Monday, April 27, 2009
Miss California agonistes
Miss USA pageant officials apparently tried to get Miss California to "apologize" for parroting Barack Obama's position on marriage, which is that it ought to be between a man and a woman. Now, I do not agree with either of them on this subject, but why the hell should she apologize for honestly answering a direct question that called for an opinion? This episode is driving the chattering classes insane precisely because it reveals how intolerant they are of simple opinions with which they disagree, especially when those views reflect, well, intolerance.
Just remember, the right of freedom of speech is only relevant to people who express opinions that offend the powerful. There is no other need for it.
7 Comments:
By 
Escort81, at
Mon Apr 27, 03:02:00 PM:
Free speech is philosophical and political concept with a long history, much of it outside of the U.S., but here, it is an expressly stated right in the First Amendment:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
...which pretty much means that Congress can't pass laws that enable Federal government to restrict speech -- for example, the NSA or FBI coming in and shutting down this blog (which I don't believe could ever happen, and if it did, I think I would be prepared to help fund a fairly significant effort to overturn that decision).
I don't beleive that the First Amendment means that in the normal ebb and flow of public discourse, people aren't permitted to be shouted down (as long as no governmental entity or an accomodation of same is involved) -- that is, it might be rude and close-minded, but it is not illegal. Any Constitutional lawyers out there?
But I agree with your point.
By 
, at
Mon Apr 27, 03:22:00 PM:
So Prejean was told that she was representing the majority in California, which, based on the Prop 8 vote, she WAS.
Prejean will have a lot of people who hate her, but most of them will know her name, which means she'll be able to profit from it, and I hope she does.
The 'issue' of gay marriage is not one that I devote much energy to, or would vote solely on, but I do find it offensive that so much voice and energy is given it by the self-ordained elite progressives and enlightened folk among us.
By Dawnfire82, at
Mon Apr 27, 04:11:00 PM:
Well that's part of what makes them enlightened and progressive, you see, so they have to champion it loudly and often in order to maintain their image.
I don't think they'd know what to do if they actually won and put all their little plans into law... start executing newly disarmed kulaks, I suppose.
By , at
Mon Apr 27, 04:48:00 PM:
Link:
My eight grade daughter is being taught in public school social studies that it's not enough to "tolerate" gays, you have to "accept" them. Teacher's words exactly. Teacher used the murder of Matthew Shepard in Wyoming as a reason why. Recall that Shepard's two killers were convicted and are serving life sentences, at least in one case without possibility of parole.
Funny, but I'd frame the issue the same way. Tolerate vs accept.
If I could vote for some version of gay unions that kept the church goers happy -- I'm not a church goer, but want to respect their rights too, I would. But I don't like us being jammed by the courts ... if you stretch equal protection this far, you could cover most anything, polygamy included.
By JPMcT, at
Mon Apr 27, 07:20:00 PM:
The request for an apology touches upon a couple of facets of the disordered liberal mind, namely:
1. Penance is a requirement for anyone who treads outside of the narrow confines of politically correct behaviour.
2. Once the apology is given, both the offender and the offendees are then free to move on the the next perceived slight.
3. Repeat.
By joated, at
Tue Apr 28, 10:07:00 AM:
I'm still trying to understand why Perez Hilton, a gay man, was judging a women's beauty pageant.
By JPMcT, at
Tue Apr 28, 08:57:00 PM:
"I'm still trying to understand why Perez Hilton, a gay man, was judging a women's beauty pageant"
To get back at all the breeders who stuffed him into a locker in high school!
