[y04185]

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The District of Columbia has won back-to-back Miss USA titles.

Kara McCullough, a 25-year-old chemist working for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, was crowned Sunday at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center on the Las Vegas Strip. She will go on to compete on the Miss Universe contest.

The runner-up was Miss New Jersey Chhavi Verg, a student at Rutgers University studying marketing and Spanish. The second runner-up was Miss Minnesota Meridith Gould, who is studying apparel retail merchandising at the University of Minnesota.

Fifty-one women representing each state and the nation's capital participated in the decades-old competition.

McCullough was born in Naples, Italy, and raised in Virginia Beach, Virginia. She said she wants to inspire children to pursue careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Last year, District of Columbia resident Deshauna Barber became the first-ever military member to win Miss USA.

[scstatealum]

She is also a former miss South Carolina state university.


And also, a former miss black and gold for the beta delta chapter of alpha phi alpha located there. 

[scstatealum]

[j1908]

^^That's cute an all, but when she said Health Care was a privilege 

[scstatealum]

^^That's cute an all, but when she said Health Care was a privilege 

I feel you...but she is entitled to her opinion.....

[Neymar]

Affirmative action win.

[Bison 4 Life]

Miss DC wins two years in a row.Thats really something.

[Bearforlife]

The question was "IS it a right or privilege?" Not SHOULD it be a right or privilege. She answered it correctly and additionally spoke about jobs and the lack thereof being the reason people can't afford healthcare and that needing to be addressed before healthcare could be addressed. As a former contestant of pageantry, I know what it feels like to be on that stage trying to win and answer that question without saying something totally stupid. Most people who are condemning her wouldn't have done as well. Can't we just be happy another black woman, HBCU grad won?

[j1908]

^^^Trust me, I'm happy she won and not condemning her. With her being a black woman and a scientist and advocate for science education, but dang she could use a class on social issues. Now, that's my opinion. Like it or love it or don't.

[Capler]

If you smoke for 40 years and develop lung cancer because of your actions, is healthcare a right? Would you contribute money to that person's treatment?

[j1908]

If the  person can't afford his treatment, who do you think pays?? Just like if a woman has a baby and can't afford the medical bill, who pays? I'll wait. As my friends say, Pretty face, sunken place.

Her response about healthcare was really uninformed. Other countries provide healthcare for their citizens. To quibble about co-pays and work requirements for the poor and feeble is just dumb. The most fragile people in society will be the poor and elderly. We have to continue to provide healthcare coverage for them.

[Bearforlife]

Soror J I agree with you and I'm sure she's kicked herself a million times for the way she answered the question.

I just competed in a pageant and immediately after answering my question on stage, I thought of 20 different ways I could've answered it better. Honestly, Minnesota killed on stage question. But Miss USA redeemed herself on the question about feminism. I also like the fact that she entered Miss DC three times and came in first runner up twice before making it where she is.

[j1908]

^^^Soror no worries. This is a forum where we can agree to disagree. But, I'm going to say this THIS. WAS. BRAVE. So much so that I wouldn't be surprised if it played a key role in why she won. Between her STEM career (very nontraditional for contestants), rocking her natural hair (contestants are coached that straight hair is a prettier, safer play--even white contestants) and standing by her true beliefs with poise (she had to know her view is unpopular), I was happy to see Kara win. (Well, that AND the back to back black Miss USAs). It's quite a statement about what a pageant winner in 2017 looks like.

[Neymar]

If you smoke for 40 years and develop lung cancer because of your actions, is healthcare a right? Would you contribute money to that person's treatment?

Yes...Of course its a right.

Jesus Christ people in this country really hate each other

[GALFAMU]

What this Pageant Barbie
 (no offense to BearforLife)doesn't understand is the USA is the only developed country that does not provide universal health insurance.
Now if her government agency decides to R.I.F., and the Barbie cannot find another job within the agency, she is going to have to BUY her own policy. And private health insurance  is very expensive.
She seems kind of unaware of   the issues that are facing everyday people who don't have the kind of secure job and the educational
opportunities she has.