UNITED STATES—Wow, wow, wow, that’s all I can say, after hearing that one of the questions that was asked to one of the contestants from the Miss USA pageant was related to the issue of politics. It wasn’t that it was a question about politics; it was the fact that the question was so private in my opinion. I mean seriously who asks someone who they are going to vote for in such a public setting.

For most people, you are going to be caught off guard by a question of that magnitude. Next, this is live television; that gulp in your throat, the awkwardness on your face, the fidgets in your movements and your body language are all being captured on camera for millions of people to see.

It had to be one of the most awkward things I’ve witnessed on television in the past year. So much to the point, that I had to pause for a moment, change the channel and collect my composure before witnessing what could have been a complete disaster in my opinion. Who could have thought in a 1000 years this would be an appropriate question to ask at an event that is not really known for hard hitting questions to begin with? The people running the strings behind the Miss USA pageant should seriously rethink the integrity of the questions that they ask the contestants.

All I could do was empathize with Miss Hawaii who was so thrown off by the topic that she could barely keep her composure during her moments on stage. However, I will give her major kudos for not flipping out and being able to deliver a PC answer to a question that some were hoping would deliver a definitive choice. I mean did they seriously expect her to answer the question regarding rather she would vote for Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton in the upcoming presidential election?

That’s like asking a news reporter who they plan to vote for in the upcoming election. Not only is such a question rude, but it’s none of the American public’s business who someone chooses to or not to vote for. However, it seems like we are edging closer and closer each day to a world where a person’s personal business is expected to be opened to the floodgates of the entire world. Is this election so decisive, that people are willing to make their political agenda evident to the American public without some sort of shroud of secrecy?

The fact that the judge who asked the question presumed that both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are the shoo-ins (well we know this to be true), still doesn’t make it a convincing question to ask. How about ask something of a bit more relevance. Say perhaps the issue of gender inequality in pay between men and women who perform the same task? Perhaps ask a question about gun control, heck, let’s ask a question about the notion of a fair paying wage for all workers in America.

Of all the questions that could’ve and should’ve been asked, this is the one they pick. Where in the world is our country headed with such questions like this being asked to contestants who prance around in their bathing suits for the Miss America pageant? I mean we already had that entire debacle with Steve Harvey incorrectly announcing the winner of Miss Universe, now we have this. Perhaps, this is a sign of the times of where we are in America. The idea of a pageant is perhaps old, tired and frankly irrelevant to many people. I mean are we seriously watching this ceremony to see how these ladies will address certain questions? Of course, not so why fool ourselves over it.

Hey, it’s not a fair question for you to ask someone about their political agenda or allegiance in this manner. Would you like the American government to get all up in your business and ask who you’re politically connected to and rooting for? Hmm, I don’t think so.