Adding Insult to Injury

By Pilar Oberwetter

The obsolete practice of beauty pageantry just cemented its place in the mausoleum of history’s negatives with its recent validation of homophobic propaganda. Today, Donald Trump, owner of the Miss USA pageant, officially permitted Carrie Prejean, otherwise known as Miss California, to speak out against same-sex marriage while in competition and still beat out 47 other competitors to claim the title of runner-up to Ms. USA.

Now, in addition to being an event that shamelessly objectifies women, the Miss USA pageant has just made it ok for these public personas to advocate divisive beliefs on national stage, under the guise of “carrying a message to young people”. What’s next? Anti-Semitism? Racial slurs? Using Trump’s logic, anything goes.

For shame. Here is hoping that the tides of progress drown both Mr. Trump and Ms. Prejean.