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Do Sex Tapes Matter?
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Is it worse for a Republican to have been caught naked on camera or to support gay marriage? Meghan McCain weighs the hypocrisy of the Carrie Prejean scandal.
If you’re a Republican, is it better to be in favor of gay marriage or to make a sex tape? That is the question. At least that’s the question that comes to mind after the reaction to the news that anti-gay marriage champion Carrie Prejean made a sex tape. After watching several of Prejean’s media appearances this week, it was not her incredibly uncomfortable threat to walk out on Larry King that had me most unnerved; it was actually her appearance on Sean Hannity's show. This was Prejean’s first stop on her book publicity tour, and when the sex tape came up, he proceeded to ask her if she was "in love with her boyfriend at the time that she made [it]." I’m sorry, why would being in love matter when it comes to filming yourself in a sexual context?
Carrie Prejean is only 22, after all, and a former Miss California USA, not a politician. And lest we forget, she feels the same way about gay marriage that our own president does.
Frankly, I am sick of all the hypocrisy when it comes to sex and politics in this country—and that goes for all politicians, not just Republicans. Carrie Prejean claims making that tape was “the biggest mistake” of her life—it’s the same one that many other girls have made—but it has since come out that she may have made seven other sex tapes and posed for 30 nude photos.
So I want to send this message to my little sister and other women reading this right now: Making a sex tape is never acceptable. I don't care how in love you are with your boyfriend. Jennifer Lopez made a tape with her then-husband on their honeymoon and she is currently in a lawsuit to prevent it from being released. I am of the mind-set that you should never record anything in private that you wouldn't mind the whole world to see. Because somehow, some day, those images will find their way to the public.
I know I’ve learned my lesson after posting a now-notorious photograph of myself on Twitter—and I had all of my clothes on. So this is not a good message for Sean Hannity to send, that if you were in love with your boyfriend it is OK. These tapes and photographs can ruin your career and your credibility, but it’s the laissez faire attitude toward them that I find so upsetting.
I find it even more disturbing that as long as you oppose gay marriage, filming yourself having sex is taken more lightly. Does anyone else see the hypocrisy in this kind of thinking? And hypocrisy is something the Republican Party can’t afford to have right now as the GOP struggles to find its identity. As I said, we all make mistakes and I don't want to be too harsh on Carrie Prejean. She is only 22, after all, and a former Miss California USA, not a politician. And lest we forget, she feels the same way about gay marriage that our own president does.
The problem I have with my fellow Republicans is why gay marriage is the trump card in any situation. It seems that as long as you are against gay marriage, any scandal in your life can be overlooked or overcome. When you are in favor of it, however—and I have been very vocal about my support—that position defines you.
Sometimes I wonder if I were against marriage equality, whether it would make it easier for some Republicans to accept my place within this party. I have to constantly remind people of my pro-life, pro-small government stance because the only view that seems to matter is the fact that I believe my gay friends should have the same right to one of our founding ideals—that all men are created equal with certain inalienable rights. I think if Republicans truly believe in keeping government out of our lives—that should include not dictating who one can marry.
Many believe that it was Carrie Prejean’s anti-gay marriage views that cost her the Miss USA pageant earlier this year. My question is: When it comes to Republicans, is your position on gay marriage what determines your fate within the party?
Meghan McCain is a columnist for The Daily Beast. Originally from Phoenix, she graduated from Columbia University in 2007. She is a New York Times bestselling children's author, previously wrote for Newsweek magazine, and created the Web site mccainblogette.com.
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Meghan McCain is a columnist for The Daily Beast. Originally from Phoenix, she graduated from Columbia University in 2007. She is a New York Times bestselling children's author, previously wrote for Newsweek magazine, and created the Web site mccainblogette.com.
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Meghan McCain is a columnist for The Daily Beast. Originally from Phoenix, she graduated from Columbia University in 2007. She is a New York Times bestselling children's author, previously wrote for Newsweek magazine, and created the Web site mccainblogette.com.
Don't Call Me a Slut
Meghan McCain is a columnist for The Daily Beast. Originally from Phoenix, she graduated from Columbia University in 2007. She is a New York Times bestselling children's author, previously wrote for Newsweek magazine, and created the Web site mccainblogette.com.
First of all, why does everything you write somehow find its way to being about YOU? Second of all, not everyone is rejecting you because of your stand on gay marriage. Many are rejecting you because you're a self-absorbed, WHINY, immature brat who keeps trying to force her way onto the big political stage without ever having paid any dues. You're a college graduate, Meghan, but you are terribly uneducated with no desire at all to learn.
Why turn this into a personal attack. The topic is pretty clear, I understand it us partly about hitting below the belt. Below the bible belt even. That said I think Meghan is doing a good job, discussing these current issues, and writing her talking points in a cheerful tone, fmaking it is easier for the rest of us to respond to.
