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The Golden State Of Hate

Rick Casillas
The Commuter

Thursday, May 28, 2009


Last week Donald Trump announced that Miss California Carrie Prejean would be retaining her state title after risqué photos of her surfaced on the internet. Miss Prejean has been in a maelstrom of controversy since placing second in the Miss USA pageant after being asked by Perez Hilton if she believed in gay marriage. Prejean responded that, “I think it’s great that Americans are able to choose one or the other. 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.” After answering she was greeted by cheers and scattered boo’s from the audience, and was later lambasted by celebrity and activist alike for her opinion; Perez going so far after the competition to say in a video response that it was “The worst answer in pageant history” saying she lost because she was a “dumb bitch,” further stating that the appropriate response would have been to dance around the subject if you didn’t agree with him.

Let’s pretend for a moment that becoming Ms. USA actually matters and think about the dangerous precedent set by this turn of events. Say you’re at work and your boss calls you into his office and asks you the same question, you give a similar response and you’re fired the next day, or passed over for a promotion in favor of someone who will tell him what he wants to hear. Is that ok? Should people compromise their beliefs if they’re different from others to get ahead; or should they simply deal with the consequences of living in a world where life is just unfair. Because it is unfair, People may see an ethnic last name and pass over a job application, they might think you’re lazy because you’re overweight, or old, or you don’t dress the same way they do, you get judged every time you walk into a room or open your mouth. It may not be right but it is how the world and people work, prejudice in every form exists. Lets also not pretend Miss Prejean was the only one on that stage that believed the same, but she was the only one that said it aloud, rather than judging her based off of poise, articulation, and confidence Prejean was judged on her opinion as a yes or no question and obviously she checked the wrong box.

It saddens me Perez Hilton actually thinks this sends the right message to people, that you’ll be punished if you think differently from him. The gay movement has faced faltering setbacks in the last few years angrily lashing out at anyone who opposes them (search youtube for Mormon home invasion) and I think this will contribute to the backwards momentum that has built since prop 8 was on the scene. The normalization of homosexuality has been ebbing into American culture, but every time they’re on the cusp of acceptance it seems the vocal minority within the gay movement has to throw their hands in the air and demand acceptance. Appealing to courts to overturn the will of the people and turning ballot into suggestion boxes will only serve to further divide and alienate those minds that could be changed otherwise.

I empathize with gays who are trying to get their union legally recognized and I encourage them to continue to seek it out, I do believe it will happen; but this is not the way, you must change the hearts and minds of people to achieve acceptance. I also understand the emotional visceral response to that may be that homosexuals may not want acceptance they just want equality, but equality is built through acceptance free of resentment and hate eroding the foundations. Defaming Prejean for getting breast implants or taking topless photos is the same issue, if you believe it’s hypocrisy to think gay marriage is wrong and alter or display your body fine, but pointing out the injustice of another’s actions doesn’t justify your own. And that is what Perez Hilton must realize, that if you want acceptance you must accept first.

Comment

Hey this is a great article! I think it is important that in this day and age that you don’t forget that it is OK for people to have their own mind and own voice. People shouldn’t have any shame in standing up for what they think is right and be entitled to their own beliefs. I think some people think that you are a devout Satanist if you don’t believe the way that they do.

— Gene Poole · Jun 3, 09:16 AM · #

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