The final firing of Carrie Prejean

Despite the fact I can't quite pronounce her last name, overall I really don't care what happens to her. But the news is: she's been fired as Miss California. Yeah, poor girl. She was asked a controversial question, and answered it to the best of her abilities. Whatever one thinks of the quality of her "abilities" to answer questions, one comment she's made recently has my attention:

"Three weeks ago I was asked a politically charged question with a hidden personal agenda," Prejean said. "I was given a question asking for my opinion and I stated my personal belief. Immediately after the pageant, judge no. 8 began a cultural firestorm in the media ... he was trying to be self-promoting and hateful.

"On April 19 on that stage, I exercised my freedom of speech," Prejean continued, fighting back tears. "And I was punished for doing so. This should not happen in America."

Was she "punished," or was she taken to task for her beliefs? She spoke them out loud, and so therefore invited criticism, whether she wanted it or not. If I stood up and said vapid blonds from California should be shot at dawn, I would expect to be criticized for that position, because not everyone will accept it. The same goes for those who have an opinion on gay marriage. If you're against it, some will be critical of you. If you're for it, others will criticize you for that opinion. If she can't handle the pressure of defending her views, I would suggest she's not very well prepared to be Miss California, or to spout her fundamentalist views in public, either. Something about heat and kitchens comes to mind.

Poor girl. Punished for her innocent viewpoint? Since she wasn't fired for that, I doubt that's the case. As to whether this should happen in America ... well, there are a lot of things going on in America these days--even in regards to free speech--that have my panties in a bunch. Carrie Prejean needs to get in line.

And the irony that her presence in the pageant wasn't also "self-promoting"? She may have not been acting "hateful" to Perez Hilton, but I know a few gay folks who would ascribe her attitude as hateful to them. My irony meter isn't broken, but it's pegged. (I had an extra-industrial-strength model installed when GWB got elected. Even then he broke it several times. But, that's another story for another time.)

Prejean's mother, Francine, came out in defense of her daughter, telling the blog MomLogic.com that the beauty queen is "being persecuted for speaking her opinion" about gay marriage. Prejean also told Christian radio host Dr. James Dobson that Satan tried to tempt her with a question about gay marriage at the Miss USA pageant.

My only question, re: Satan and his Temptations (a really old pop-music group), is did he succeed? It would seem so, since she's now out and free to go for the really juicy XXX photos. She'll make a frigging fortune.

Fun times.