The best writers are HONEST and don't try and hide their frame of reference.
" Is it worse for a Republican to have been caught naked on camera or to support gay marriage? "
Or is it worse that the female faces of the Republican Party
are Michelle Bachmann, Sarah Palin, and Prejean . . .
. . . Larry, Moe, and Curly ?
Fox News bimbos & Palin, Bachman, & Prejean are all of a piece- and a piece that is so telling of how Republicans view women in general (not all Republicans, I understand that.) The fact that one of the dumbest people to surface in recent years has a sex tape out AND has Sean Hannity there to say it is OK speaks more volumes about the current state of the Republican Party.
My question to McCain is still: then why on earth are you a Republican?
sophia5 - I have to tell you. The media is COMPLETELY LIBERAL and biased and cannot wait to jump on repbulicans. SO, sorry that there are only 3 women that are being chastised in the media The liberal ass media has nothing better to do than beat down these women. Let's find something worth talking about. Cause Michelle obama, oprah and freaking everyone else out there could never do no wrong, right?
I assume you're offering the same advice to Liz Cheney.
Lez Cheney in 2012.
It matter when the person CAUGHT has ran her ignorant mouth/opinion on others for their, in her uneducated opinion, morality.
IF she had kept her opinions to herself? or not been such a dill weed? No one would have said a word BUT when someone places theirself in a pedastal? and then the base cracks because they are apparently a liar? Yes, she is getting what she deserves.
YOU are too busy making tapes for UTUBE in a sad attempt to be relvant to understand this apparently.
She has every right to have to speak her own opinion whether morally right or wrong as long as she does not act on those beliefs to hinder someone else's rights or harm someone physically. I don't know if she has acted on those beliefs in anyway but, she has every right to speak her opinion without public attack, it's kind of the 1st amendment and EVERYONE has it regardless of their said opinions.
Without public attack? Read up on your Constitution, kconrad. To my knowledge, the First Amendment doesn't protect one from criticism.
does that patriarchal tone somehow stem from the fact that this is a young and opinionated woman you're writing to? she is very much allowed to state her opinion. you must feel incredibly safe dashing out your vitriol from the confines of your home office.
What an a s s you are. You call her an immature whiny brat? Did you read your post before clicking the submit button. How old are, 14?
"Carrie Prejean is only 22, after all, and a former Miss California USA, not a politician. And lest we forget, she feels the same way about gay marriage that our own president does. "
So why should I give a damn about anything she has to say, anything she's done or any article condemning or defending her. A 22-year-old model who has an opinion, big whoop.
"why gay marriage is the trump card in any situation."
What is scarier to them, gay people or gay people with civil liberties. They're single issue voters. Republicans' differences with democrats are superficial so they have to emphasize this manure to make sure people can tell the difference.
"[my] pro-small government stance"
This is a Republican virtue? no wonder they don't like you.
"my gay friends should have the same right to one of our founding ideals"
Civil liberties? What? You're not a Republican. Unless those Civil liberties include a barrel of metal and a trigger.
The republicans don't like you because you're trying to make them out to be, gasp, Libertarians. And you know how we Libertarians are 'fringe' with our beliefs in Jeffersonian and otherwise classical liberalism.
Why do the Republicans - who SAY they are for smaller, less intrusive government and personal freedom and responsibility (so they say) - why do they care who gets married to who? Or who smokes what? They are all for THEIR choices - just not yours or ours! They believe in freedom as long as it's by their rules. The republicans are truly all about POWER & CONTROL...and oh yes, MONEY! and by the way megan mccain - PLEASE DO SOMETHING before you write about what everyone else should do. Your blog seems a lot like sister sarah palin preaching after she QUIT her position to lecture America on what "real" Americans think.
You are so right. This is why our President fully supports a gay marriage bill that is currently being pushed by Reid and Pelosi and has 100% support by all the Democrats that have full control in the House and a filibuster proof Senate. Face it, gay rights are in the hands of the Democrats! Try holding them responsible for a change.
Yes We Can!!!!
I must say that the all capital letters are unnecessary. There is never an excuse for rudeness, no matter the situation.
Now, having said that, lets move on to other issues at stake here.
- First, It is wrong to group all Republicans in one group. You seem to be doing the exact same thing Miss McCain is cautioning against, namely you are saying political preference is the defining aspect of a person, much like support of gay marriage defines RINOs (not that she is, merely that people often claim so).
- Second, you are telling Miss McCain that she should stop telling others what to do, that seems a slight bit paradoxical.
-Lastly, do not presuem to understand that all so called "real Americans" are agreeing with you. Republicans are just as American as Democrats. Further, the Republican Party is based upon the ideal of Freedom, while the Democratic Party is based upon the ideal of Equality. The fact that there are few national Republicans saying this is not proof of anything, only that a small fringe of the party happens to be the most vocal.
