I had an email exchange with NOM president Maggie Gallagher. By now you’ve probably heard the following quote from Lauren Ashley, Miss Beverly Hills (trying to become Miss California and then Miss USA):
The Bible says that marriage is between a man and a woman. In Leviticus it says, “If man lies with mankind as he would lie with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death and their blood shall be upon them.”
Best case: She doesn’t realize she’s saying we should kill gays. Worst case: She wants to kill gays.
Either she’s either dumb as a box of tiaras or she’s utterly craven. She’s also easy to dismiss — I mean, the city of Beverly Hills says there is no such contest or title, exposing her as a fraud. As so often happens, conservative Christian moralists violate their morality while moralizing.
Then we get this statement from Maggie Gallagher:
I’m not surprised that Miss Beverly Hills, Lauren Ashley, opposes gay marriage — after all 45 percent of young Californians voted for Prop 8, as did 7 million Californians generally. But I have to say, I am impressed with her courage in coming forward and for speaking up for Carrie. The elected officials of city of Beverly Hills are not demonstrating tolerance or kindness by continuing the avalanche of hatred against supporters of Prop 8. [emphasis added]
Some interpret this as a total endorsement of Lauren’s statement. I try to be factual here, so I did the obvious thing. I wrote to Maggie.
I recently read your comments about Miss Beverly Hills on the Fox news website:
[And here I inserted the quote directly above.]
I feel certain that this cannot be your entire quote, since you’re responding to Lauren Ashley’s statement that gays shall surely be put to death. Could you please let me know the full version of your quote, so that we can all be clear on where you stand on the “surely be put to death” portion? Thanks.
And Maggie wrote back. Here’s her full response:
No i’m not. Maggie
What?
I was so confused, I first thought she was telling me she’s not Maggie. Then perhaps: No, I’m not going to let you know the full quote. Finally, giving her the benefit of the doubt, maybe: No, I’m not a supporter of Lauren’s “surely be put to death” stance. Of course, it’s a dangerous thing, giving Maggie the benefit of the doubt. So I asked her to clarify.
Maggie, thanks for the quick response. But I don’t know what you meant by “No I’m not.” Did you say anything about Lauren Ashley’s “surely be put to death” comment that Fox left out? Or have you issued comment elsewhere? I haven’t been able to find anything and would really appreciate knowing. Thanks.
No response so far. I’ll update this if I get any.
But let’s give her that benefit of the doubt and assume she doesn’t want gays put to death. It’s still scary portrait, in miniature, of her mental landscape: Maggie hears a mini-sub-almost-not-celebrity advocating death for gays…and her only response is to praise the speaker for taking a stand against hate.
Thanks to Joe.My.God for following and updating this story.
Exodus35:2 clearly states that people who work on the Sabbath should be put to death. I AM SO SCREWED!!! I am gay and I am scheduled to work on Sunday. I guess I had better start praying…….
She is still bitter since her conserv-o-horts at CPAC don’t take her dog-and-pony show, “NOM” that serious. Her wedge issue is losing its clout, the public is becoming more aware of their antics, and the Prop 8 trial revealed their only true stance, fear mongering.
NOM is running out of steam. Standing behind a ‘nobody’ that never was and never will be shows how old Mags is grasping at straws.
James, you’re in the clear. The Sabbath referred to in Exodus is Saturday – - so if you’re scheduled for Sunday, Ms. Beverly Hills will let you live.
Oh, but her better side, Ms. Lying Skank from Pasadena will still have to kill you for that gay thing. Can you stop being gay by Saturday?
Steve..I have to work Saturday too so I’m still facing death. I think we need to start our own religion and write our own bible. Why not?? The Mormon religion is not that old and look how many followers they have! Here is my first entry in the “new” bible James/Steve35:1 “All homophobic blonde bimbos shall never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (I’m kinda thinking that is true now!)
I wonder if Miss Beverly Hills has ever eaten shrimp, crab and/or lobster? if so, she’s advocating for her own murder. Saggy Maggie is up shit’s creek sans paddle. Her own conservaminions are going to sink the S.S. Gallagher. Does anyone have her address? I need to send her highlights from my partner and my gay wedding.
Hey Tre…AND!!!! Please..could anyone look up what the bible says about gluttony?? Perhaps we should fax Maggie that verse??
SERIOUSLY!!! I hope that there is reincarnation and all of these evil creeps come back as gay people in THIS society. I would LOVE to see how they deal with their fellow homophobes. (I was going to say that I wanted to be a homophobe in the next life taunting them but I could never do that..it is so un-Christian!)
Hey! Congrats on your wedding! We are still waiting..20 years together.
It is immensely difficult for NOM and like organizations to approximate the status of ‘oppressed minority’ when their foundational text (the Bible) calls for the execution of their allegedly totalitarian opponents.
Immensely difficult–but funny as hell to watch them try!
If Miss Beverly Hills isn’t a virgin on her wedding day, she shall surely be taken out of the city gates and stoned by the denizens of said Beverly Hills according to her buybull.
Rob: did you ever hear back from Maggie Gallagher on this?
No, Michael, no further word from Maggie.