Miss America Robbed by divisive question

[marklang500]

I am really tired of these pageants being used as a soundboard to test the divisiveness of certain issues. Last night, Miss California was robbed because she was forced to answer a question that divides our nation, yet has a "politically correct" answer.

There should be a rule that the questions asked not touch on such divisive issues.

It used to be 'religion, politics, and sex' were the three taboos for a PC conversation. What happened last night was BS.

"And now, the question for Miss California...do you want to go with your true feelings and be depised by this half of the nation, or sell yourself out and be despised by the other half of the nation?"

"And now, the question for Miss North Carolina...are more bailouts and government spending a good thing?"

What a sham.

[Brutha]

What is the problem with asking real questions that actually require a bit of thinking?

If you generally label politics a forbidden topic, no wonder that politics generally becomes a devise topic.

[marklang500]

You miss the point. Contestant A was asked a question that devides a nation58%-42%. Contestant B was asked a question that has a pretty solid 90% public opinion. Contestant B won the pageant.

Why not just ask "are you a republican or democrat" (half the audience cheers, the other half boos)

"Do you go to church on Sunday?"

"Do you think mothers should be allowed to have thier unborn children destroyed in the womb?"
ALTERNATE VERSION:
"Do you think pregnant women should be allowed to choose whether to allow a fetus to grow full term in her body or not?"

Miss America should be a symbol of Americans. Issues that divide the nation by such a small margin should not be a deciding factor in this contest, because half the nation gets jilted! Already the message from last nights show is heard loud and clear.

[cylon]

Originally Posted by marklang500

Miss America should be a symbol of Americans.

Not if people like Perez Hilton are involved in the final outcome. Kind of shows how serious the organizers take the competition.

[marklang500]

Originally Posted by cylon

Not if people like Perez Hilton are involved in the final outcome. Kind of shows how serious the organizers take the competition.

Good point. His sole purpose on that panel was to throw out the gay question.

The correct answer to win the competition could have been:

"My opinion on gay marriage has no bearing on whether each state follows suit in legalizing it. Our Constitution allows each state to set it's own laws based on the voice of it's resident people. Even my great state of California is divided on this issue and it makes me sad that the division causes so much pain".

I see now she has made a statement that she knows that her answer cost her the crown, but that she still feels like she won. She didn't change her beliefs.

[Angela]

Hi, Mark, long time no see! I hope you're well.

I think the Miss America pageant is pretty goofy, regardless of what questions they ask the contestants, but I don't think it's a problem to ask questions about controversial issues. A contestant has the opportunity to demonstrate that she understands world issues, not necessarily that she is committed to a viewpoint on them, and to allow the audience to get a taste for how she thinks, not necessarily what she thinks.

[cylon]

These are the same women who are willingly judged based on how they look in a bikini right?

[Daffy Duck]

We watch them for their views on the world and their talent. The bikini thing is just a tradition.

[Angela]

Originally Posted by cylon

These are the same women who are willingly judged based on how they look in a bikini right?

THAT would be a great question to ask them: "What do you think are the sociological, emotional, or political implications of offering yourself up for judgment based on how you look in a bikini?"

[Angela]

Originally Posted by Daffy Duck

We watch them for their views on the world and their talent. The bikini thing is just a tradition.

Uh-huh. And we read Playboy for the articles. The nudity is just a tradition.

[cylon]

Originally Posted by Angela

THAT would be a great question to ask them: "What do you think are the sociological, emotional, or political implications of offering yourself up for judgment based on how you look in a bikini?"

I don't know, those are some big words.

[Daffy Duck]

That is such a good question Angela that I'm surprised it hasn't come up yet.

[Brutha]

Why not just ask "are you a republican or democrat" (half the audience cheers, the other half boos)

In a case like that you answer that question with: I'm not dogmatic and vote mainly based on loyality but I always inform myself about the issues of the particular election and vote for the person who's programs I like best.

In the case of the bailout question you might say something like:
I think the central question is not whether to spend money but whether the money is spent right and I think that if money gets spends that should happen more transparently and with a focus on projects that provide good for humanity.
Something along those lines should be pretty safe.

However you are right that all participants should get questions that have a similar difficulty.

[Dan.Linehan]

She was robbed all right.

Look at all the civil rights she no longer has. Tragic.

[Angela]

Originally Posted by Brutha

...all participants should get questions that have a similar difficulty.

That's pretty subjective. Maybe you mean they should all get a question that's about the same amount of controversy?

I would vote for the contestant who answered that question about what should be done about the Lindsay Lohans of the world who drink with impunity and influence today's youth with their recklessness:

"Who the f*** is Lindsay Lohan?"

[cylon]

Look Lindsey has gotten her life back together and stuff ok sure she did some crazy things but no one is perfect and its not fare how everyone is always giving her a hard time when shes just trying to have a normal life and to be a good role model and actress. Instead of hating on Lindsey why not love and support her and give her a second chance and encouragmint that is all that I am saying, thank you.

[Angela]

Originally Posted by cylon

Look Lindsey has gotten her life back together and stuff ok sure she did some crazy things but no one is perfect and its not fare how everyone is always giving her a hard time when shes just trying to have a normal life and to be a good role model and actress. Instead of hating on Lindsey why not love and support her and give her a second chance and that is all that I am saying, thank you.

That was awesome. I vote for you! (as long as you look good in a bikini.)

[cylon]

I have a thong but I'm not sure if you are interested in seeing that.

[Angela]

I think that would disqualify you, sorry.

But hey! You could win the Pavlina Pageant!

[cylon]

Originally Posted by Angela

I think that would disqualify you, sorry.

Dammit! I wanted to be a pretty princess. Maybe next year.

[pianoperformer]

Originally Posted by Dan.Linehan

She was robbed all right.