- To surmize, please think through your posts before presenting them to the world as though you were comming down from the mountain with ten new commandments.
yeah what we need are politicians that actually say they're going to make the government bigger and more intrusive. like democrats.
I think it matters more at a national level. I ran for State Rep. here in Indiana and gay marriage never once became a topic. I am though a supporter of gay marriage.
Hypocrisy is hypocrisy and hypocrites should be called on it.
Ms. Prejean was not being a hypocrite. She is against gay marriage, not heterosexual fornication. Or at least she has not taken a public position on it.
Megan McCain's error is to really believe that Republican leaders stand for any principles. Do you really think Romney, Giuliani ,or Rove give a rat's ass about gay marriage? It is just a ploy to get working class evangelicals to vote against their self interest. (Of course Republicans who come from the religious right, such as Palin and Huckabee, do care.) If working class people have nothing to chose on religious grounds then they just might vote their economic self interest. What a disaster that would be!
What Republican has really made government or the deficit smaller? If real fiscal conservatives vote Republican it is because they think the Democrats will be even worse. But recent history, and Cheney's remark that Reagan--Reagan!--proved deficits don't matter, suggests they should think again.
If the Republican party stands for anything, it is for tax policies that favor the very well off and corporations. As Bush in a rare lucid moment said to a black tie crowd: "Some call you the 'haves and the have mores.' I call you my base."
Poor Meghan
Great point, Chucky.
Hear, hear! Though I will say, in defense of my comment, it's implicit. If she's coming out as a religious figure in support of "traditional" values, then it stands to reason that that applies to all areas of her life. She's trying to portray herself as wholesome, when in fact, she is a fornicator/sinner herself.
Actually, she *is* a hypocrite. Carie Prejean has gone further than making an innocuous statement about gay marriage. Gay marriage falls in a broader context about sexual morality for her and her ilk, and she has been clear about that issue since the pageant.
BCLance is absolutely correct. If she had said what she said at the pageant, which was her right, and shut up afterwards, she would have been seen as a victim of Perez Hiltons insults. But she went on a media tour espousing values that apparently apply to others only. It's the hypocrisy of it.
Good thoughtful article.
I don't think it is about sex tapes, but about power.
One group of people acting superior to another group, in a confrontational and adversarial system. In this case, her sex tapes don't make any sense, unless she likes looking at them herself. I would think that is mostly why people make them. I couldn't imagine making a tape like that and sending it to someone. I can see taking a photo of me reading a book, possibly wearing a tank top, but even doing that scares me. The more sex obsessed things appear, more anti sex they really get.
I guess it could be argued that making sex tapes is a sexual preference. Some people get turned on maybe while making the tape. I think we are a very anti sex, kick below the belt and bible belt culture. I think we are getting more and more alienated. That picture of Meghan in a tank top is no more revealing than the tops Princess Beatrice has been photographed wearing. The world has gone nuts.
It's not about gay marriage. It's about Miss Prejean being a hypocrite. I think Meghan's a little jealous that Miss Prejean is getting more attention than she is.
...yes, plus, why does Meghan whine on about being defined in a tiny capillary and then define herself in a tiny 2-D way? Methinks thou dost protest toooooo much!!!
You, Meghan, are a hypo with your all men being created equal while cutting down women to size by forcibly turning them into baby manufacturing plants.
Of COURSE Prejean is getting more attention than Meghan is. She's a naked, masturbating beauty queen (external beauty only, natch). On the interwebs, that trumps pretty much anything.
And so it should!
Ok so Meghan, I have to give you your props for at least keeping an open mind and being fair about your feelings of the hypocrisy going around this situation. I am a registered Democrat and a Barack Obama supporter so let me put that out there first. However, like you, I actually agree with some of the Republican platform, but think like in this instance, people in the party often contradict their beliefs with their actions and I just can't deal with the foolishness. Carrie has been on several shows promoting her book and being rude to anyone she conceived as a "liberal" or who didn't feel sorry for her. She totally bombed both the View and the Larry King interview and who knows whatever else. She doesn't want to talk about the tape describing it as the worst mistake of her life, hmmmm so she had 7 worst mistakes and 30 other really bad mistakes...not judging just curious. I think you were right on when you said that a person's belief on that one question of gay marriage is what defines their party. I don't believe in gay marriage therefore, I just wouldn't marry another woman..that has nothing to do with anybody else. If you don't want to marry a person of the same sex...DON'T....If you don't believe in abortion..newsflash...DON"T HAVE ONE.
