Miss California finds her new cause

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By Valerie Richardson

Miss California may have lost a pageant, but she's not sorry. She has won a cause.

Carrie Prejean's politically incorrect response to a question about same-sex marriage may have cost her the Miss USA crown, but apparently it's going to take more than a few insults from celebrity blogger Perez Hilton to change her mind.

"It's unfortunate that this happened, but it's become such a blessing," Miss Prejean said in a telephone interview Tuesday with The Washington Times. "I'm glad I didn't win that pageant, because I now have a cause, I now have a purpose and I'm going to pursue it."

Not only is Miss Prejean refusing to apologize, explain her answer or even stay out of the spotlight, but she's unabashedly promoting traditional marriage in post-pageant appearances, including later this week in Washington and in Lynchburg, Va.

In doing so, she's become an inspiration to conservative Christians, especially those in California, who are reluctant to speak out on behalf of traditional marriage in the face of shifting cultural mores, said Miles McPherson, her pastor at the San Diego-based Rock Church.

"Every week, we tell our congregation to do something bold, and here she did it on the biggest stage in the world," said Mr. McPherson, a former San Diego Chargers football player who founded the evangelical megachurch. "It's about standing up for faith in the face of persecution. A lot of people are intimidated about saying what they believe because it's not politically correct."

Last week in New York, he said, dozens of people went out of their way to thank Miss Prejean for taking her stance. "People left and right kept coming up to her, telling her how much they appreciated what she said," Mr. McPherson said. "It was overwhelming."

Indeed, her statement on behalf of traditional marriage and the response she received from Mario Armando Lavandeira Jr. - the openly gay blogger better known as Perez Hilton - may represent a turning point in the marriage debate, said Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council.

"I think it was a very significant event. It's just the Miss USA pageant, but it could be a turning point in the cultural battle that's being waged," he said. "People have rallied around Carrie and said, 'Enough is enough.' "

Miss Prejean, 21, was considered the front-runner in the April 20 Miss USA Pageant when Mr. Lavandeira, a pageant judge, asked her to weigh in on same-sex marriage.