Allow me to begin this diary by stating that I never really was one to care about the famous Miss California drama. There are thousands and thousands of people in this nation that agree with her, and she was specifically asked. I thought it was ridiculous of Perez Hilton to snap as he did at her: up until the point when he asked her to voice her beliefs, she simply had an opinion. She was by no means an anti-gay-marriage activist.
Now, specifically because of the drama that event has created, that has all changed.
More below the fold.
Many of you may be familiar with the organization known as the National Organization for Marriage. It is a non-profit organization formed in 2007 with the specific intention of blocking the legalization of gay marriage at state-wide levels.
Recently, it has drawn some attention through its add, "A Gathering Storm." This particular add is one of the most misleading, fear-mongering, and hateful anti-gay commercials I've ever seen. The video can be found here. However, I'll add text for those of you at places that cannot access Youtube. (Crazy bosses, these days...)
"There's a storm gathering. The clouds are dark, and the winds are strong... and I am afraid. Some who advocate for same-sex marriage have taken the issue far beyond same-sex couples. They want to bring the issue into my life. My freedom will be taken away. I'm a California doctor who must choose between my faith and my job. I am part of a New Jersey church group punished by the government because we can't support same-sex marriage. I am a Massachusetts parent helplessly watching public schools teach my son that gay marriage is okay.
But some who advocate for same-sex marriage have not been content with same-sex couples living as they wish. Those advocates want to change the way I live. I will have no choice. A storm is coming.
But we have hope. A rainbow coalition of people of every creed and color are coming together in love to protect marriage. Visit Nationformarriage.org. Join us.
Paid for the National Organization for Marriage, which is responsible for this add."
You might be amused to know that this video currently has a 1 star rating on Youtube, with 16,000 ratings.
Anyhow. NOM has recently paid the drama-laden Miss California a sum of 1.5 million dollars to star in their newest ad, "No Offense." According to NOM, the ad will call "gay marriage advocates to account for their unwillingness to debate the real issue: gay marriage has consequences."
What these consequences are, exactly, remains unknown. I can't disagree with their statement, of course: everything has consequences.
Anyhow, I mention this mostly because of one thought I had: because of the outrage sparked by a controversial question at a beauty pageant, a silent bystander has been transformed into an activist figurehead.
(By the by, NOM has an internet forum, which apparently they don't censor. If you're feeling in a particularly argumentative mood, head on over to http://nomblog.com/ )