This party runs on freedom of choice, free market, let the people choose, small government etc, when it is on items of their choice like not helping poor people or de-regulation so businesses can run wild, however when it comes to personal life choices such as abortion and marriage, they feel it is the governments job to step in and make people's personal choices. So to get that right it seems like businesses,entities and markets should have free reign but individuals personal choices should be regulated. I just don't get that. Carrie also runs on Christian morals. In her bible it says that homosexuals should be beheaded and sex tapes only deserves a slap on the wrist, especially when its with yourself, right??...In the bible I read all sins are the same, not one greater than the other. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but it unnerves me when people use religious views when its convenient and then when their righteousness is questioned they always give the cliche answer "no one is perfect." God gave everyone free will. It is not our right to force someone to follow the truths in the bible. God never forced anyone or prevented them from doing what they wanted. If that was the case there would be no mistakes because God knows our end from our beginning and all the things in between. We have to make a conscious effort everyday to try to follow it to the best of our ability but he will not make us. Those that choose to walk outside of God's spiritual laws will have to answer to him, we aren't the jury on that one. I will leave there because that can turn into an entire other conversation.
Back to Carrie. When she first stated her position during the pageant I was very supportive of her right to give her opinion although the questions wasn't worded great and she didn't really listen to it because if she had.. belief or not he wasn't really asking her the question she gave an answer to. She seems to do that often...go around questions or answer what she wants kind of like someone else she admires. But she did answer it that way and it was okay to express her opinion. She is saying that she is persecuted for her belief, but like everyone keeps saying, there a lot of people who believe the institution of marriage is between a man and woman including the President and other people in public positions. Therefore, it is my opinion that this never started about her beliefs as much as it is about her attitude which by the way is beyond nasty, self-righteous and downright hypocritical. People are really attacking her for that. It isn't what you say its what you do. Character is what you are doing when no one is watching. When no one is watching her she is making sex tapes and taking nude photos, which she claims was so long ago... she is only 22. When everyone is watching she is talking about sexism, Christian beliefs, so on and so forth. But she is being downright rude to people that are interviewing her. There are people saying, "she didn't ask for the tapes to come out." She may not have but neither did Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian but it sure does always make the person more famous. Come on people,...new book...new sex tape...new pics... =scandal...=SALES!!! That is how people get reality shows, book deals, etc. If it weren't for the scandals no one would care. How do you think Sarah Palin wrote a book, by which I might need an interpreter to read. What gets me is Carrie's response to Larry King about being Palinized and all of that left side elitist junk which was complete nonsense....Since the rise of Sarah Palin many Republicans resort to defending ignorance. Public speaking skills and intellect go out the window and when you are called on it you are being an elitist.. are you kidding me....who wants their President or any public officials conducting business by winking at you and using catch phrases...if that were a Democrat with lousy public speaking skills they would throw them under the bus and there would be no sympathy. I digress.... Carrie further states that "Conservative" women are mocked and picked on.. blah, blah....cry me a river...When you choose a public position whether it be beauty queen or politician there is a certain level of scrutiny that goes along with that so therefore dear if you make a sex tape...people will find it and talk about it, even if you were 5 years old when you did it...if your teenage daughter gets pregnant...people will talk about it. But it would be the same if it were Michelle Obama. If Mahlia turned up pregnant at 16 people would have a field day with it or if Sasha got older and had a sex tape...same thing. That is not a partisan issue it is anyone in the public with any relevance because it makes a good story not because you are a Republican or a Democrat. She is not a victim and if she wanted to keep a low profile she could have, but she is writing tell all books and going on shows and the public and media are only supposed to ask her comfortable questions and forget the rest...yeah right. What is happening to her is unfortunately the nature of the beast...but it is the beast she is choosing. The title of her book is "Still Standing" if that is so stand up and take responsibility, get over being the victim, if you have an opinion you are free to voice it but don't be scared of those voices that come back at you. I just can't keep doing the GOP victim thing. Sure media is slanted at times on both sides and sure they edit things, but they can only work with what you give them so I suggest people just tighten up their material, be knowledgeable about what you will be discussing, come prepared to answer questions...even tough ones...prepare to have your dirty laundry aired especially sex tapes, brace yourself for the backlash that will come either way and move on to the next thing.
Bottom line, Carrie isn't really likeable, she gives bad interviews, she doesn't answer questions and always seems to be on the offensive unless she is talking to FOX news...go figure...has she ever heard of the catch phrase "you catch bees better with honey"...probably not.
So I guess we are stuck with another victim that everybody is picking on, first Sarah Palin, then Joe the plumber, now Carrie the ex-beauty queen turned author and porn actress. What next????
Hey-a Palin-Prejean ticket for 2012 !!!
Mind you I'm a registered Democrat but the way current administration is going I might vote for these two yahoos out of spite.
"God never forced anyone or prevented them from doing what they wanted."
Let's see. Paul on the road to Damascus -- god struck the guy down personally in order to reboot his life into a 'god-approved' direction.
Sodom... or maybe it was Gamorrah -- flaming, sulfuric god-snark, which since it burnt one or both cites to the ground & destroyed the populace, wasn't just a suggestion to change the prevalent life-style... hmm?
