I believe we should live and let live, that your private life is private and not subject to my approval or disapproval. I believe you should be able to marry anyone you love regardless of gender. But I do not believe you have the right to force your preferences on me.
I am referring to a man who calls himself Perez Hilton, born Mario Armando Lavandeira, Jr. in Miami, Florida (photo at right). He is an American blogger and television “personality.” And he is openly homosexual. He was chosen as a judge for the recent Miss Universe contest, and in my opinion behaved like a jerk.
During the show, “Perez” asked Carrie Prejean (photo below, left), who represented California, for her opinion on “gay marriage.”
“Vermont recently became the fourth state to legalize same sex marriage,” he said. “Do you think every state should follow suit? Why or why not?”
“Well I think it’s great that Americans are able to choose one or the other,” Prejean replied. “We live in a land that you can choose same sex marriage or opposite marriage and, you know what, in my country and in, in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anybody out there. But that’s how I was raised and that’s how I think that it should be between a man and a woman.”
Some members of the audience cheered and some booed. To me, they were both rude. I have no patience with people who try to impose their beliefs by bullying those who disagree with them.
But the truly offensive reaction came from “Perez.” Calling Prejean “a dumb b—-,” he went on to describe her as having “half a brain” and said he would have stormed onto the stage and ripped off her tiara if she had won. There are reports in the media that Prejean’s reply cost her the Miss USA crown (she was named runner-up with Miss North Carolina, Kristen Dalton (photo at right), winning the title).
If that is true, shame on the Miss Universe judges! The young woman was asked for her opinion and she gave it. True, her facts were not quite accurate. All Americans do not live in a land where “you can choose same sex marriage or opposite marriage,” but from all accounts that’s not what cost her the crown. Apparently, it was her opinion that marriage is a union between a man and a woman.
I believe you should tell the truth when someone asks you for your opinion. And I don’t think anyone should hold it against you when you do. And I don’t believe there is a simple answer to the question that Prejean was asked.
But that’s beside the point. The point is that no one has the right to be a jerk – even if he or she is homosexual, handicapped, or a member of a racial minority (or any other group that’s discriminated against). And Mario Armando Lavandeira, Jr. (aka Perez Hilton) is a jerk.
