Miss Calif. Reply Inspired By The Bible

Contestant Claims "Insensitive" Response To Perez Hilton On Same-Sex Marriage Was "Biblically Correct"

(CBS/ AP)  Miss California says she stands by her anti-gay-marriage comments, even if they may have cost her the Miss USA crown.

Carrie Prejean defended her views Tuesday on NBC's "Today" show, telling host Matt Lauer that she spoke from the heart during Sunday's pageant when she said that "marriage should be between a man and a woman."

The beauty queen's response to a question from openly gay pageant judge and celebrity blogger Perez Hilton has received more attention than the winner, Miss North Carolina Kristen Dalton. During the pageant, Hilton asked Prejean if every state should follow Vermont in legalizing same sex marriage.

"I think it's great that Americans are able to choose one or the other," Prejean responded. "But in my country, and in my family, I think that I believe that marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anybody out there, but that's how I was raised."

Hilton, who also appeared on the "Today" show Tuesday, said his question was relevant and that Prejean should have "left her politics and her religion out because Miss USA represents all Americans."

Prejean, who was named first runner-up at the pageant, told Lauer that she knew "at that moment after I'd answered the question, I knew that I was not going to win because of my answer." Still, she stands by her statements.

"I don't take back what I said," she told Lauer, adding that she "had spoken from my heart, from my beliefs and for my God."

"It's not about being politically correct," she said. "For me, it's about being biblically correct."

Hilton also joined Early Show co-anchor Julie Chen from his computer via Skype along with Miss USA pageant co-director Shanna Moakler, who was in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

When Hilton first heard her answer, he says he was "shocked."

"Because, I thought, having been from California, a state that recently passed Proposition 8, outlawing same-sex marriage, she should have been better prepared to answer that question," he said.

Hilton stresses that she shouldn't have lied at all, but that she should have used a different approach that wasn't insensitive.

"There were various other ways she could have answered that question, and still stayed true to herself without alienating millions of people," he said.

Hilton gave an example of how he thought she should have handled the question.

"A very simple way she could have answered it is, 'as a future Miss USA, it is my job not to be a politician, but to be someone who represents and inspires the women and the troops, and I think it's great that the states get to decide for themselves.'

"Something like that, she would not have had to insert her own personal politics into it," he said. "And I'm not saying it's bad to insert your own personal politics. But you have to answer the question as Miss USA, not as Carrie Prejean."

Did the question cost her the crown and the title?

"I think she was definitely one of the front-runners," Hilton said. "But I think it's kind of very rude of her to be saying in interviews, like she was yesterday, that if she had been given another question, she would have won. And that she felt like a winner. You know, Miss North Carolina, congratulations to you. She did a great job. She earned that crown."

Moakler, who understands the difficulties that come along with being in a pageant, points out that "this is not the first conservative Christian title holder."

"I have to applaud her that she was willing to miss out on the opportunity of being Miss USA, to stay true to her convictions," she said. "But, on the same token, I think she muddied the waters a little bit by making - just by her question was insensitive. And it's now become more about compassion, being compassionate in the way that she answered her question."

As her state director, Moakler added: "I want it to be known and be clarified that we're not abandoning her and we don't hate her. But it puts us in a difficult situation because we do have a difference of opinion.

"And we also have sponsors, and people that have supported her and helped get her to where she was standing on that stage, that I think there's now become a sense of betrayal. So it's just, you know, that's why I'm saying it's become a topic of sensitivity, and she needed to answer her question with more compassion."

[solebella21]

And the whole bible says "being gay is an abomination," yes is true. It's in Leviticus. However this is the same book in the bible that says women who menstrate are unclean and if a woman give birth to a girl she is unclean and not to step foot into a church for 30 days. That book is a load of crap and should be removed from the bible...i mean why not the bible has had stuff taken out and thrown in all through out history...who knows what the original bible said. its nothing but a bunch of hipocracy and rewrites. And this is what your trying to fight your battle with? Go ahead read the book of Leviticus and tell me you honestly still agree with it.