Plague of various plagues in Egypt, all sent by god -- to force the Pharoh to release (and force) workers into the wild... and they wandered around like dalmations abandoned on a country road for *generations*!
Honey, I think you've got to, just got to, consider that you're working from false premises. Hey, have y'all considered paganism? No guilt, no senseless, set-in-concrete rules, better clothes? Just consider it.
I think that there just isn't any room in the Republican party for anyone that is a moderate in any way. You are right Meghan to point out the hypocrisy, and you should ignore the people that make nasty comments about your right to contribute to the discussion. What galled me was she kept using the argument that if a person on the right criticized Mrs. Obama or Sonia Sotomayor, that everyone would have a fit! She thinks she is in the same category as those women? She needs a better media rep at the minimum, but I guess she will grow up, hopefully, and then be quiet, not necessarily in that order. Keep up the good work Meghan!
Yes thank heavens no one in the media ever criticized Sotomayor or Michele Obama (snark off)
For me, I do not see a big deal with being on a sex tape. This society is far too sexually repressed. There is no logical reason to restrict one's sexual desires as long as they do not harm others (and being disgusted does not count as harm). Then again I am a liberal, and I am not as sexually repressed as all the republicans I know. I see the bigotry, in the form of marriage inequality, as a bigger deal then freely expressing one's sexuality.
Hypocrisy is a cliche for conservatives, especially when it comes to sex. When I mock Carrie for her stupidity, it is because of her bigoted, highly immoral stance on marriage, not because she is a sex-loving, conservative hypocrite. Though it is funny how often conservatives have this problem. Seriously, if sex is such a bad thing then stop doing it already. We liberals will be happy to support your moral stance and produce more then enough liberally-minded offspring to make up for it.
Ok so Meghan, I have to give you your props for at least keeping an open mind and being fair about your feelings of the hypocrisy going around this situation. I am a registered Democrat and a Barack Obama supporter so let me put that out there first. However, like you, I actually agree with some of the Republican platform, but think like in this instance, people in the party often contradict their beliefs with their actions and I just can't deal with the foolishness. Carrie has been on several shows promoting her book and being rude to anyone she conceived as a "liberal" or who didn't feel sorry for her. She totally bombed both the View and the Larry King interview and who knows whatever else. She doesn't want to talk about the tape describing it as the worst mistake of her life, hmmmm so she had 7 worst mistakes and 30 other really bad mistakes...not judging just curious. I think you were right on when you said that a person's belief on that one question of gay marriage is what defines their party. I don't believe in gay marriage therefore, I just wouldn't marry another woman..that has nothing to do with anybody else. If you don't want to marry a person of the same sex...DON'T....If you don't believe in abortion..newsflash...DON"T HAVE ONE.
This party runs on freedom of choice, free market, let the people choose, small government etc, when it is on items of their choice like not helping poor people or de-regulation so businesses can run wild, however when it comes to personal life choices such as abortion and marriage, they feel it is the governments job to step in and make people's personal choices. So to get that right it seems like businesses,entities and markets should have free reign but individuals personal choices should be regulated. I just don't get that. Carrie also runs on Christian morals. In her bible it says that homosexuals should be beheaded and sex tapes only deserves a slap on the wrist, especially when its with yourself, right??...In the bible I read all sins are the same, not one greater than the other. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but it unnerves me when people use religious views when its convenient and then when their righteousness is questioned they always give the cliche answer "no one is perfect." God gave everyone free will. It is not our right to force someone to follow the truths in the bible. God never forced anyone or prevented them from doing what they wanted. If that was the case there would be no mistakes because God knows our end from our beginning and all the things in between. We have to make a conscious effort everyday to try to follow it to the best of our ability but he will not make us. Those that choose to walk outside of God's spiritual laws will have to answer to him, we aren't the jury on that one. I will leave there because that can turn into an entire other conversation.
