Carrie Prejean

I am not one to watch any type of beauty pageant, but I could not fight my interest in this story. As I was driving to work and listening to the radio this morning the discussion was about Ms. Carrie Prejean and her answer to a very controversial question at last nights Miss USA pageant. What I learned in my short car ride to work was that Ms. Prejean also known as Miss California was the runner up of this pageant and was asked by judge #8 Perez Hilton a controversial question in regards to gay marriage. The question was as follows:

"Vermont recently became the fourth state to legalize same sex marriage. Do you think every state should follow suit, why or why not?"

I love the honesty and brazenness in her response; although I do believe she could have been more articulate in her answer she still nonetheless gave her opinion, which is exactly what Mr. Hilton asked for. Her response was this:

"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. And you know what, in my country, in my family, 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.”

Ms. Prejean did not win the pageant and there is talk that her loss was due to her response to this very question. I do not believe her response was offensive or made to alienate anyone but that's just my opinion. I do however also feel her loss was not due to her response, but perhaps to her nervousness about responding to the subject matter. She states that "we live in a land in which we can choose same-sex marriage...” if that were true Mr. Perez would not be asking her if all states should legalize this type of marriage. What bothers me the most about this whole incident is the attention that has been taken away from Miss North Carolina who was crowned Miss USA Sunday night, and how upset, abrasive, and rude Mr. Perez has been towards Ms. Prejean once the pageant concluded to the point of using profanity to describe her. I feel Mr. Perez was opposed to her response and because of it choose to attack her. Mr. Perez states that her response was not the correct response a possible Miss USA should give, he states, "I do expect Miss USA to be politically correct". Does being politically correct mean you have to lose who you are? Isn't Miss USA supposed to be a woman who sets an example for other young women? If so what are we teaching young woman by being politically correct, that it is okay to put your beliefs on the backburner to win a title?

Are we politically correct? What are your thoughts on this topic?