At the risk of offending some of you (never really stopped me before) but with the hope of starting some semblance of a conversation, I pose a question. Why is Miss California getting such a bad rap?
If you’ve read this blog for any length of time, you know my stand on gay marriage. I am 100% in the pro-gay marriage camp. I think it is ridiculous that any segment of our population is denied rights granted to other segments of our population.
That being said, I don’t understand the uproar this has created. She was asked a question and she answered honestly. I can respect that. I disagree with her, but she is entitled to her opinion just as I am entitled to mine.
I read yesterday that Perez Hilton (who asked the question in the first place) responded to the hoopla with a line of complete BS. To paraphrase; She should have kept her religion and her politics out of it. To quote Seth Meyers, “Really?!?”
How can you ask someone for their views on gay marriage and not expect their religion and politics to play into their answer? If she were for gay marriage would that not involve religion or politics? This is a political issue, and for many, it is a religious issue as well. Have you heard the old adage in journalism, “Never ask a question unless you already know the answer”? I’m pretty sure Mr. Hilton knew her answer before he asked.
Create a controversy. Generate some media backlash. I could be wrong, but it seems that piling on Miss California for stating her opinion, when asked for it, will only widening the gap between the two sides of this issue.
Fox News, The 700 Club, and other right-wing nut jobs have pounced like a lioness on a 3-legged antelope. “It’s an attack on Christianity!” *sigh* And the chasm grows a little more.
Let me say it again, just to be emphatically clear. I do not agree with her opinion. I do not agree that she is being “Biblically correct” as she put it. I think she is wrong, wrong, wrong! I do think that this contrived controversy is a step in the wrong direction for those who are championing gay marriage.
Am I wrong? Did she really say something offensive? Does she deserve the criticism?
I will say this, just as she has the right to state her opinion, those who are bashing her have the right to criticize and/or condemn. If you give an opinion on a hot button issue, expect to be slammed by the other side.
This leads me to the next serious topic I plan to weigh in on: The polarization of our society. We have become an “Us vs. Them” culture. I’ll add that to the list and hopefully get to it next week.
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