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closeThursday, Jul. 17, 2008
Miss Washington scandal lacks anything scandalous
We aren't feeling much outrage over the embarrassing photos of Miss Washington that surfaced last week.
We're just glad our youthful indiscretions were committed before digital photography and the Internet combined to make every private moment potentially public.
The photos causing all the ruckus show Wapato native Elyse Umemoto in a less-wholesome light than pageant promoters would like, but nothing depicted goes beyond a little dorm-room rowdiness.
The 24-year-old is seen drinking alcohol and jokingly flashing some rude gestures in the photos, but there's no nudity or illegal behavior.
In fact, we're sure the pictures would be considered tame on most college campuses.
Her official pageant photos are more revealing.
Even so, Umemoto issued an immediate apology after the photos appeared on an Internet site obsessed with celebrity gossip.
A more appropriate apology would come from the friend or acquaintance who stole the photos -- most taken with Umemoto's own camera -- and leaked them to the Web.
Whether her betrayer was lashing out with jealousy or seeking financial gain, it's certain Umemoto's best interests weren't considered.
We'd be happy if her experience served as a cautionary tale for young people wondering whether it's a good idea to document their liquor-fueled escapades.
But we'll wager our camera phones that there won't be many lessons learned. Ten seconds poking around Facebook confirms that's a good bet.
To its credit, the Miss Washington organization kept the episode in perspective.
"Elyse Umemoto is an outstanding young woman and has been a brilliant representative for the Miss Washington Scholarship Organization," Mike Miller, the executive field director of the Miss Washington Scholarship Organization, said in a statement last week.
"We continue to be very proud of her."
It'd be a shame to let a handful of goofy photographs define Umemoto. Before her reign ended with last weekend's state pageant, Umemoto had made a year's worth of good impressions.
Frankly, we're a little surprised by what passes for scandal these days.
It's not like she got caught bumping fists.
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Editorial board members are Rufus Friday, publisher; Chris Sivula, editorial page editor; Ken Robertson, executive editor; Matt Taylor, contributing editor; Lori Lancaster, editorial writer; Shelly Norman, editorial writer and Jack Briggs, retired publisher
