Pun Salad

A recent American Spectator article by Max Schulz discusses Crystal Wosik, the current Miss Nevada. This position put her in the running for Miss America; that competition was held in Ms. Wosik's home of Las Vegas.

The competition involves an interview with judges; Ms. Wosik's interview was not televised, but she was asked her opinion about the plan to store radioactive waste at Yucca Mountain, 90 miles from Las Vegas.

She said, reportedly, "It has to go someplace, and that was the best-built facility in the country."

Apparently the judges then asked, well, what if people die as a result?

Now, she could have retreated into simple-minded responses: hem and haw, and say, well that would be bad for children, butterflies, and flowers, sure hope that doesn't happen. You know: Miss America stuff.

She could have also pointed out that the probability of that happening is roughly comparable to that of an alien attack against Area 51. She could have pointed out that it's far more hazardous to not have a facility for radioactive waste storage.

She could have also asked whether the judges were asking what-if-people-die followups to all the contestants' views on public policy issues. ("So, Miss Minnesota, you're in favor of mandatory aluminum recycling? What if people die?")

But instead she granted the premise, didn't complain, didn't retreat into happy-talk, and (reportedly) said: "We just have to take one for the team."

Crystal didn't win anything at the pageant, except a place in the heart of all admirers of courage and straight talk. (And apparently, she's now getting threats from the usual group of knuckle-draggers.) She should forego the beauty pageant stuff and go into politics.