Perez Hilton
For years, the gay rights movement was about “live and let live” tolerance. But the Miss USA flap showed just how much ill will has built up among activists, and how much the need for tolerance has shifted.
Even though the majority of Americans simply want to preserve the traditional definition of marriage – and themselves have no ill will in the process – gay marriage activists have been very successful at redefining disagreement as hateful bigotry.
Ironically, this has given those crying “tolerance” permission to treat others with thinly veiled (or outright) derision and loathing.
This bizarre reality is possible only because of how the mainstream entertainment and news media present the issue. Editors and producers jump on traditionalists, yet don’t even notice slanted pro-gay reporting.
For example, this lede from an April 23 Associated Press report about gay marriage in Connecticut: “A decade-long battle for marriage equality in Connecticut ended when the General Assembly voted to update the state’s marriage laws.”
Just imagine the furor if this equally biased opening had been used: “A decade-long battle to preserve traditional marriage was lost today … ”
After the Miss USA pageant, this shocking anti-traditional bigotry was on display.
Following Miss California Carrie Prejean’s respectful answer that she believed marriage was between a man and a woman, gay activist and pageant judge Perez Hilton began such vile persecution that America gasped.
Hilton said she was a “dumb b-tch” and the “c-word.” On his Web site, he posted her picture and drew a male phallus in her mouth.
He apparently never saw the hypocrisy of telling the “Today” show that he attacked her because she wasn’t “saying things that will make everyone feel welcome.”
Gay activists had a great opportunity at that moment. But instead of loudly condemning Hilton’s hatefulness, all too many defended him or stayed virtually silent.
Americans have always managed vehemently differing opinions via our belief in respect-based free speech: “I may disagree with what you say, but I will defend your right to say it.”
To that, I might add, “And your difference of opinion doesn’t mean you are evil.”
I believe most Americans – gay or straight – prefer that civil approach, and I urge activists on both sides to embrace it.
Shaunti Feldhahn (scfeldhahn@yahoo.com) is a conservative Christian author and speaker, and married mother of two.