The new Miss California has revealed in a recent interview that she believes, along with her recently deposed predecessor, Carrie Prejean, that marriage is an institution between a man and a woman.
Tami Farrell, who has taken over Miss Prejean’s responsibilities as Miss California, told Fox News that marriage is the union of a man and a woman. She was reminded by Fox News’ Neil Cavuto that Miss Prejean held the view that 'a marriage is between a man and a woman' and asked: 'Do you share that view?' Miss Farrell nodded saying that she did.
However, she quickly stated she has no wish to become the centre of controversy that has been heaped on Miss Prejean for her position on the issue. She added: ‘I don't think that I have the right or anybody has a right to tell somebody who they can or can't love. And I think that this is a civil rights issue. And I think that the right thing to do is let the voters decide.’
Last year, the majority of Californians voted in favour of amending the state constitution with the wording: ‘Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California’. In May this year, the California Supreme Court upheld the decision.
Miss Prejean had become involved in controversy after answering a question from Miss America pageant homosexual judge, Perez Hilton, about her stance on homosexual 'marriage.' Her answer that she believed marriage should be 'between a man and a woman' appeared to have cost her the Miss USA crown, and she was given second place.
(for the background see http://www.ccfon.org/view.php?id=725)
After the award, Mr Hilton said: ‘She lost it because of that question. She was definitely the front-runner before that.’ He added: 'If that girl would have won Miss USA, California, I would have gone up on stage, I sh*t you not, ... snatched that tiara off her head, and run out the door'.
On a blog posting recently, Miss Prejean said:
‘I hope Americans watching this story unfold, take away the most important lesson I have learned through all of this: nothing is more important than standing up for what you believe in, no matter what the cost may be. I've done my best under the difficult circumstances to handle the vicious attacks with integrity and show respect to others, even those who don't agree with me.’
(http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/cprejean/2009/06/11/official-statement-by-miss-carrie-prejean/)