Look at all the civil rights she no longer has. Tragic.

Hmm, I understand your position on this. But no matter what position people hold on this issue, it's not right to put her in such an uncomfortable position that she has to choose between sticking to her beliefs (however justified or not you might think they are), which angers the judge and about half of the country; or being PC and giving an answer the judge wanted, which would be dishonest to herself. In the latter case, I would argue she had less of a right to win.

No, no civil rights were affected, but if the issue were flipped the other way, I think you would feel quite differently. That is, imagine a judge who is against gay marriage asked a gay contestant whether it should be legal, and she said yes, and subsequently lost. Would you not be upset?

[Angela]

Originally Posted by pianoperformer

...it's not right to put her in such an uncomfortable position that she has to choose between sticking to her beliefs (however justified or not you might think they are), which angers the judge and about half of the country; or being PC and giving an answer the judge wanted, which would be dishonest to herself.

The only person who puts you in a position of having only two ways of answering to choose from is yourself.

I wouldn't vote her out because of her opinion one way or the other; I'd vote her out for being unresourceful.

[cylon]

I'd vote her out for putting her fate in the hands of Perez Hilton.

[Dan.Linehan]

Originally Posted by pianoperformer

No, no civil rights were affected, but if the issue were flipped the other way, I think you would feel quite differently. That is, imagine a judge who is against gay marriage asked a gay contestant whether it should be legal, and she said yes, and subsequently lost. Would you not be upset?

The issue being flipped would be if she had came out with an answer against gay marriage and won the competition instead of lost.

The reason she lost was that she completely lost her composure. She gave an unsure, stuttering answer. I don't think her losing had nearly as much to do with her position on gay marriage as it did with her body language itself.

[pianoperformer]

Originally Posted by Dan.Linehan

The issue being flipped would be if she had came out with an answer against gay marriage and won the competition instead of lost.

The reason she lost was that she completely lost her composure. She gave an unsure, stuttering answer. I don't think her losing had nearly as much to do with her position on gay marriage as it did with her body language itself.

That's true, too, but I think it'd be hard to maintain one's composure when asked such a direct, contraversial question. But it seems that Hilton had an axe to grind, as hinted to by his very opinionated post about it on his blog. I just think it definitely had an influence on her losing.

I agree she could have answered it better, though.

[Angela]

She didn't just answer badly, she answered wrongly, and I think, very stupidly and arrogantly: "I think it's great that Americans can choose one or the other."

Uh, no, they can't -- it's not LEGAL to marry someone of the same sex in most states, and her answering the question of whether states should follow Vermont's lead in legalizing same-sex marriage with her own opinion that marriage *should* be only for man/woman pairs implies quite strongly that no, states should NOT legalize the "choice" she so gleefully announces all Americans have.

For a Californian to go into a competition like this unprepared to maintain her composure when asked about her state's most hotly debated current issue, and to try and cover it up with some bs about how Americans have choice in the matter -- I think she doesn't represent California well, let alone being a role model for the entire country.

It would be like a Miss Louisiana saying, "Well, I think it's great that all Americans are taken care of promptly by our president and our government agencies during natural disaster emergencies!"

[pianoperformer]

Originally Posted by Angela

She didn't just answer badly, she answered wrongly, and I think, very stupidly and arrogantly: "I think it's great that Americans can choose one or the other."

Uh, no, they can't -- it's not LEGAL to marry someone of the same sex in most states, and her answering the question of whether states should follow Vermont's lead in legalizing same-sex marriage with her own opinion that marriage *should* be only for man/woman pairs implies quite strongly that no, states should NOT legalize the "choice" she so gleefully announces all Americans have.

For a Californian to go into a competition like this unprepared to maintain her composure when asked about her state's most hotly debated current issue, and to try and cover it up with some bs about how Americans have choice in the matter -- I think she doesn't represent California well, let alone being a role model for the entire country.

It would be like a Miss Louisiana saying, "Well, I think it's great that all Americans are taken care of promptly by our president and our government agencies during natural disaster emergencies!"

Lol, I do see your point. It was contradictory.

[Martyr]

Originally Posted by Dan.Linehan

I don't think her losing had nearly as much to do with her position on gay marriage as it did with her body language itself.

She gave the non-PC answer and lost the competition. Perez Hilton has spoken. Anyone against gay marriage is a bad person, hands down. It is written.

Correct me if I'm wrong but every headline I've seen has been about her stance on gay marriage, not her body language or composure.

But I'd have to ask the horse's mouth himself, Perez Hilton. Pulse of the nation.

FOXNews.com - Carrie Prejean Says Answer to Gay Marriage Question Cost Her Miss USA Crown - Celebrity Gossip | Entertainment News | Arts And Entertainment

Miss California's answer sparked a shouting match in the lobby after the show.

"It's ugly," said Scott Ihrig, a gay man, who attended the pageant with his partner. "I think it's ridiculous that she got first runner-up. That is not the value of 95 percent of the people in this audience. Look around this audience and tell me how many gay men there are."

So apparently 95% of the people in the audience were gay men. Bad answer Mary.

She makes me so mad! I'm getting all fierce.

[Holistic Star]

They still do beauty pagents?!!!!
Blimey - I thought they went out with the ark!



Still, I have just googled to find out what happened in this miss america thing. What I like least about her answer is her beliefs that marriage should be between and man and woman because "That is how I was raised".

i.e. "I haven't thought about this at all. I've just accepted what I've been told."


I have thought about it, but I don't look good in a bikini, so I guess that's no votes for me!

[Martyr]

Originally Posted by Holistic Star

They still do beauty pagents?!!!!
Blimey - I thought they went out with the ark!

Lol, they are great. In Southern California we watch them with the sound muted. Every girl in this area looks like that.