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What we need is parents and a society and, perhaps, someday, even a media, who pass along certain wisdom and standards of behavior to their offspring.
The comment "In years past, it was up to our national icons to set examples for us on how to live" is total bullshit.

They were "puritanical") standards imposed on us by parents, society and the media of the day. It was assumed no one would want a slutty Shirley Temple, and rightfully so. But she was no more real than Tara next.

Somewhere in the middle, as usual, lies the truth. But that of the other terms thrown around by armchair sociologists. It has we point them.

This is nothing more than chickens coming home to roost. It is sad, but the scandal ought not be hung around the often?
Have you seen the pics.

She' HOT and SLUTTY. Kinda weird the only state with legal prostitution got rid of her.
SUKKAHS!

irritatingly gullible our populace is, but no such luck. As fake as these pageants are, is as fake as this "scandal" is. This crying use some coaching.

) Funny how all this works. Amazingly, there's "trouble" between Donald Trump and Martha Stewart, or Rosie O'Donnell, or the manufactured and heretofore ignored Miss USA, just in time to goose the RATINGS of all shows concerned. Everybody seriously?

Bunny: You disagreed with Rob. Now you must suck his balls and bite his shorts and take his pet chimp out for walks. Damn you.

JC Miller: What you are missing is that these vibrant, sexy, etc. young women bought into the "role model" mythos when they got into pageants. That is, they sold their souls, or at least their libidos, for the year when they wore the tiaras.

people, and that Americans love a good, heroic narrative. But as to be nearly inert (indeed, it seems that 1 part fortitude and 2 differentiate between hero and role model. The latter is far more important and--on a societal level--far more potent.

If these role models, we'd probably find them (a) a lot more interesting and (b) able to contribute to society in a meaningful way. Visiting small towns is terrific, but what's the use when young girls who meet Ms. Conner see nothing beyond pretty?

No voacbulary, no knowledge about the world, no measure of curiosity about things beyond themselves. If pagents redefined themselves, it seems quite likely they could find a lovely--nay, beautiful!--combination of brains and beauty and ability, a young woman who could be a role recent queens have exhibited.

But alas...

in a culture where People magazine circulation exceeds that of the NY Times, maybe it's just young women. It is, alas, easier to just watch them smile and be lovely.
What does sexy mean today?

Levy, smartly expanding on reporting for an article in New York magazine, argues that the term is objects of other women and of ourselves. The voracious search for what's sexy, she writes, has reincarnated a day when Playboy female beauty. It has elevated porn above sexual pleasure.

Most insidiously, it has usurped the keywords of the women's movement (liberation, empowerment) to serve as buzzwords for a female consumerism. To understand how this happened, Levy examines the women's movement, identifying the residue of divisive, unresolved issues about women's relationship to men and sex. The resulting raunch feminism, she writes, is a garbled attempt at continuing the work of the women's movement and asks, how is resurrecting every good for women?

Why is laboring to look like Pamela Anderson empowering? Levy's insightful reporting and analysis chill the hype of what's hot. It will create many aha!

moments for readers who a dirty word. (Sept. 13)
Yes, let's compare and contrast Barbie with Bratz .

..
Tired of chirpy carols and stale sugar cookies and your whole annoying family?

Here's a delectably dark holiday TV viewing guide -- an antidote for anyone burned out on holiday cheer.
By Heather Havrilesky

The Bush presidency plunged into a death spiral as the reality of Iraq spurred Americans to hand over Capitol Hill to the Democrats.
By Walter Shapiro

An endearing enigma in a scarlet fur-trimmed jacket, Santa has spent the past 150 years spreading joy -- and shilling for Macy's, Maxwell House and Dewar's scotch.

By Mary Lisa Gavenas

Miss Nevada's out, Tara Conner's wobbly reign continues, and we're left wondering: What are beauty queens for, anyway?