[solebella21]

whats more distasteful then her closed minded answer was her revealing pictures. she should have have had the title of Miss CA taken from her. You have young girls who look up to you and you take pics like that??? What are you thinking?? You're a horrible role model!! You have no respect for yourself!! Keep your clothes on!! The only reason you weren't kicked out on your ass is because Trump wanted to see more of what you didn't have a problem showing...

[Larry Essmann]

Now that we know, and The Early Morning Show, how beget ed they are about Gay Marriages.
How does she feel about divorce and other issues in the Bible.
Did her parents bring her up to change her body that GOD HAD CREATED.......
Now we know what her and her parents RELIGIOUS VALUES ARE. Screw equal rights, but get big boobs to win the pageant..

Hey, Early Morning Show, was that the only clip that you could find? Poor taste on your part.

[MtnDewed]

Hate the sin, not the sinner. Easier said than done, I know, but that's the way it should be.

[jamienoel]

Those talking about all the hate coming from the gay people. You want to see hate? Go here.

http://tinyurl.com/bikk

[keithle1]

Blonde to the nth degree. Ugh. No thanks. How do we know she wasn't born a man?
If you're not a hardcore, bible-punching Christian, why would you care if a man marries a man or a woman marries a woman? How does it affect you? I don't get it. I don't care. Do you want. Just leave me alone. You're in love? Great! Go for it. I hope you don't end up miserable & bitter like more than half of married straight couples.

"The sanctity of marriage." I love that. Always makes me chuckle. "Til death do you part."

Can you imagine being married to this blonde bimbo? Why do they bother with this hilarious charade of asking these broads questions about current affairs, news, etc, like they're running for President. Who the heck cares about what they have to say? Bring on the swimsuits & shut up!

[StephsWord]

Hilton asked the question because she was from California, and he expected her to answer it differently. If she had answered it the way HE wanted her to - in favor of gay marriage he would have used her answer to promote his cause. Even if she answered it the way he said that she should of (non-committedly), he would have complained because she didn't come right out and say "Yes".
Because she didn't (along with the over 5 million other Californians ( -me included) who voted against same sex marriage in the last election.) he is now calling her names and trying to degrade her as much as he can.
Did anyone notice that he responded with Hate speech calling her a B****? To which she responded that she loved him.
Does anyone else notice that when the homosexuals don't get what they want THEY resort to HATE speech and HATEFUL, mean things. Just watch what they did when Prop 8 passed. Why is it that they (the homosexuals) can be as mean and HATEFUL as they want, but the rest of us who respond with calm and even "in a loving manner" are called B***** among other things. What he did is more in line with Hate speech bordering a hate crime.
PLEASE!
I'm proud of Ms. California. You go girl! Perez - I don't need to tell you where to go, you already know.

[joule18]

If 2% of our population consisted of murderers or rapists and she was asked if leniancy should be given to them prior to sentencing if their crimes were related to a claimed incident as a child, would you want her to answer "yes" because she needs to "appeal to all of America?"

[joule18]

Gays represent about 2% of our population, yet when something doesn't go their way, they attack, get loud, and gain attention. When those of us who may support civil unions, but not marriage for gays, speak up and show our anger when our votes are cast aside as meaningless, then we might maintain the integrity of marriage.

I don't view this matter as a constitutional matter. Any gay has the same right as you or I to "marry" someone of the opposite sex. If they choose something different, then it should be called a civil union.

Already, where marriage for gays has been approved, a methodist owned wedding venue was sued by gays because the venue would not cater to them due to their religious beliefs. However, their non-profit status was taken away by judges. This is not right. No doctor, no venue, no religious organization should be forced into going against their moral and ethical beliefs. It is a travesty. There are other doctors, venues, etc. that would cater to them.

They are advancing their agenda through the courts. Unfortunately, the judges are re-interpreting the constitution. The venue that was sued should not have lost their case as, for them, it was a freedom of religion issue.

