Carrie Prejean Lost Miss USA Fairly-- but Sex Tapes May Cost Her Big Crown in Sky

During the Miss USA 2009 pageant, on April 19, celebrity blogger Perez Hilton unintentionally outed Carrie Prejean regarding her aversion to same-sex marriage. Upon informing her that Vermont had recently become the fourth State to legalize gay marriage, he subsequently asked, "Do you think every state should follow through? Why or why not?"

Rather than reply directly, Ms. Prejean delivered a punch-packed viewpoint. She said, "We live in a land that you can choose same-sex marriage. And, you know what- in my country and in my family, I think that I believe that 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 that it should be between a man and a woman."

Raised? Was Ms. Prejean once an ear of corn or some other cereal crop? Or did she mean she was corn-fed- corn meaning trite. Being raised on family beliefs, which in her case included intolerance, does not mean being lobotomized. A child can still mature into a thinking adult. There's nothing wrong in believing that marriage should be between a man and a woman rather than a same-sex pair- but there's nothing right about it. Still, Ms. Prejean is entitled to believing it's wrong- for herself personally.

But Ms. Prejean must be aware of the natural rights held by all human beings. Natural rights are 'not contingent upon the laws, customs, or beliefs of a particular society or polity'. They are universal. This means that two human beings of different or same sex, creed, race, or culture have the innate right to live freely- to thus choose marriage partners. Laws and religious dogma are external, manmade conditions that can change.

Did Carrie Prejean lose the Miss USA crown due to her dogmatic prejudice against gay marriage as she claims? Or due to her scores? The fifteen Miss USA finalists competed in the Swimsuit round. Ms. Prejean as Miss California garnered 9.033 points, which put her third. Miss Arizona was second with 9.092; Miss North Carolina was first with 9.198. The top ten Swimsuit scorers competed in the Evening Gown round. Ms. Prejean was second with a score of 9.275. Miss Arizona was third with 9.189. Miss North Carolina held the top score again, which was 9.470.

The five top scorers in Evening Gown round went on to the Question round, the final one. We know Ms. Prejean's question was re same-sex marriage and that she's against it. But what were her main rival's question and answer? Top scorer thus far, Miss North Carolina- Kristen Dalton- was asked, "Do you believe taxpayers' money should be used to bail out struggling U.S. companies? Why or why not?" Ms. Dalton silently considered the poser and then responded, "That's a tough one. No, I don't think that U.S. taxpayers' money should be used to bail out companies. Taxpayers' money should go towards bettering our education and our school systems and welfare and the healthcare system. That's what our taxpayers' money should go to-absolutely." This was clearly a winning answer.

Summary. Miss California Carrie Prejean lost the Miss USA crown because Miss North Carolina Kristen Dalton had the top scores in all three finalist rounds- Swimsuit, Evening Gown, and- evidently- Question. Ms. Prejean with her lower scores in the Swimsuit and Evening Gown rounds may have had the opportunity to pull out ahead had she answered her crown-worthy question with more intelligence. But she lost fairly and squarely to Ms. Dalton. If Ms. Prejean were a good loser, she would take it like a man. She would shake Ms. Dalton's hand and say, "The best man won." If she doesn't like the generic term 'man', she could substitute 'woman'. She obviously missed winning Miss Congeniality by a bitchy mile.

It is unfortunate that Ms. Prejean not only missed getting the Miss USA crown but also was stripped of her Miss California crown due to actions in breach of her contract. And, of course, as merely the first runner-up of the Miss USA pageant, she is ineligible to compete for the Miss Universe crown. Yet, as Ms. Prejean told 1700 or so Christian conservatives in Washington in September 2009, "I know the Lord has a so much bigger crown in heaven for me." Let's hope that on her Judgment Day, the lies and sex tapes don't lose her that crown.

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