Back to Carrie. When she first stated her position during the pageant I was very supportive of her right to give her opinion although the questions wasn't worded great and she didn't really listen to it because if she had.. belief or not he wasn't really asking her the question she gave an answer to. She seems to do that often...go around questions or answer what she wants kind of like someone else she admires. But she did answer it that way and it was okay to express her opinion. She is saying that she is persecuted for her belief, but like everyone keeps saying, there a lot of people who believe the institution of marriage is between a man and woman including the President and other people in public positions. Therefore, it is my opinion that this never started about her beliefs as much as it is about her attitude which by the way is beyond nasty, self-righteous and downright hypocritical. People are really attacking her for that. It isn't what you say its what you do. Character is what you are doing when no one is watching. When no one is watching her she is making sex tapes and taking nude photos, which she claims was so long ago... she is only 22. When everyone is watching she is talking about sexism, Christian beliefs, so on and so forth. But she is being downright rude to people that are interviewing her. There are people saying, "she didn't ask for the tapes to come out." She may not have but neither did Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian but it sure does always make the person more famous. Come on people,...new book...new sex tape...new pics... =scandal...=SALES!!! That is how people get reality shows, book deals, etc. If it weren't for the scandals no one would care. How do you think Sarah Palin wrote a book, by which I might need an interpreter to read. What gets me is Carrie's response to Larry King about being Palinized and all of that left side elitist junk which was complete nonsense....Since the rise of Sarah Palin many Republicans resort to defending ignorance. Public speaking skills and intellect go out the window and when you are called on it you are being an elitist.. are you kidding me....who wants their President or any public officials conducting business by winking at you and using catch phrases...if that were a Democrat with lousy public speaking skills they would throw them under the bus and there would be no sympathy. I digress.... Carrie further states that "Conservative" women are mocked and picked on.. blah, blah....cry me a river...When you choose a public position whether it be beauty queen or politician there is a certain level of scrutiny that goes along with that so therefore dear if you make a sex tape...people will find it and talk about it, even if you were 5 years old when you did it...if your teenage daughter gets pregnant...people will talk about it. But it would be the same if it were Michelle Obama. If Mahlia turned up pregnant at 16 people would have a field day with it or if Sasha got older and had a sex tape...same thing. That is not a partisan issue it is anyone in the public with any relevance because it makes a good story not because you are a Republican or a Democrat. She is not a victim and if she wanted to keep a low profile she could have, but she is writing tell all books and going on shows and the public and media are only supposed to ask her comfortable questions and forget the rest...yeah right. What is happening to her is unfortunately the nature of the beast...but it is the beast she is choosing. The title of her book is "Still Standing" if that is so stand up and take responsibility, get over being the victim, if you have an opinion you are free to voice it but don't be scared of those voices that come back at you. I just can't keep doing the GOP victim thing. Sure media is slanted at times on both sides and sure they edit things, but they can only work with what you give them so I suggest people just tighten up their material, be knowledgeable about what you will be discussing, come prepared to answer questions...even tough ones...prepare to have your dirty laundry aired especially sex tapes, brace yourself for the backlash that will come either way and move on to the next thing.
Bottom line, Carrie isn't really likeable, she gives bad interviews, she doesn't answer questions and always seems to be on the offensive unless she is talking to FOX news...go figure...has she ever heard of the catch phrase "you catch bees better with honey"...probably not.
So I guess we are stuck with another victim that everybody is picking on, first Sarah Palin, then Joe the plumber, now Carrie the ex-beauty queen turned author and porn actress. What next????
I think what Ms. McCain is doing is calling out the Republican Party for *their* hypocrisy in sheltering Miss Prejean from outright ostracism in deference to her position on gay marriage.
I greatly respect Ms. McCain for her position on gay marriage, and I realize that it must take enormous courage for a Republican to express support for a gay's right to marry the person he or she loves.
I believe that marriage is a fundamental human right, and laws restricting that right must be subject to strict scrutiny.
In other words, unless the law is necessary to accomplish a compelling state objective (and no less restrictive means is available to accomplish the objective), the law is unconstitutional and void ab initio.
I have yet to hear opponents of gay marriage state a legitimate, much less compelling, state objective that requires restricting marriage to a man and a woman. All they can say is "marriage is between a man and a woman because marriage is between a man and a woman." This obviously begs the question.
Although the religious right and the anti-gay marriage crowd are certainly entitled to their personal notions of what a marriage should be, they must not be allowed to cram those notions down other people's throats.
This nation was founded by people who were deeply suspicious of religiosity and the strong tendency of some people to subvert the legitimate purposes of law to further their personal religious agenda. That's why the First Amendment prohibits the establishment of a state religion.
Laws forbidding marriages between homosexuals are analogous to the establishment of a State Religion, where marriage will only be permitted in cases in which it comports with the State Religion's definition of a marriage.
I think President Obama has articulated a position on gay marriage that was designed not to offend a large percentage of the electorate. Although I support Mr. Obama, I think this is an unfortunate stance that he has taken, which is inconsistent with his stated desire of equal human rights for all Americans.
History has shown that the notion of human rights evolves with societal norms. At one time, slavery was not only legal, it was considered by many to be a moral good. Less than 50 years ago, a black man and a white woman could be imprisoned in America for up to five years for the "crime" of interracial marriage.
The day will come when the U.S. Supreme Court recognizes that anti-gay marriage laws operate to deny gay citizens their 14th Amendment right to equal protection under the laws, and identifies the right of gay citizens to marry the person of their choice to be a fundamental human right.
It may not happen during our lifetimes, however. :(
Prejean is a hypocrite, and her actions keep coming to light, maybe she was nieve, but her asking her boyfriend to lie about when the sextapes were done speaks volumes about her as a person.
She should never judge others characters based on their sexual preferences when she has such a huge skeleton hanging in her closet.
