Issue date: 4/24/09 Section: Personal Stories

Media Credit: Creative Commons, vrysxy Miss California Carrie Prejean at the Miss USA 2009 Pageant. [Click to enlarge]

I usually do not watch beauty pageants, but occasionally I might catch myself watching the swimsuit portion of it, of course. This year's Miss USA pageant, however, caught my attention because of Miss California's controversial response to Perez Hilton's question to her that night. I am probably one of the select few who actually think that Miss California was judged unfairly because of her own personal views.

Carrie Prejean, 21, of San Diego and a student of San Diego Christian College was crowned Miss California late November and was the first runner-up to Miss North Carolina, Kristen Dalton of Wilmington NC, who won the Miss USA 2009 pageant this past Sunday. According to Hilton, who was one of five judges that night for the competition, Prejean's answer to his question about legalizing gay marriage in the U.S. cost her the crown.

Here was Hilton's question to her: "Vermont recently became the fourth state to legalize same-sex marriage. Do you think every state should follow suit. Why or why not?"

Prejean's reply was this: "Well, 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, 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. Thank you very much."

I personally think it just was not right for Prejean to have her chance at winning the competition taken away because of a biased judge's personal political views. Prejean has every right as an American to express how she feels about marriage in America, or any other issue.

Hilton said on the April 21 airing of "The Early Show" that there were other ways she could have answered that without alienating millions of people and staying true to her word at the same time.

Hilton suggested an answer like this to his question: "As a future Miss USA, it is my job not to be a politician but to be someone who represents and inspires the women and the troops, and I think it's great that the states get to decide for themselves."

So Hilton does not want Prejean to be a politician, yet he asked her a political question on gay marriage? Sounds like a big contradiction to me.

I thought women participating in beauty pageants were supposed to be judged solely by their looks and talent? Well, not for Prejean, who believes in traditional marriage, so all of her talents and beauty become irrelevant and she has no chance to win the Miss USA pageant. This is quite unfortunate and sad.

To turn the tables a bit, I'm sure it would be unfair as well if a pageant contestant instead was pro gay marriage and out of divine intervention, Bill O'Reilly was one of the judges and blasted her for supporting same-sex marriage and costing her the crown for her own personal beliefs.

Someone as opinionated as Hilton should not have judged the panel that night, and to call Prejean a 'dumb bitch' after the competition according to Mail Online, was completely harsh and classless.

To top everything off, I think Miss California is more attractive than Miss North Carolina, I mean this is a beauty pageant, right?

Even though I'm not qualified to be a Miss USA pageant judge because I'm not an opinionated celebrity gossip blogger, Prejean is still the true winner of Miss USA 2009 in my book. Congratulations Carrie Prejean for putting on a great show and using your First Amendment right to express your beliefs in front of a national audience.

Nick Hunte can be reached at nhunte@statehornet.com

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