There's nothing wrong with someone standing for what is morally right."
I am sure that the people that opposed interracial marriage had the same argument. Listen, homosexuality is not a moral issue. Get over it! Homosexuality is not a choice, why would anyone choose to be discriminated against, harassed or even killed by their own family, friends and/or neighbors? Does that make sense? Is that what God intended?
When you open the argument with religion then be ready to defend religion as well. There are other religions that would argue that the way you live your life is morally wrong. I would like to see these woman that have this argument placed under an Islamic law for a year in which a lot of their freedoms would be taken away. May give them a bit of perspective on how it feels to be discriminated against just because you are in a minority.
Put yourself in the gays person position. If you can not even entertain the idea then put yourself in the position of a minority and see how you feel.
Just because someone can't
Just because someone can't help being mentally ill doesn't mean that we should be acting like the mental illness is normal. I guess we should just let people born with diseases just live that way because, after all, they were born with it.
Twin studies have shown that environment has most to do with sexual orientation: a child was molested, neglected, etc.
That doesn't mean that we act like this is the way that these people SHOULD be.
Dear June,
Really? are you suggesting that homosexuality is still considered a mental illnes?
"Some psychologists and psychiatrists still hold negative personal attitudes toward homosexuality. However, empirical evidence and professional norms do not support the idea that homosexuality is a form of mental illness or is inherently linked to psychopathology."
This theory was removed from the the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" in 1973.
If you have children I hope for their health that none of them are gay, as their mother may likely make them feel unloved and unapreciated as a human being.
Thank you for your response.
Just in case you didn't
Just in case you didn't realize it, that was an analogy.
If my child had
If my child had downsyndrome, I would love him just the same. I can't say I wouldn't look for a cure; but I would love him just the same. Can't say the same for certain other people who give such children the death penalty.
Mental dissorder
Sorry, I did not realize it was an analogy.
However, if you are going to use mental illnes as an anology why would you not choose a familiar one like:
"There is certainly a well documented link especially with schizophrenia but it does appear that the religious mania is usually caused by the condition.
Religious mania on the other hand such as deeply fundamentalist beliefs are well documented as a socio/psychological problem."
I guess
You call it religious mania.
You call it religious mania. I call it genuine and consistent compassion, unlike the hypocrisy that I see throughout the left. It seems that compassion is only reserved for those they don't see as a burden to themselves.
Calling homosexuality a mental illness is treating someone without love and appreciation as a human being; but an unwanted child is stripped of all human rights and labels and given the death penalty, while the death penalty is often protested against for even the most vile of murders under the guise that one out of hundreds are innocent.
The inconsistency is rampant and tailored to the selfish desires of the moment. Any sensible human being who steps back for two seconds could see the illogic that is blatantly obvious.
Overreaction
Look, I support gay marriage, but I don't know what the big controversy is supposed to be. She is entitled to her own opinion, which a large portion of America apparently agrees with.
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