Tuesday, April 29, 2003

A CONSERVATIVE MISS AMERICA IS INCORRECT

The moments after Erika's crowning as Miss America were a blur. In the backstage area, family and friends crowded into a small ballroom where each state had its own table.

It is predictable that so much of the press coverage on Erika has focused on her multi-ethnic background rather than on her community service and four year involvement in abstinence-centered education.

When Erika competed for Miss Illinois, her platform was abstinence education among teenagers. This platform was somewhat controversial among the judges. After her third try, Erika was crowned Miss Illinois. But the Miss Illinois organization had decided the year before that all future Miss Illinois winners must use its state platform, prevention of youth violence, in the Miss America national competition.

The Miss America organization also wants to steer Erika towards discussing youth violence prevention, a more politically correct platform.

It is curious that this seemingly traditional organization with a mission to educate and empower women would not embrace the important message of abstinence among teenagers. Rashida said "The Miss America organization promotes positive role models who are passionate about their platforms. Miss America is the perfect vehicle to promote abstinence education."

The Miss America organization has also tried to downplay Erika's conservative views. Her official Miss America bio does not mention her involvement in abstinence education nor does it mention her volunteer work on the Illinois gubernatorial campaign of Patrick O'Malley, a pro-lifer and defender of home schooling.

Since Erika's crowning, many conservative publications and organizations have embraced her. Unfortunately, this has made it increasingly difficult for people to learn more about her. One insider told me that my phone calls probably would not be returned from the PR firm hired by the Miss America organization since I am writing for a conservative newspaper.

It is unfortunate that the Miss America organization, which boasts that their contestants are well-rounded young women who are intelligent, talented, poised and physically fit, are shrouding and in some ways silencing their new Miss America's conservative views. I hope this isn't a return of the "seen and not heard" view of women that the pageant has tried to escape.

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