America’s Next Top Anita Bryant, Miss California Carrie Prejean, is turning her second place in a beauty contest into a national spokesmodelship for opposition to gay rights.  This is an improvement on what you get out of second place in a beauty contest in Monopoly, which is only $10.

What happens when a young California beauty pageant contestant is asked, “Do you support same-sex marriage?” She is attacked viciously for having the courage to speak up for her truth and her values. But Carrie’s courage inspired a whole nation and a whole generation of young people because she chose to risk the Miss USA crown rather than be silent about her deepest moral values. “No Offense” calls gay marriage advocates to account for their unwillingness to debate the real issue: Gay marriage has consequences.

Did I miss the memo where her resentment at answering a question poorly (remember “we live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite marriage”?  Um, no, that’s kind of the point) inspired a nation?  I mean, the Republicans really have to do a better job with their folk heroes.  For one they have to be, um, heroes, not unemployed plumbers or second-place beauty contest winners.

FWIW, here’s the ad from the National Organization For Marriage.

Yes, if we as a country don’t stand up for the rights of bigots, we will have shamed ourselves.  Won’t somebody think of the gay-bashers?

Keep an eye on this Carrie Prejean.  If the right tries to do with her what they do with their other presumed victims, she’ll have a national speaking tour and a talk show after Limbaugh within a week.