Interracial couple denied marriage license in Louisiana

[Electrophile]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091015/ap_on_re_us/us_interracial_rebuff

NEW ORLEANS – A Louisiana justice of the peace said he refused to issue a marriage license to an interracial couple out of concern for any children the couple might have. Keith Bardwell, justice of the peace in Tangipahoa Parish, says it is his experience that most interracial marriages do not last long.

"I'mnot a racist. I just don't believe in mixing the races that way,"Bardwell told the Associated Press on Thursday. "I have piles and pilesof black friends. They come to my home, I marry them, they use mybathroom. I treat them just like everyone else."

A couple things. One, I love how he throws out the tidbit that he has black friends as if it made a difference or somehow negated his rather......backward view of things. Secondly, what year is it? I'm pretty Loving v. Virginia has been decided already.

Grow up Gramps, and join the 21st century.

[BIGDAN]

http://news.yahoo.co...erracial_rebuff

A couple things. One, I love how he throws out the tidbit that he has black friends as if it made a difference or somehow negated his rather......backward view of things. Secondly, what year is it? I'm pretty Loving v. Virginia has been decided already.

Grow up Gramps, and join the 21st century.

I know and have met many Black People in England with the same Opinion as the Reverend, does it make them "Racists" as well?

Just Asking.

Regards, Danny

PS, I would rather be living in the 19th-20th Century if it meant i could call a "Spade" a "Spade" rather than a?

Shovel.

If your interested in the Difference look no further than here.

http://www.pavingexp...com/tools01.htm

[imPLANTed]

I'm just curious. What gives him the legal right to deny them a marriage license.

[Electrophile]

(In response to BIGDAN)

Yeah, that makes it totally fine. I mean, it's not like he said he believes the mixing of races is wrong and lets that interfere with the performance of his job. And it's not like he provides a state service and is required by law to treat the citizens of Louisiana equally.

I don't care if you're black, white, purple or yellow with green polka dots, if you believe that the races should not mix [his words, not mine], then yes.....you're a racist. It doesn't matter where you live, either.

Loving v. Virginia adjudicated that interracial marriages were valid under the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th amendment. It's case law. Pure and simple.

Edited October 15, 2009 by Electrophile

[imPLANTed]

Thanks Electrophile. That answers my question. Hard to believe these thought processes still exist in our country.

[dogtired]

Hard to believe these thought processes still exist in our country.

Maybe because you're in Wisconsin. Try spending some time in the South, you'll see how much predjudice still exists. It's not unusual.

[imPLANTed]

Interracial marriage was illegal in the U.S. as recently as 1967.

I didn't realize that. We've come a long way in a short time, but it sounds like from this story, we've still got a ways to go.

[MisterMcLov1n]

Interracial marriage was illegal in the U.S. as recently as 1967.

That's not recent, lol. Blacks still had their own drinking fountains at that point.

[dogtired]

That's not recent, lol. Blacks still had their own drinking fountains at that point.

Just go to any housing project in the inner cities of Birmingham, Nashville or Memphis and notice the light and shade proportions. The water fountains there are still segregated!

[wanna be drummer]

That's not recent, lol. Blacks still had their own drinking fountains at that point.

I don't think you understand why that's such a short amount of time. In comparison to how things in previous centuries have "changed," that's practically overnight

[jabe]

Maybe because you're in Wisconsin. Try spending some time in the South, you'll see how much predjudice still exists. It's not unusual.

Prejudice unfortunately, will always be with us in its many forms. What part of the south do you call home?

[ninelives]

I didn't realize that. We've come a long way in a short time, but it sounds like from this story, we've still got a ways to go.

Yes we do unfortunately. Sad that sort of ignorant belief still exists in our country

[jabe]

Just go to any housing project in the inner cities of Birmingham, Nashville or Memphis and notice the light and shade proportions. The water fountains there are still segregated!

I guess I'm as blind as the proverbial bat. Segregated water fountains in Birmingham??? Please provide locations! I'm sure our African American mayor and majority black city council will crack down on this travesty once you provide the detailed locations.

[dogtired]

Prejudice unfortunately, will always be with us in its many forms. What part of the south do you call home?

Southwestern Oahu actually. I've traveled extensively throughout the mainland and notice segregation, albeit voluntary, in much of the southern US. At least as far as neighborhoods and churches for instance.

As far as the conditions in Birmingham, your sight might be improved if you use a flashlight. Expect alot of running though, since you'll probably be figured for a cop.

Edited October 16, 2009 by dogtired

[BIGDAN]

(In response to BIGDAN)

Yeah, that makes it totally fine. I mean, it's not like he said he believes the mixing of races is wrong and lets that interfere with the performance of his job. And it's not like he provides a state service and is required by law to treat the citizens of Louisiana equally.

I don't care if you're black, white, purple or yellow with green polka dots, if you believe that the races should not mix [his words, not mine], then yes.....you're a racist. It doesn't matter where you live, either.

Loving v. Virginia adjudicated that interracial marriages were valid under the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th amendment. It's case law. Pure and simple.

Hi 'Electrophile'

Thanks for you truthful answer, but as he seems to be against both Black and White Marriages as much as White and Black Marriages is he really being a "Racist"? would he Deny Marriage too Two Black People or too Two White People, No, this isnt as Black and White as it seems is it?

In my Opinion he is Putting his Own Opinion in to a Job where the Job requires No Opinion, would he also refuse to Marry Two Gay People? well as long as they are the same Colour i suppose he should have no Problems, its not as if there would be any Children to Consider, or is he just an Old Biggot, Someone who Hates Everyone Whatever Colour, Race, Creed, Religion, Sex or Sexuality they are?

just like me.

