Miss California versus Gay Blogger Perez Hilton On Gay Marriage

Feel free to provide such proof, then. Quotes, from me, please.

 

For what it's worth, I have no problem at all with gay marriage. My attitude is, who am I to say who should and who shouldn't be allowed to get married? If I were ever presented with a referendum on the issue, I'd vote in favour because I have absolutely no reason to vote against it.

But I also consider myself a strong supporter of free speech. You can hate all you want what people like Carrie Prejean say, but in a free society you should also be willing to stand up for her right to say it, in most cases without reservations. If you disagree with her beliefs, by all means express it - but when you descend to throwing around epithets like "bigot" and when you in effect dismiss someone by telling them their beliefs are "wrong," you chip away at that person's right to express themselves.

Did Carrie Prejean say something inflammatory or hateful? Not in my opinion. She didn't advocate for gays to be rounded up and put in concentration camps. She didn't say gays are yucky or gross or bound for hell. She merely said that she thinks marriage should be between a man and a woman. There's nothing hateful or intolerant about that in itself. She made an unfortunate stumble when she referred to "opposite marriage," but who among us hasn't said the wrong thing from time to time? Very few of us are gifted public speakers who will never make a mistake on live TV, that is if we ever get on live TV in the first place. Her mistake just happens to have been preserved for eternity, making her subject to insults like "dunce" from people who don't know her personally and therefore have no honest reason to believe she is not an otherwise intelligent woman.

For these reasons I don't believe Carrie Prejean deserves the harsh treatment she has received from some parts of society. You might think that by using the word "bigot," you're calling a spade a spade. And you know what? Maybe you are. But often the only thing people learn from experiences like that is to keep their beliefs to themselves for fear of being attacked. They also don't change their minds about how they feel. They just tune you out and become more resistant to change. And then what good have you accomplished? Is that how we want to educate people and try to create a more inclusive society?

And now, having said probably all I can about this, I'm going outside to enjoy this beautiful day.....I hope you all do too.

 

No, you don't. This is completely and utterly wrong.

 

You mean like how Prejean in effect dismissed Perez Hilton by telling him his beliefs are wrong to allow gay people to get married?

 

I dismiss what Ms. Prejean said because it is uninformed and stupid.
I dismiss her because she is a bigot.

 

When did she say that? She said she thought marriage should be between a man and a woman. She didn't say his beliefs are wrong.

I disagree with your opinion, but I defend your right to express it. Have a nice evening.

 

No one is implying she shouldn't have free speech, even those who disagree with her. Free speech doesn't mean what you say won't be open to criticism though, especially in such a public forum as she made her comments.

And she can not like something and still support their right to do it. I also don't really like American Idol, but I wouldn't think I should have the right to keep anyone else from watching it. I also don't like sexist beauty pageants where being judged in little more than your underwear is a primary component of the event, but I wouldn't think I and a right to say beauty pageants shouldn't be allowed or accepted because I find them distasteful.

 

I wish they'd asked Miss California about the possible legalization of marijuana, since she's reportedly "dating" Michael Phelps.

 

Ms. Prejean is a sore loser. She may not be a bitch, but she certainly whined like one about finishing second.

 

What does that make Ms. "Hilton"?

 

An irrelevant psuedoceleb.

 

And I dismiss you because the rent on your morals is month-to-month.