As if we hadn't had enough beauty queen drama to last a lifetime with Carrie Prejean (Carrie who?) and her fans from the National Organization for Marriage -- along comes Lauren Ashley, a Miss California USA contestant, who not only opposes same sex marriage but points to the Leviticus gays-deserve-death passage in the Bible as the reason why.
In an interview with the Fox News website Pop Tarts, Ashley said:
"The Bible says that marriage is between a man and a woman. In Leviticus it says, 'If man lies with mankind as he would lie with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death and their blood shall be upon them.' The Bible is pretty black and white. I feel like God himself created mankind and he loves everyone, and he has the best for everyone. If he says that having sex with someone of your same gender is going to bring death upon you, that's a pretty stern warning, and he knows more than we do about life."
Bearing in mind that West Hollywood borders the famous "Pretty Woman" homestead, the city of Beverly Hills rushed to denounce Ashley, fearing any taint to their image of tolerance. In a statement issued Wednesday, the city declared itself "shocked" by Ashley's moniker as "Miss Beverly Hills" since the city "does not sponsor a beauty pageant and has no association with Miss California USA. As such, there should be no individual claiming the title of Miss Beverly Hills."
Keith Lewis, the openly gay K2 Productions director for the Miss California USA pageant who is writing a book about his contretemps with Carrie Prejean, explained to LGBT POV that Ashley gave herself the "Miss Beverly Hills" title. The way the pageant works, he said, is that when the young women apply, they are asked what region they wish to represent, on a first come, first served basis. Ashley picked Beverly Hills so when she competes in November, her sash will read 'Beverly Hills USA.' " If another contestant also picked Beverly Hills, they'd be asked to select another nearby region.
Lest anyone think all beauty queen contestants are anti-gay Bible-thumpers, Lewis notes that the current Miss California USA believes in full marriage equality.
But there is something odd in the apparent contradiction presented by both Carrie Prejean and Lauren Ashley. Prejean paraded half naked before Perez Hilton and the world and then declared with all the spunk of a Christian evangelist that she believed in "opposite" marriage, a belief that apparently includes masturbating on tape for your one-time lover.
No Ashley sex tapes have surfaced so far, but she apparently keeps company with sex-tape enthusiast Paris Hilton. In fact, according to Lewis, it was at a birthday party for Paris Hilton on Feb. 17 that a Pop Tarts inquisitor asked the beauty queen wanna-be about her view on same-sex marriage.
Now imagine this setting -- Paris Hilton birthday party -- and here's what Ashley, who says she's a virgin, also told Pop Tart:
"I don't drink alcohol and I don't smoke weed or cigarettes. My definition of partying is a little different. I feel like my body is the Temple of God and it's my temple so it's really good to treat it well. I also feel like sex was made for marriage. You really show your future husband or wife respect and you build a lot of trust before you get married. You don't have sex with other people, so that should definitely build trust, because you waited."
"isn't really the issue. I have a lot of friends that are gay, and ... I have a lot of friends who have different views, and we share our views together... There's no hate between me and anyone."
"She is definitely a beautiful person and I love that she stood up for what she believes in. I think that's gorgeous."
Lewis said he talked with Ashley, who was "pleasant." Lewis, who produced the documentary "For the Bible Tells Me So" about the Religious Right's use of the Bible to bash gays and therefore "had a dog in this hunt," asked her if she was a "Biblical literalist." He knew precisely what he was asking. Ashley, not so much.
After Lewis explained what the literal interpretation of the Bible was -- that the Bible was handed down by God, Ashley said that she had arrived at her conclusion about same sex marriage through her reading of the Bible but she wasn't saying that everyone needed to believe the same thing.
Then Lewis told her he was gay, which she didn't know. Noting that she is entitled to her opinions and to do and say what she believes, Lewis says he told Ashley, "I'm going to come out and fight for you, even though I don't agree."
And here is where Lewis and some of Ashley's LGBT critics might part ways. "This girl is talking about her beliefs," something for which Lewis will stand up and defend her, unlike Prejean who was fired for her behavior and violating her contract.
Lewis also points out that by not defending Ashley's right to her opinion, the LGBT community plays right into the hand of Maggie Gallegher and the National Organization for Marriage which he says is already using Ashley as a fundraising gimmick.
Waymon Hudson at The Bilerico Project slams both Ashley and Gallagher:
Maggie Gallagher has endorsed and supported Lauren Ashley:I'm not surprised that Miss Beverly Hills, Lauren Ashley, opposes gay marriage. After all, 45 percent of young Californians voted for Prop 8, as did 7 million Californians generally. But I have to say, I am impressed with her courage in coming forward and for speaking up for Carrie. The elected officials of city of Beverly Hills are not demonstrating tolerance or kindness by continuing the avalanche of hatred against supporters of Prop 8.
While Gallagher may want to gloss over what Lauren Ashley really said and just make her a "traditional marriage" martyr like Carrie Prejean before her, she doesn't get to.
[Cut]
Ashley said gays should be put to death. By endorsing her and saying you are "impressed with her courage", especially without disavowing her call for death to gays, you are doing the same thing, Maggie.
Not so warm and fuzzy now, is she?
This isn't about Prop 8 or marriage equality. It's about a publicity-hungry young woman trying to get her 15 minutes of fame by saying gays should be killed. Wrap her in good Christian martyrdom if you'd like, Maggie Gallagher, but she made her point very clear. As have you.
So the next to you carpetbag yourself into a state to peddle your wares of anti-equality hate and fear-mongering with a smile, Maggie, I hope this moment follows you.
Lewis says:
"I don't agree with [Ashley's] opinion, but I don't want to give these groups ammunition for their fundraising. We wind up polarizing the issue further. And that's a problem. We need to be smarter," noting that it doesn't help when Perez Hilton draws a penis coming out of the mouth of a 23-year-old girl. "We don't need to fill their coffers so they will be able to overturn any legislation we have."
This was originally posted at LGBT POV.
I don't understand why people use that tape for fuel against Prejean. So not supporting gay marriage automatically means you must never pleasure yourself, wait until marriage for sex, and only do it in missionary style, lest you be called a hypocrite!? it makes no sense!
A holier than thou christian preaches her vicious religious views in a huge public arena, but we can't examine if she really lives up to her own standards?
Or, its OK for christians to persecute gays, but not OK for gays to point out that christians don't live up to their own holier-than-thou standards?
So, where do you get confused?
Freedom of speech is freedom from the GOVERNMENT censoring your speech. Condemning Lauren Ashley and censoring her are not the same thing at all.
AMEN!!! People need to learn that freedom of speech does not mean freedom from criticism.
But she has no right to be shielded from the EFFECT HER SPEECH HAS ON OTHERS - nor on their right to judge her accordingly, based on said speech.
She is free to believr and spout whatever she likes. And the rest of us are free to judge and verbally attack her to our heart's content - using the very same freedom of speech and to judge that she enjoys.
That may very well be one of their talking points, but it is *not* their message. Their message is: "Being gay is a choice" and believing that is a valid "opinion". Lewis plays into their argument.
....... or ....... progressive news network MSNBC which deals in facts and the truth and advocates strongly for the interests of the middle and lower classes, must necessarily be "balanced" by the extremist right-wing arm of the Republican Party a.k.a. FAUX News / FOX Noise which deals in lies, fear mongering, and manipulation, and serves only the interests of the top 1%, its corporate masters.
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I agree that evolution and creationism are not equal truths, but both views have the same right to be heard.