Thoughts From A Disorganized Mind: Beauty Queen Edition
Carrie Prejean
Ask me to recall prior Miss America’s and I can only come up with two:
*Vanessa Williams, because she was hot and the scandal was even hotter.
*Bess Myerson, because she was the only Jewish Miss America.
Make that three.
Miss California, Carrie Prejean, who proclaims to be a “Christian, is homophobic and likes to pose topless.
What more is there to say?
Bill O’Reilly does not understand the First Amendment.
O”Reilly is defending Prejean by attacking her critics for violating her free speech rights. He attacks the American Civil Liberties Union for not jumping to her defense.
Apparently O’Reilly never learned that the First Amendment was only intended to protect us from governmental restrictions of speech. Perhaps he thinks the Miss California Beauty Pageant is a government agency?
In fact the Prejean brouhaha is exactly what the First Amendment was intended to promote–robust debate, even if it gets personal and nasty, with the government staying out of it.
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Sukaina al-Zayer
Contrast Prejean with Sukaina al-Zayer, who is competing for Miss Saudi Arabia. a.k.a.“Miss Beautiful Morals. Bathing suit competition has been replaced with memorizing quotes from the Koran.
There are some advantages for the contestants.
With a full body robe and veil they don’t have to worry about a bikini wax. They don’t even need to shave the mustache.
Best of all Sukaina does not have to worry that she is a little on the plump side.
I have no real comments on this.
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What a shock Father Alberto Cutie was caught on Miami Beach frolicking with a hottie.
Cutie, which looks like “cutie but is pronounced “Q-tee-a, has been a major media figure for the Roman Catholic Church. He is called “Father Oprah. Pictures have been published all over town that reveals the movie star looks.
Tragically the romp with a bikini clad beauty has disappointed two communities–Roman Catholics and gay men.
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Former University Chancellor Charlie Reed is arguing that Florida’s Bright Future Scholarships should be means tested.
For those of you not familiar with Bright Futures, the program gives scholarships to Florida students who had above average grades and above average SAT’s scores to attend Florida state universities and colleges. Better grades gets even more money.
A recent study shows that the median income of recipients family was $100,000 per year. In the Gator Nation it was $150,000.
Should the goal of educating and keeping our best and brightest in Florida be means tested? Should only those of modest income get help from the government? Last year we spent $450 million.
Interesting debate.
Your thoughts will be appreciated
May 9th, 2009 at 2:50 pm
My three children went to Florida colleges because of Bright Futures. It made Florida schools much more affordable. It is the state’s way of offering in-state fees, but to the brightest students. All three of my children stayed in Florida If Bright Futures didn’t exist, my children would have gone somewhere else and probably stayed there.
May 9th, 2009 at 4:31 pm
Why are we even talking about this? It has nothing to do with Broward County, except for the Bright Futures Scholarship? I think this is very unusual, ya think?
May 9th, 2009 at 8:11 pm
The most interesting part of this is that Sam Fields finally found a subject he had no comment on.
May 10th, 2009 at 7:48 am
Sam found some interesting things to write about.
As to the Saudi pageant, I agree. No comment.
As to the Cutie issue, I remind the Catholic Church that theirs is a sacramental religion. Unless their sacraments are celebrated, they don’t have a religion to speak of. There must be priests to conduct those celebrations and increasingly Catholics are not attracting the kinds of priests that they should want. As for nuns, there are none anymore. These old men in Rome have no clue what they must do to save Catholicism from itself. It is time for a younger pope to take charge and rejuvinate the religion, which includes allowing priests and nuns to be married.
I do not imagine that gay men anywhere are upset with this story, far from that they are probably glad to see someone standing up for his basic human rights against a pointless set of rules.
Last on the university debate, let me take you toward a tangent if I may. It’s time for FSU and UF to open downstate campuses to make more money and allow more parents who have bought tuition plans and such to get their kids into these schools. The current campuses in Tallahassee and Gainsville will continue to be every bit as popular. But downstate expansion is very much needed because the cost of college and the opportunity of Florida’s students to be admitted to those two locations is much too limited. Both universities are crying they don’t have enough money. Here’s a way to make much more. Full downstate campuses.
May 10th, 2009 at 9:34 am
1..That’s why it’s called a disorganized mind.
2.Mr. Outhouse–I had a comment. I did not have an opinion.
3. The orginal draft of this column used the term “gatorburg” not “gatorland” to refer to Gainesville. Apparently The Evil Empire has infiltrated the editorial staff.
FROM BUDDY: Its the Gator Nation, not “gatorburg” or “gatorland,” which is a tourist attraction in Orlando.
May 10th, 2009 at 10:12 am
Refreshing,
The University of Central Florida (Orlando) and FIU (South Florida) just got money in a slim state budget to start medical schools. That ends the UFs monopoly on the state med schools. FIU got money previously to open a law school. They are already putting money in these South Florida schools.
I would prefer money be put in the UF to make it even more. It is the one school in Florida that has a chance of being a world class school. UF should also offer programs in other parts of the state.
May 10th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
Gator nation?!?!?
May 10th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
Gainesville is hardly a nation. It is a “burg” Hence “Gatorburg”
May 10th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
Dear Refreshing,
Go with me on this one. A lot of gay men are disappointed that Cutie is
into women.
` I disagree that FSU and Gatorburg should expand south. This would just
be duplication of FIU and FAU by creating two more commuter schools. Since
tuition never covers the cost of college—and it shouldn’t—it would be a
waste of tax dollars. It would just mean more bureaucracy$$$$$
I don’t care what school you go to, 90% of the value of the education
is derived from the effort you put into the classes not the name on the door.