Thursday, April 30, 2009

CARRIE PREJEAN'S ACTIVISM AGAINST SAME-SEX MARRIAGE

Although she doesn't strike me as an intellectual heavyweight, Carry Prejean is very likely to sway public opinion, given her beauty (Yes, charm and beauty go a long way!), and her tapping in to the dark side of human hearts, much like the ridiculous fear-mongering of the National Organization For Marriage's ad, and assorted reactionary radio talk show hosts who garner millions of dollars a year for the needs their rhetoric meets in the psyches of their listeners.

"I'm here to protect traditional marriage," Prejean told the Today show of her partnering with NOM, the same group responsible for the much-parodied "A Gathering Storm" ad.

Here is that National Organization For Marriage ad:


"I was attacked for giving my own opinion onstage at a Miss USA contest. I'm gonna do whatever it takes to protect marriage. It is something that is very dear to my heart and I'm just here to protect it, that's all I'm here to do."


[Thanks to E Online.]

What does it say about the intellectual level of a large segment of our society when people take seriously the inanities, distortions, and jingoism behind the opposition to same-sex marriage?

The only threat to marriage is divorce!

Same-sex marriage will enhance the institution of marriage, in addition to recognizing the legitimacy and sanctity of same-sex love as being equivalent to the legitimacy and sanctity of heterosexual love!

Here is the interview with Carrie Prejean, taken from E Online.

Share |

4 comments:

John Hosty said...

It figures that they would cash in on her celebrity. She is nothing more than a flash in the Palin...err, I mean pan! ;)

Jerry Maneker said...

Thanks John. She might just be a flash in the pan, but she could well do a lot of damage in reinforcing negative stereotypes of Gay people in the minds of potential straight allies, incessantly repeating the mantra, "I stand up for traditional marriage." We can't underestimate the influence of charm (albeit opportunistic charm), and the appeal to the dark sides of human nature. Best wishes, Jerry.

John Hosty said...

You are right Jerry, but I do believe that the attention they get seems to backfire. It seems the more people talk the more they learn. The more they learn the less likely they are to hold on to those old stereotypes.

I think we are seeing the begining of a new era of equality for all people, not just LGBT. Individuality will become a welcome thing as we attempt to learn the unique benefits we contribute to the world. You're a sociologist, what's your opinion?

Jerry Maneker said...

Hi John: Social psychological research has indicated that attitudes change in proportion to the change in behavior that precedes them; education in and of itself is not likely to change attitudes unless it is accompanied by (if necessary, forced) behavior change.

So, for example, forced integration is far more likely to change attitudes toward any minority group than is mere education about the dangers and unfairness of treating people unequally. And it is essential that the change in behavior entails having the dominant and minority groups living and working in positions of equality.

In the case of LGBT people, it is only when the courts and legislative officials insist that Gay people have full and equal rights that accrue to all other citizens, over time negative attitudes toward LGBT people will change into positive ones.

We can talk about the inherent unfairness of "separate being equal" until we're blue in the face, but it is only when equality is enforced (such as in states that mandate the allowance of same-sex marriage) that all people will come to see that Gay people, like all citizens, are entitled to equal civil rights.

It seems to me that the "new era of equality for all people" of which you speak is largely due to the existence of those states that affirmed that the denial of same-sex marriage is unconstitutional; states that mandate equal treatment in other regards for LGBT people.

It is at that point that, over time, attitudes change, save for the most rabid homophobes about which nothing can be done.

However, most people are not rabid homophobes but, rather, potential allies, and the granting of equality to Gay people will change their ambivalent or negative attitudes into positive ones, once they see that, save for sexual orientation, Gay people have the same needs and rights as do they.

Best wishes, Jerry.