Prejean is a hypocrite, and so is McCain.
We've been seeing McCain repeatedly make the argument in her posts that Republicans are too ashamed of sex, too unadventurous, etc., and now she makes the patronizing argument that no woman should ever make a sex tape with her boyfriend, husband, or girlfriend.
Your message to all women is: Making a sex tape is never acceptable?
Why don't you mind your own business, Meghan McCain?
What adults willingly do with video cameras is really none of your concern.
Just my thought, hithere3. Let freedom ring. I am actually ashamed that I read this piece till the end. (kept saying both to Meghan as to myself, 'you cannot be serious')
I don't think Meghan McCain has expressed herself very well here, but I think she's saying that the consequences are unacceptable. Certainly, if people want to make a sex tape, that's OK - but if they've got a problem with it getting out and being seen by zillions of strangers and having those strangers judge them for it, not to mention having it pop up at inopportune moments for the rest of their lives, then maybe they might like to think twice about it.
So now bad writing leaves room for benevolent interpretation? Maybe she is doing it on purpose then...
As long as those adults are ready to accept the consequences (if any) of making this kind of video, hithere3.
It doesn't appear that Prejean was.
I don't think it's fair to say that making a sex tape is morally unacceptable. As far as I'm concerned, it's an enormously risky thing to do and taking that risk is silly but I don't find it morally unacceptable and I would have no problem with Prejean's sex tape history were it not for the fact that she has been a lapdog for the religious right.
Also, I do recall you saying you'd never bring up the topic of your deliberately revealing twitter picture again, but you do seem to be getting a lot of mileage out of it ....
uhhh...maybe I'm stupid, but I don't see how your opinion on gay marriage relates to whether you've participated in a video-recording where you're having sex. Is it because, somehow, doing sex tapes is sexually progressive, whereas being against gay marriage is sexually repressive? or something?
Because I reserve every right to be against certain kinds of sex by law (such as rape and statutory rape), and to think other kinds should not be outlawed. I don't think that makes me a hypocrite. Being against gay marriage is clearly just a lesser stance on being completely against gay sex; it's a sucky opinion to have, but it doesn't presuppose that you're against other kinds of sex, and in particular, video recorded sex.
I have to conclude that you, Meghan, felt something was wrong with Prejeans actions, and your attempt to figure out that feeling produced this opinion piece; but it's wrong. You're pushing a narrative onto a situation where it just doesn't fit. This time, I have to wag my finger at you, because you should know better.
You complained that well endowed women, such as yourself, can't take pictures wearing the same clothes as less endowed women, because part of the public has an ever-present sexual anxiety. That this inhibits someone such as yourself from being considered a serious political voice, because of something completely unrelated.
Now, you say that women should never make sextapes, in spite of these being just as unrelated to politics as pictures in low-cut blouses. That you're willing to carry the flag in one instance, because you yourself have made such a picture, and not in the other (ie: that sextapes _shouldn't matter_), _that_, on the other hand, is hypocrisy.
You're probably not very well liked in the Republican Party for your stance on gay marriage AND your preference for small government. Having a prominent father can get you into the White House as a Republican but, not with those opinions.
Ms. Prejean is a public figure, not a politician. She's trying to sell books. Controversy sells books, which is why her sex tape was released on the same day as her book. Had you posted your picture closer to the release of your book, I'd say the same thing about you.
I think Jesus Christ was a revolutionary, and he would still be one. Everything what has to do with love is from God. So when gay or lesbian want to belong together its in front of God ok. When they change their partners like shirts , its against the law of Moses. All kinds of doublemoral and double standards are from the devil. To be rightious meens to be able to stand his own picture in the mirror. I see a kind of double moral in the USA. You've got the greatest for example pornindustry, but nobody is looking the videos. You want to be republican and conservative incase you are faithful. Jesus Christ told the people, that the human beens should be mercyful to earn mercy at the end of time. This mercy we need in the society, in business and economy. If we would like to be named in the Book of Jesus.
greetings and ps. Meghan, you looking great today :-)
Geez, I wish my dad was a twice-failed presidential candidate so The Daily Beast would see fit to hire me to write pointless and hackneyed articles about whatever floats into my airhead...
Do not forget the Biker connection
I like Meghan McCain and her opinion on this subject. She is pointing out the fact that the Republicans are willing to overlook the faults of people who they perceive as going along with their pre-programmed talking points while attacking a Republican who has a different opinion on one subject. This is why the Republican party will soon splinter into many smaller parties while the Democrats will thrive under the banner of all opinions welcome.
Ms. McCain is a very thoughtful and earnest young lady and does not deserve the personal attacks she seems to receive on a regular basis. The Daily Beast should be commended for giving a Republican who isn't a hate filled hypocrite a platform from which to speak.
Quite right - but this isn't a new thing or a Republican thing. There are many examples of people whose private behavior would have been ordinarily denounced by a particular party but was accepted because of their adherence to the party line.
