Just in case you haven't heard, the Miss New York winning streak is over and the South has risen again! Miss Georgia 2015, Betty Cantrell, came out on top in the 95th Miss America pageant and brought home the crown to Georgia for the first time in 63 years and the second time ever. The entire state of Georgia could not be more proud of our Miss America and I don't think Maggie Bridges, Miss Georgia 2014 and my cousin, could have crowned a more deserving and driven young woman as her successor. I love to see a big 'ole W on the Georgia side of the national score card--Lord knows we don't get them very often in many other arenas of competition, especially sports.
Speaking of sports, let's talk about the real issue that has everyone, well at least in New England, up in arms over here... deflategate.
For her onstage question in the televised portion of the competition, Betty was asked if, in her opinion, Tom Brady cheated.
Cue the crickets and a blank stare, cause that's for sure what I would have done if I had drawn that question. Betty handled herself rather well though, and actually gave a coherent answer to this irrelevant question.
What the heck does knowing every nuance of the Deflategate scandal have to do with showing that you are keeping up with America's current events? I'm pretty sure the only people who were truly invested in the outcome of the court ruling were super hardcore sports enthusiasts and the fans of the New England Patriots. That does not qualify it as a national issue. The answer to the question of whether or not Tom Brady cheated doesn't effect the entire nation. To be completely honesty I didn't even know who played in the Super Bowl last year, much less whether or not anyone was accused of cheating during it.
But there are actual people, grown adults might I add, who are petitioning to have Betty dethroned for her 20 second opinion of the Tom Brady scandal. The change.org petition currently has less than 1,500 signatures and poses a negligible threat to our #GeorgiaPeach 's year of service and it's supporters need to #GetALife.
Yes, you did read that correctly the first time. Patriots fans are petitioning a private organization to snatch the Miss America crown right off Betty Cantrell's fabulously styled head because of her answer to an opinion question and because, and I quote, "To suggest that someone who simply has been questioned for something, is automatically guilty is an injustice to our American way of life.."
Wow. So the opinion of a Miss America contest is a judicial ruling? I had no idea! Thank you for informing me New Englanders.
That's not even mentioning the rampant shaming, countless insults and even threats against Betty if she dares to make an appearance in New England, as if she has any control over where the Miss America Organization sends her to make appearances. The poor woman will be averaging a new city roughly every 36 hours this year until she gives up the crown next September, do y'all really think she has time to be Miss America and book her own plane tickets too?
There are no appropriate emojis, gifs or memes to describe how I feel about the fact that people think a difference of opinion is un-American. Especially since a difference of opinion basically sums up why we don't still belong to England. American Revolution, Boston Tea Party, the Shot Heard 'Round the World? I know all of you folks from New England have heard of those things since they happened in your freaking backyards.
Well, in case all y'all didn't know, we have another very fundamentally American characteristic, that comes even before innocent until proven guilty in the constitution, that Betty embraced, the Freedom of Speech.
The First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America guarantees the right to Freedom of Speech. Yes, I know this doesn't apply to slander or libel, but is it slander if the matter is already in question in the public eye? No. Especially when, if I understand the case correctly which I more than likely do since my current Constitutional Law 1 professor is pretty B-A, the ruling was not on Brady's innocence or guilt for cheating at all, but the unfairness of the NFL disciplinary system that levied his suspension. So guess what, she didn't making a libelous statements until a judge says she did, because no ruling was issued on whether or not he cheated. So if and when that happens, let me know, and I will go eat a whole mess of crow. Until then, 13 cheers to my Miss America 2016, Betty Cantrell, a #PeachStatePride if I ever have seen one and an amazing addition to the Miss America wall of fame. Not to mention her reaction was #flawless.
Have a great year Betty, you are doing Georgia so proud and I can't wait to see what amazing things you accomplish before we, hopefully, have a repeat for 2017!