All the demonstrating, hatefulness and attacks by the gay community has caused me to turn a deaf ear to them. Arguments about their so-called rights are old arguments. Same sex couples have all the rights of married couples now, so why should we bend over quietly and without objection as to what marriage has always meant? Their relationships are certainly different as it is not about procreating at all.

[jtomson396]

This just goes to show everyone that all of those people with fringe ideas, such as redefining the meaning of marriage, are here in civilized society only because of the strength of the Judeo-Christian civilization that created the foundation underneath your blabbering freedom of speech.
Show a little respect! You can't corrupt a good man or woman with some ambitious reward. Carrie Prejean showed how much integrity she has and Perez showed how little he has, by attempting to leap 50 years into the future with his abuse of a judging table. He's only a judge because backers think they need to cater to his voice, based on statistical marketing measures. It isn't because he's a decent person or anything like that. Perez single-handedly cheapened the Miss USA event. But that's OK there's so much more to life than this vain little exercise. And as a consumer with a 6 digit paycheck, I'd buy products that Miss Prejean marketed. My voice counts and along with others will be heard, long after the banter of spastic flamers dies out.

[fdx22]

This country is in a cultural and social decline. If you have to hold politically liberal views on homosexuality, gay adoption, and gay marriage if you want to win a beauty pageant. For the rest of us, you have to hold such views to keep your job and protect yourself from being blacklisted by the government as bigot and charged with a hate crime.

[bellazo]

IT WASN'T A FAIR QUESTION ,IT WAS A BEAUTY PAGEANT NOT A CAMPAIGN FOR PRESIDENT.....MR HILTON IS THE FOOL!

[tomanyt]

Perez Hilton is a joke. Why ask a question if you are not going to like the answer? Having said that, this lady claims her statement is "biblically" correct. The bible states that slavery is OK. Does she agree with that as well or does she only agree with certain parts of the bible.

[notmytime1]

I am so sick of Perez Hilton. Celebrities kiss up to him to keep from him blogging lies about them. No one actually likes him. I think it took alot of courage for her to speak what she felt. Perez thinks you are cool as long as you agree with him. This woman knew what answer Perez was looking for because he is gay yet she gave him the answer she believed in. I think it's great. Why should people hide and lie about their true feelings? Why don't you, Perez Hilton, get a grip. You are the one discriminating now. You constantly preach equal rights. That goes both ways sweetie. Don't discriminate against those who don't share your beliefs. You have ran her into the ground for not saying what you wanted to hear. I guess that wasn't too fabou was it?

[cbs_tom]

"Of course a dumb blonde would be inspired by a fairy tale".
Posted by sly_64 at 10:59 AM : Apr 23, 2009

If it is only a "fairy tale", then disprove it! It seems to me that if it's just a fairy tale you with all of your God given( oh yeah, you don't believe) talent could easily disprove the archaelogical findings and evidence at hand. Be a big man and just disprove it!

[sly_64]

Of course a dumb blonde would be inspired by a fairy tale.

[growlll]

Who really gives a hoot on what Mario Armando Lavandeira Jr. AKA Perez Hilton thinks. To chicken to even go by his real name. Cluck Cluck...

[owlgal]

It is a shame that you can't give the answer that you truly believe and are forced to lie and give the "PC" answer. That is what is wrong with this country. We publicly are forced to give programmed answers that in no way reflect our true beliefs for the sake of being "politically correct" and not offending every wacko that comes along.

[Brclmty]

Gays have the same rights as everyone else - marriage gives everyone the right to marry 1 person of the opposite sex.

[phwtb]

The only thing Hilton is truly upset over is the fact Miss California doesn't agree with him and his belief. In his exampled answer to the question asked of Miss California, he shows he has a complete lack of respect to the title "Miss USA". I hate to tell you this Mr. Hilton, but Miss USA is a lot more than just "someone who represents and inspires the women and the troops".

She is entitled to her opinion.
She is entitled to her belief.
Get over it.

The question of "gay rights" had no place in the competition, just like a question on abortion illegal aliens, or firefighters who are too lazy to learn how to pass a test would have no place in it. Stop expecting "politically correct" answers from all of us who aren't politicians.