Ex-Miss California Carrie Prejean Gives Her Side of the Story

FOXNews June 15, 2009

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In a sign of how controversial Miss Californias campaign against gay marriage has become, the organizers of the Miss California pageant say they have been targeted from both gay rights advocates and foes of same-sex unions, with the former slamming them for not denouncing their tiara-holder Carrie Prejean more forcefully and the latter targeting them for distancing themselves from the comments at all.

Weve gotten it from both sides, the openly gay Keith Lewis, co-executive director of the Miss California pageant, told Reuters.

The Miss California pageant organizers have also criticized Prejeans comments in media statements, but they have stopped short of saying they would strip her of her Miss California crown.

Still, the rebuke that the 21-year-old Prejean has received from the pageant backers pales in comparison to what gay celebrity blogger Perez Hilton said about her. It was Hilton, who as a judge at the Miss USA pageant, asked Prejean the question about gay marriage that has made her a hero to many conservatives, and the scorn of gay rights advocates. Afterward, he said in a video blog that if Prejean had been named Miss USA, he would have leapt on stage and ripped the tiara from her head. Those comments even prompted a Miami drag queen to denounce Hilton.

Prejean announced this week that she will star in a TV ad campaign from the National Organization for Marriage, aimed at convincing voters in states where gay marriage could soon become legal that they should speak out against it. The ads will air in New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York and elsewhere.

So in light of the flare-up over Prejeans comments, its worth finding out who she is.

Raised about 10 miles from the coast in the largely conservative town of Vista, California, Prejean is a student at San Diego Christian College, an evangelical school, where she is studying special education, her spokeswoman Melany Ethridge said. For now, her plans are to continue with college, Ethridge said.

Ethridge said that Prejean was not available for an interview.

Last weekend, Prejean received a heros welcome when she returned to her mega-church, The Rock.

Lewis told Reuters that he has always known Prejean to be friendly to gays like himself, and that he believes she has more liberal views about gays apart from the gay marriage issue, which he disagrees with her about.

I would be excited when people really start to flesh out how she feels about civil unions and about civil rights and about a lot of the other issues, Lewis said.

Some good has come out of the controversy for Lewis. He said that more women than ever before are applying to try out for Miss California this year, with some wanting to promote gay marriage and others wanting to denounce it.

Given that beauty pageants often feature nothing but platitudes, maybe its a good thing that this years Miss USA has sparked a debate, instead of more empty calls for world peace.

Source: http://blogs.reuters.com/fanfare/tag/keith-lewis/

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Christian
• Christianity
• traditional
• family
• values
• marriage
• evangelical
• Carrie
• Prejean
• miss
• california
• pageant
• militant
• fanatic
• aggressive
• gay
• activist
• Keith
• Lewis
• Perez
• Hilton

[1001Phoenix]

Then you clearly are an intolerant bigot.

Remember that, next time you whine and bitch about tolerance.

[1001Phoenix]

First of all, there is no "your" and "mine" definition. Definitions are per definition define.

You are still using para-logic. You completely misunderstand my position.

I will not reply to you any more.

Go to a library.

[1catrinna]

about time someone told the truth and not be a poser.

[HottieBobby22]

Those bastards!! They cut of the second half of Tami Farrell's interview!! She actually supports Gay Marriage! Later she says that though she believes that Marriage is suppose to be between a Man and a Woman she believes that it is not the states right to enforce it and people should be allowed to make the decision for themselves. I think Ms. Prejean had every right to voice her opinion that night and I respect her for doing so but FOX NEWS has shocked me by how incredibly bias they were here!

[weaselvulture]

man... she's such a vile cunt.

[bEEarCUB]

@1001Phoenix

For someone who speaks so often about "tolerance," you seem to have no grasp at what that word means. And no, standing up for my family, and rejecting the notion that the government has to ban my beliefs and equal treatment in the name of "tolerance" of your beliefs, is not intolerant or hateful. If you don't want to marry someone of a certain gender, then don't ... but stop screaming "intolerance" until people are voting if you can stay/get married, fired, etc

[dortmundpls]

Looks to me that she was pushed out of the position for her opinion on gay marriage. She may win. Will be interesting to see the outcome.

[theREALiceveela]

too true. if you do not like this statement than you are not your definition of tolarent.

[theREALiceveela]

i am tolarent, i am dishing out opinions on a woman who according to the bibble, should receive them according to freedom of speech and the golden rule.

[theREALiceveela]

ok, i am smarter than you because you cannot figure out that you said you have to be tolarent of everything. you will not write me back, ok, not my loss. i do not want anyone who is braindead to tell me anything. tolerating and opinions are two seperate things. read a dictionary.

[1001Phoenix]

'i suppose a ignorant cunt who does not know that traditional marriage is gone and fucked up why the hell should we defend having murderers marry and have children.

[1001Phoenix]

Pathetic. You are lecturing others about "tolerance" and this is your comment: