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LAS VEGAS, Nev. — La Jolla resident Carrie Prejean, a junior at San Diego Christian College in El Cajon, was voted first-runner up in the annual Miss USA pageant, held April 19 in Las Vegas. In the event the winner, Miss Carolina Kristen Dalton, is unable to fulfill her term, Prejean will serve as Miss USA.
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You decide for yourself...
Did Carrie Prejean lose the Miss USA crown because of her answer to the gay-marrige question? |
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As the winner, Dalton, 22, will go on to compete in the 58th annual Miss Universe Pageant, to be held Aug. 23 in the Bahamas.
The 21-year-old Prejean, who advanced to the national contest after being crowned Miss California on Nov. 23, is on leave from college for the spring semester so she could prepare for the Miss USA pageant. She is studying to become an elementary school special education teacher and is a volunteer for Special Olympics and Best Buddies, a nonprofit program that helps the disabled gain friendships.
While much of the pageant’s early history focused on swimsuits and beauty, in recent years, contestants have been able to use their high-profile positions to promote causes close to their own hearts.
For Prejean that includes promoting self-esteem issues in girls and women. According to officials at the college, Prejean is involved with a ministry to women in the adult entertainment industry and works with children in foster care with Voices for Children.
“I've been extremely passionate about that,” she told administrators in an online article. “I especially have a heart for helping young girls with low self-esteem. I want to focus on San Diego and give back to my community.”
Those issues, however, took backstage status during a segment in which the top five contestants were asked social questions. When quizzing Prejean, openly gay judge Perez Hilton created a stir when he asked the Christian contestant if she believed other states should follow Vermont’s lead in legalizing same-sex marriage.
“We live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite,” Prejean responded. “And you know what, I think in my country, in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anybody out there, but that's how I was raised.”
According to Fox News, the question later sparked a tense exchange between audience members in the lobby at the pageant’s conclusion. It was also a heated topic on various blogs as Prejean supporters speculated her honest answer cost her the crown.
During Miss North Carolina’s time at the microphone, she was asked whether taxpayer money should be used to bail out struggling companies. One of the five contestants was asked if she would report domestic violence. The other two questions were should America have universal health care and should the U.S.—in the midst of a recession—be supporting Afghanistan.
Continuing her work
Although Prejean will not be representing the United States as Miss USA, she will have plenty to keep her busy upon her return to the area. In addition to her work with the disabled, the San Diego native also volunteers for El Cajon’s International Ministry Center—operated by Shadow Mountain Community Church—where she helps refugees learn English. She is an advocate for breast and ovarian cancer research and likes to promote healthy living.
Prejean is not new to the pageant experience, earning the Miss Greater San Diego Teen 2004 and Miss Greater San Diego 2007 which led to being named first runner-up for Miss California 2008. In winning the 2009 statewide title outright, Prejean competed as Miss La Jolla against 90-plus women and was also selected Miss Congeniality, an honor bestowed by her peers.
As a model, she has been featured in Bliss Magazine, the PJ Salvage Fall Catalog and represents “Double Happiness Jewelry.” Her modeling jobs have also included high-end stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdales, Nordstrom and family favorite, Target. She was a finalist for a Deal or No Deal case model.
A fan of the San Diego Padres, Prejean has served as a member of the team’s “Pad Squad” for three seasons.
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