Uncle Roger's Notebooks of Daily Life

Role Models

What is, exactly, the point of the Miss USA contest? Is it merely a beauty contest, staged for the titillation of the home viewer or is it an opportunity to find a new role model -- someone young girls can look to for guidance, someone to be an example for those who are still trying to figure out how this whole life thing works. I'm sure, if you ask the pageant directors, they would vehemently claim the latter -- consider the harsh penalty Vanessa Williams suffered when risque photos of her surfaced.

This is why I disagree with Wendy of the Domestiquette about the controversy surrounding Miss California's comments about gay marriage. Setting aside, for the moment, that she apparently didn't actually answer the question she was asked ("Vermont recently became the fourth state to legalize same-sex marriage. Do you think every state should follow suit?") and that she was rather incoherent and self-contradicting, I think people do have a right to expect more from those who are celebrities. Because of her status, I would argue that she has a duty to support and empower those who look up to her. With great power comes great responsibility.

Now, mind you, I'm not saying that Miss California or even Miss USA is the president's equivalent, but they are marketed as someone special, to be looked up to, a do-gooder, if you will. And in that context, yes, some freedom of speech should be self-regulated. While I certainly support the right of any idiot to express whatever hateful stereotypes and misconceptions they like about any or all racial, sexual, or religious groups, I do not allow the same leeway to an elected official, certainly, or, to a lesser extent, to Miss California.

The long and the short of it is, if you want to shoot your mouth off and spew bigotted hate, do so at the local bar. As soon as you acquire a position of celebrity, you need to mind your manners.

[ Posted: 17:00 | comments: | print ]

They ride around on push-me-pull-yous

Are there any anti-lgbt atheists out there? It seems to me that the hatred of gays and lesbians as well as the opposition to marriage equality is strictly a religious thing. Once you take God and his mythology out of the picture, there doesn't seem to be any reason to care.

Now, don't get me wrong -- I'm sure there is at least one or two atheists that are as disgusted by homosexuality as your most fervent bible-thumper. In fact, I might even go so far as to postulate a corollary* to Rule 34 that demands it. That, however, isn't what I mean. I want to know if there are a statistically significant number of atheists who not only disapprove of homosexuality, but also feel the need to take action to deny equal rights to gays and lesbians.

If I were a betting man, I would put my money on the negative. It takes religion to foster that kind of hate.

*If there is porn of it, someone will have a sign that decries it.

[ Posted: 03:00 | comments: | print ]