Carrie Prejean, Donald Trump, and Free Speech

Miss California Carrie Prejean fires back.

She says, "This should not happen in America."

She's right.



Transcript

MISS CALIFORNIA CARRIE PREJEAN: I am proud to be an American. I'm proud of the freedoms we enjoy because of the brave men and women serving this great country and who have served.

My grandfather served under General Patton during World War II, and is someone I admire greatly. He never spoke about the Battle of the Bulge that he participated in as a rifleman, or the honorary medals he received because of his bravery. But he did speak about the freedoms he fought for and taught me to never back down. And never let anyone take those freedoms away from you.

On April 19, on that stage, I exercised my freedom of speech. And I was punished for doing so. This should not happen in America.

It undermines the constitutional rights for which my grandfather fought for.

Very well said.

I give credit to Donald Trump for refusing to bow to those very vocal people and groups that have mercilessly attacked and slandered Carrie Prejean for taking the same stand on gay marriage as Obama.

New York (AP) -- Miss California USA can retain her crown even though she failed to reveal she had posed in her underwear as a teenager, pageant owner Donald Trump said Tuesday.

Carrie Prejean appeared by Trump's side as he made the announcement at New York's Trump Tower. Trump also defended the answer that Prejean gave at last month's Miss USA pageant when she was asked her view of marriage by judge Perez Hilton, a celebrity blogger. She said she believes marriage is between a man and a woman.

"It's the same answer the president of the United States gave; it's the same answer many people gave," Trump said. "She gave an honorable answer; she gave an answer from her heart."

Trump said he and other pageant officials had reviewed racy photos of Prejean and decided they were acceptable.

"We are in the 21st century. We have determined the pictures taken are fine," he said, adding that "in some cases the pictures were lovely."

That's the second good decision Trump has made this week, the first being when he fired Annie Duke and chose Joan Rivers to be the winner of Celebrity Apprentice.

More video of the Donald Trump - Carrie Prejean press conference here.

__________________

MSNBC's David Shuster reacts: "Can I vomit right now?"

MSNBC's Contessa Brewer contends that the attention the controversy has received provides a good jumping off point to discuss same-sex marriage. Shuster disagrees.

DAVID SHUSTER: Can I vomit right now? I mean, literally, can I vomit?

No, you may not literally vomit right now.

SHUSTER: Doesn't this represent everything that is wrong with the superficial nature of these pageants?

...The only jumping off point is jumping off the cliff if you really believe that people at these pageants have anything worthwhile to say to the rest of us. If you really believe that, then that's your jumping off point; and I suggest you jump off the cliff, 'cause this as superficial as you will ever see. It's ridiculous. It's crazy. Look, it's a great sideshow. It's entertaining. It makes a great TV, a great conversation, but let's be clear about what it is and what it's not.

That's a very sweeping generalization for Shuster to make. Why trash everyone who's been involved in a pageant?

Some contestants end up holding political office, such as Republican Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska and Democrat Governor Jennifer Granholm of Michigan.

Allow me to make some changes to Shuster's comments: The only jumping off point is jumping off the cliff if you really believe that people at MSNBC have anything worthwhile to say to the rest of us. If you really believe that, then that's your jumping off point; and I suggest you jump off the cliff.