Many posters *supra* are responding with enmity toward Ms. McCain for what they perceive to be her position that women should never make sex tapes because they are morally wrong.
This is not what I understand her point to be, however I think she set herself up for such criticism by her unfortunate word choice.
Taken out of context, the sentence "making a sex tape is never acceptable" certainly reads like a moral condemnation of another's personal choice to record for posterity one's private . . . err, umm . . . jactitations.
Considering the "four corners" of the article, (which is the only fair way to read another's work), I don't think this is what Ms. McCain intended to say.
I think her point is that the recording of acts of "coital congress" with the private consumptive intent subjects the actor to a harsh law of unintended consequences - such as the subsequent, humiliating publication of the tape to friends, employers, prospective college deans or simply the great unwashed.
I suspect that what Ms. McCain is intending to proffer here is a helpful (if unsolicited) piece of "caveat apodysophiliac" (latin - let the exhibitionist beware), a time-honored species of folk wisdom which enjoys a long and healthy tradition in distaff social circles.
I find support for this conclusion in her subsequent declaration:
"I am of the mind-set that you should never record anything in private that you wouldn't mind the whole world to see. Because somehow, some day, those images will find their way to the public".
Personally, I am of the mind-set that latent apodysophilia is hard-wired into the genetic makeup of both genders, guaranteeing the perpetuation of our species. This is a simple fact of biological determinism which I for one consider to be cause for rejoicing in these grim, Neo-Victorian times.
That is why I would like to say to Ms. McCain and the other nubile ladies out there who struggle with their private exhibitionist impulses, "Apodysophiliacs Unite! You have nothing to lose but your dignity!"
(and your membership privileges in the Republican-of-the-Month club).
Actually, McCain picks up on a very good point in this article: she questions why a figure's stance on gay marriage is an overriding consideration for whether he or she may be considered an accepted part of the Republican Party by conservatives, ignoring any number of pecadillos or worse.
Conservative leaders claim the issue is about religious values, and for some of them, the stance may be sincere. But is that really what they're all about--that and opposing abortion? The Conservative movement apparently disregards intra-party cooperation and is uninterested in evolving economoic positions that reflect the evidence of what works for the U.S.
One has to question whether many GOP leaders are actually interested in governance. After all, there's a lot more to society than controlling whether gays are allowed to marry and women's reproductive rights, but the Republicans in Congress won't participate in a constructive conversation on almost any other topic; e.g., the healthcare debate.
It would be nice if the Daily Beast's editorial staff would edit McCain's articles so that they were less sollipsistic in their frame of reference. I've got the feeling, though, that the editors consider McCain's insistence on self-regard as part of her appeal. So those of us who enjoy reading McCain's articles for the kernels of good insight they often provide will have to take the bad with the good.
Everytime I read her article, I always feeling like reading some teens diary. It's a good killing time piece, but com'on you could have done better than this.
Of course your position on gay marriage determines your fate in the Republican Party! The GOP of the modern era has a long laundry list of issues that you absolutely MUST agree with them on. I know that many Republican's don't believe in everything the party says they should but those people won't be Republicans much longer if you continue to allow the Limbaughs and Becks to goosestep your party right off a cliff.
I still don't get how or why Meghan defines herself as a Republican.
It sounds like she's attempting in select ways to recall the Republican party before Rove invited radical Christians the the table for their voting & grassroots capabilities.
Fiscal conservation & less-than-more governmental oversight on business and individual laws, great ideas when applied appropriately.
There isn't much there to defend after the Republican Frankenstein makeover from the 80s. Rather than try to recover a corpse, start over. Don't try and change others, rally the ones that support a similar point of view which are in the majority.
One other thing...Meghan you and Carrie Jean have an awful lot in common. You're a young woman inflamed with the power of your beauty and you're getting a lot of attention -- and all the power to you as it's heady, fun stuff that makes sense for your age.
But you're trying to be taken seriously for your ideas too. Both of you keep on falling back on your sexuality and your parents in a way that isn't very sophisticated or shows much development in terms of your own viewpoint.
Lady Gaga gets the mix better than either of you, intelligent creativity shines even as she shakes her booty in our face. I can imagine listening to her in a interesting conversation 10-20 years from now.
Let me say this: This is not about being a Republican. In fact do we know she is a Republican? The assumption is that if you are conservative and religious you must be a Republican. Nothing today could be further from the truth and to think one knows anything about the current political arena and not to know this says a lot about the author.
Carrie Jean voiced her opinion on the National Stage and has to expect to be vilified on the same stage. One cannot somehow oppose the rights of Gays to marry due to some idiotic view of morality and then include yourself in home made porn videos LOL. I don't care if she is 22 or 82 if you are old enough to vilify others you are old enough to take the heat for your statements.
Thank you.
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