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First Muslim Grabs Miss USA Crown

Rima Fakih backs birth control, Obamacare

By Nick McMaster,  Newser Staff

Posted May 17, 2010 1:42 AM CDT | Updated May 17, 2010 6:40 AM CDT

(Newser) – Miss Michigan Rima Fakih has become the first Arab-American and Muslim to be crowned Miss USA. Fakih, 24, is of Lebanese descent. She won the swimsuit, evening gown and interview competitions. Fakih said during her interview that she believes birth control should be paid for by a national health insurance program, perhaps indicating a marked political difference from Miss USA runner up Carrie Prejean, who ignited controversy last year when she spoke out against gay marriage during her question-and-answer session.

“This is historic,” said Imad Hamad of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. “This shows the greatness of America, how everyone can have a chance to make it," he told the Detroit Free Press. Of course, another year, another scandal? Click here to read about a more scantily-clad contest Fakih won in 2007.

Miss Michigan Rima Fakih competes in the bathing suit portion of the Miss USA 2010 pagean yesterday.
Miss Michigan Rima Fakih competes in the bathing suit portion of the Miss USA 2010 pagean yesterday.   (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)
Miss Michigan Rima Fakih reacts as she is crowned Miss USA 2010 in Las Vegas yesterday.
Miss Michigan Rima Fakih reacts as she is crowned Miss USA 2010 in Las Vegas yesterday.   (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)
Miss Michigan Rima Fakih is surrounded by contestants after she was crowned Miss USA in Las Vegas yesterday.
Miss Michigan Rima Fakih is surrounded by contestants after she was crowned Miss USA in Las Vegas yesterday.   (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)
Miss Michigan Rima Fakih competes in the bathing suit portion of the Miss USA 2010 pageant yesterday.
Miss Michigan Rima Fakih competes in the bathing suit portion of the Miss USA 2010 pageant yesterday.   (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 103 comments
schmidtkoff
May 18, 2010 4:22 PM CDT
uh, where is the burqa or hjab? i'm sure she doesn't curry favor from her male muslim counterparts. a muslim woman pole dancing? yikes. we are looking at jihad armageddon - oh wait - that's the bible. not the quran. ah, the america they love to hate.
JohnEd
May 18, 2010 2:05 PM CDT
Pole dancer, that's a talent show!!
guvner
May 18, 2010 3:56 AM CDT
The reason why nobody is able to "understand" or "follow" you, Snarfeh, is because your arguments are inaccurate, uninformed, assumptive, and illogical.

You premise, essentially, that if A=B,and B=C, therefore A=C.

1. You stated : "usually it's left leaning progressives who support birth control at all" - FALSE.
From 60% in some polls, to as much as 86% (depending on phrasing) support BC.
Planned Parenthood found that among those supporting BC nearly 75% favor insurance coverage (take it for what it's worth).

2. You stated : "Those who are against gay marriage are typically right leaning." - MISLEADING, at best
Gallup, who's been tracking this since the 1990's found 57% Total Disapprove, of which, 45% among Democrats & 55% of independents are also against. The "Moderates" were pretty much 50/50 split. There is nothing "typical" in these results. Also consider the position of the African-American community, hardly a "right leaning" block, on the issue. Similar results are most likely found in other ethnic groups, including Arab-Americans.

Thus your statement that "you have 2 political views representing the majorities on 2 sides of a political spectrum" is utter fantastical rubbish.

And BTW, Nick heavily weighted and underlined the different responses exactly leading readers to assume the two positions are not mutually exclusive. And this is not the case.

SOURCES:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/05/07/healt...

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_...

http://www.plannedparenthood.org/about-us/newsr...


http://www.gallup.com/poll/118378/majority-amer...

(EDIT: Unable to access original post at start of thread, so reposting.)
 

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