Remember the Alamo?

I don't follow beauty pageants much. Yes, I'm as warm-blooded as the next guy, but I just don't get it. Apparently I'm not alone. At least in this country, they are fading in popularity. Recently it was announced that Country Music Television (CMT) would not be carrying the Miss America Pageant anymore. It might have occurred to someone at the cable channel that such an event had absolutely nothing to do with country music or the lifestyle surrounding it, but I doubt it.

Still, I had to feel sorry for Miss USA this year. The Miss Universe pageant was held in Mexico City last night, and our representative was booed by some of the Mexicans in the audience -- apparently in light of their inability to leave the country they're so crazy about and illegally reside in the country they can't stand. Perhaps they want to continue to dispute territorial claims in the southwestern USA, claims which were settled by an internationally-recognized treaty in the mid-19th century.



Beats the hell outa me.

According to the AFP wire story: "Miss Mexico was also the subject of controversy over her required regional dress which depicted a late 1920s religious rebellion, complete with scenes of the rebels being hanged."

Interesting choice. The story doesn't mention the connivance of elements within the American government, with the help of freemasons bent on persecuting the Church, who attempted to manipulate events during this period of Mexican history. One of those "rebels" was executed by firing squad, a priest named Miguel Augustin Pro. He was beatified several years ago by John Paul II, and his cause for sainthood is going forward.

Oh, back to the beauty contest. The crown eventually went to a Japanese model named Riyo Mori. The Mexicans were jerks about the whole thing. This week's Tip of the Black Hat goes out to Rachel Smith, this year's Miss USA, who kept her chin up even after falling down during the evening gown competition.

Some people just don't know how to treat a lady.
.