Scandal continues to follow Miss California
Story tools presented by
Carrie Prejean became the pretty face of conservative opposition to gay marriage when she spoke out as Miss California during the final round of the Miss USA pageant last month, a decision the leggy blonde model now says cost her the crown and made her the subject of a smear campaign that has included having semi-nude photographs leaked online and questions over her breast-enhancement surgery.
The 21-year-old was quickly praised by Christian conservatives for standing behind her values, but was just as quickly derided by advocates of gay marriage and others who tensed when she brought her controversial opinions to a stage best known for its swimwear competition.
In a statement on Tuesday, Ms. Prejean said she has become the target of attacks and mockery based on her beliefs and her commitment to stand by them, a campaign that includes the publication of provocative photographs taken when she was 17.
At the time of the competition, Ms. Prejean received public support from the National Organization for Marriage, Focus on the Family and a prestigious evangelical university. But she has since seen cracks appear in her conservative Christian support system and released the statement in her own defence.
"I am a Christian and I am a model. Models pose for pictures, including lingerie and swimwear photos," she said in the statement. "Recently, photos taken of me as a teenager have been released surreptitiously to a tabloid Web site that openly mocks me for my Christian faith. I am not perfect, and I will never claim to be. But these attacks on me and others who speak in defence of traditional marriage are intolerant and offensive."
A photo of Ms. Prejean posing topless, her back turned to the camera, and wearing pink underwear was released by celebrity gossip Web site The Dirty late Monday night with a note claiming they had received a number of photos "of the homophobic debutante that would clearly strip her of her Miss California crown."
It has been reported that Ms. Prejean's contract with Miss California USA prohibits her from being photographed in a state of partial or total nudity, and the photo release could result in her losing the state crown. (During the pageant's swimwear contest, a sultry Ms. Prejean walked confidently across the stage in a revealing while bikini.)
Ms. Prejean entered the Miss USA pageant as Miss California and was a frontrunner going into the final round of competition until, in response to a question about legalizing gay marriage from Perez Hilton, a gay celebrity gossip blogger and a pageant judge, she stated her opinion that marriage belongs only between a man and a woman.
She ended up placing second, with many believing it was her stance on marriage that cost her the crown.
Then, in an interview with CBS's The Early Show last week, one of the directors of the California pageant confirmed a rumour that his company helped pay for Ms. Prejean to have breast enhancement surgery ahead of the Miss USA pageant.
"We assisted when Carrie came to us and voiced the interest in having the procedure done," said Keith Lewis, co-director of Miss California USA. "We want to put her in the best possible confidence in order to present herself in the best possible light on a national stage."
Her response to Mr. Perez's question received applause from the audience a the time, but has since been derided by gay rights groups, Shannon Moakler (the 1995 Miss USA winner who would later pose for Playboy) and Mr. Lewis, who stated he was disappointed by Ms. Prejean's personal views.
Ingrid Schlueter, a radio host and contributor to Slice of Laodicea, a news and commentary Web site on the contemporary church, wrote against making Ms. Prejean a "celebrity of the Christian cause," stating her rump-shaking antics and breast enhancement, which Miss California USA says was provided to help build confidence, are not suitable for Christians.
"It is right and fitting that this beauty pageant contestant is being upheld, because in all honesty, a nearly naked woman, strutting her surgically enhanced body parts in front of men while mouthing moral platitudes is the very picture of the carnal church today," she wrote.
Maggie Gallagher, president of the National Organization for Marriage, accused gay rights proponents of character assassination, and that the release of the semi-nude photos was the most recent example of unfair treatment against people who speak against gay marriage.
"I think people know what's going on here," she said. "If Carrie had gotten up there on the national stage and said she was for gay marriage, these photos probably would not have been released. And if they were released, everyone would have rushed to her defence."
National Post
mcoutts@nationalpos
Http://reddemocratica.blogspot.com
Http://www.caretas.com.pe/2000/1631/articulos/protesta.phtml
Http://www.caretas.com.pe/2000/1612/articulos/debate.phtml
Celebrando 10 anos "On Line"..2008
Keep the candle burning
I have a dream
http://www.stanford.edu/group/King/about_king/interactiveFrame.htm
FORUM TPSIPOL: RED DEMOCRATICA .
Informacion : Http://tpsipol.home-page.org
Http://groups.yahoo.com/group/eleccion
Para enviar un message , enviar a: eleccion@yahoogroups.com
Para suscribirse al Forum , enviar un mensaje a : eleccion-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Para salir del Forum, enviar un mensaje en blanco : eleccion-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch format to Traditional
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe
No comments:
Post a Comment