World peace and love for humanity are what come to mind when thinking about beauty pageants.

Beautiful and classy women were once the role models competing in contests such as the Miss USA competition, in which the winner later goes on to try for the title of Miss Universe.

The current winner Tara Conner shocked the country when accusations arose of her making out with the Teen Miss USA winner, Katie Blair, and participating in underage drinking.

This wasn’t just shocking; it was also sickening to think of what kind of women our society is making out to be role models, when they themselves are making out publicly with other influential people.

According to Fox News, Miss Conner has also received an offer to pose for Playboy magazine, nearly a month after she had checked into rehab.

I suppose if people want their daughters, sisters, or girlfriends to aspire to become drunken floozies in their glory days, then Miss USA has done her job as an acceptable public figure.

For those who want their young children to look up to a woman with poise, grace, and intelligence, the Miss USA pageant should strip Tara Conner of her title, and give the crown to a participant willing to exemplify these attributes.

While researching the history of the Miss USA pageant, I came across the competition’s definition of what their contestants should demonstrate.

The organization has women that are, “savvy, goal-oriented, and aware”.

Well, Miss Connor was savvy enough to convince those around her in a tearful press conference that she was truly sorry and would do better as Miss USA.

She was goal-oriented when she decided, after she became the winner, that she would go to rehab for her addictions.

She also probably became aware of underage women’s bodies when she “allegedly” stuck her tongue down Miss Teen USA’s throat. Well done indeed, Miss Connor.

This scandal just intensifies by Donald Trump, owner of the pageant, giving an interview to the public about possibly allowing Miss USA to pose for Playboy.

I guess in our world it is just fine to completely humiliate an entire organization, such as the Miss USA competition, by allowing your most public figure of the year to break traditional values.

Mr. Trump supposedly believes in giving second chances to people who have committed wrongful acts.

I’m sure that if a real estate deal fell through due to someone drinking illegally, he wouldn’t be such an activist in the second chance department.

The actions of “The Donald” have angered many, the most public being “The View” host, Rosie O’Donnell. Rather than just state her opinion, Rosie felt the need to make fun of Mr. Trump’s personal life, and was even low enough to joke about his hairstyle.

Many comedians poke fun at Donald Trump, and Rosie, as a talk show co-host, can talk and joke about him also. The problem is when the two celebrities get so out of hand by saying rude comments about one another, and the public forgets what the actual issue was all about.

If Mr. Trump has any authority over the Miss USA pageant, he should remember the types of women the competition strives to represent.

This controversy could possibly have been forgotten quickly, but the offer for an adult magazine just angered more people who didn’t think Miss Connor should have kept her title.

There appear to be no role models in all of this. Tara Connor is not a good public figure to look up to, Donald Trump and Rosie O’Donnell are acting like ignorant numbskulls, and Mr. Trump is discrediting the Miss USA organization by even considering Miss Connor’s offer to Playboy.

I believe it’s time for role models to be just that, people to be looked to as an example.

Send comments to Sarah Barnes at [email protected].