Regards, Danny

PS, As i really Hate "green polka dots" does that mean i'm "Colour Prejudiced"?

[eternal light]

I'm just curious. What gives him the legal right to deny them a marriage license.

Well, it wasn't Loving v. Virginia 388 U.S. 1 (1967).

Decision

The U.S. Supreme Court overturned the convictions in a unanimous decision, dismissing the Commonwealth of Virginia's argument that a law forbidding both white and black persons from marrying persons of another race, and providing identical penalties to white and black violators, could not be construed as racially discriminatory. The court ruled that Virginia's anti-miscegenation statute violated both the Due Process Clause and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. In its decision, the court wrote:

"Marriage is one of the "basic civil rights of man," fundamental to our very existence and survival.... To deny this fundamental freedom on so unsupportable a basis as the racial classifications embodied in these statutes, classifications so directly subversive of the principle of equality at the heart of the Fourteenth Amendment, is surely to deprive all the State's citizens of liberty without due process of law.

source: wiki

Edited October 16, 2009 by eternal light

[ZeppFanForever]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091015/ap_on_re_us/us_interracial_rebuff

A couple things. One, I love how he throws out the tidbit that he has black friends as if it made a difference or somehow negated his rather......backward view of things. Secondly, what year is it? I'm pretty Loving v. Virginia has been decided already.

Grow up Gramps, and join the 21st century.

Hi "Electrophile!" I know many black friends that are married to white women. Interracial couples make the most beautiful babies. People are entitled to and should be allowed to marry whoever they want especially if it makes them happy. Take care and ROCK ON FOREVER my friend.

[jabe]

Southwestern Oahu actually. I've traveled extensively throughout the mainland and notice segregation, albeit voluntary, in much of the southern US. At least as far as neighborhoods and churches for instance.

As far as the conditions in Birmingham, your sight might be improved if you use a flashlight. Expect alot of running though, since you'll probably be figured for a cop.

You're walking on a bridge constructed of soggy toothpicks. No flashlight required. Well maybe... if I had to use it to pull you out of the quicksand.

[dogtired]

You're walking on a bridge constructed of soggy toothpicks. No flashlight required. Well maybe... if I had to use it to pull you out of the quicksand.

HaHa!

I'm so used to getting pounded on the sand, I have to sprinkle 50 grains in my bed at night just to sleep!

I either take the ferry or swim the channel instead of crossing the bridge though. For my teeth I use a brush and floss exclusively.

HaHa!

[Rock Action]

All I have to say is, BULLSHIT. Who is this fucking wanker to decide? A man and a woman who love each other. I'd tell the guy to go fuck himself and go elsewhere. Simple as that...

[Dzldoc]

I guess I should chime in since this happened in my neck of the woods.

First let's set the record straight, a justice of the peace does not issue marriage

licenses in Louisiana the clerk of court does secondly he is under no law or obligation

to marry anyone. Was it a smart choice? absolutey not! but it's his right, it's a slippery

slope if we start cherry picking our rights.

So although I disagree with his choice I have to defend his right, there should be no

other way.

[TypeO]

I obviously find this story extremely distasteful.

That being said, one small thing caught my attention...

Humphrey, an account manager for a marketing firm, said she and McKay, a welder, just returned to Louisiana. She is white and he is black. She plans to enroll in the University of New Orleans to pursue a masters degree in minority politics.

I wonder if this incident was as coincidental as it first appears, or if the couple had knowledge of this old bigot and sought to expose him?

And again, to be clear, if that was the case, that's a good thing.

Just seems pretty coincidental that they would randomly choose what surely has to be one of the few remaining freely-admitting racists serving in such a public official capacity.

[Rock Action]

I guess I should chime in since this happened in my neck of the woods.

First let's set the record straight, a justice of the peace does not issue marriage

licenses in Louisiana the clerk of court does secondly he is under no law or obligation

to marry anyone. Was it a smart choice? absolutey not! but it's his right, it's a slippery

slope if we start cherry picking our rights.

So although I disagree with his choice I have to defend his right, there should be no

other way.

Can't argue with that. I still think it was a very poor decision on his part though. This guy was playing judge in an inappropriate way. Oh well...this gaffe will haunt him for some time to come, eh?

[eternal light]

October 16, 7:33 AMHuntsville Family ExaminerKatie Drinkard

In New Orleans, Louisiana, justice of the peace of Tangipahoa Parish refused to give an interracial couple a marriage license solely on the basis of race.

Beth Humphrey, 30, and her boyfriend, Terence McKay, 32, were turned down by the justice of the peace because the justice of the peace was concerned about their children. He further explained that most interracial marriages do not last, and he was concerned for the children of a broken home.

The couple was later married under a different justice of the peace, and are not seeking legal action against the accused racist official.

Alabama had a ban on interracial marriages until November of 2000. It was a century old ban that was the last of its kind in the nation. Although the Supreme Court ruled in 1967 that such laws against interracial marriages could not be enforced, it remained in Alabama's state constitution until 2000. Today, there are thousands of interracial couples estimated in Alabama.

examiner.com/x-6258-Huntsville-Family-Examiner~y2009m10d16-Interracial-couple-denied-marriage-license-Alabamas-marriage-law

[Dzldoc]

Can't argue with that. I still think it was a very poor decision on his part though. This guy was playing judge in an inappropriate way. Oh well...this gaffe will haunt him for some time to come, eh?

I believe TypeO may be on to something, see the town that this justice works out of is a very small town with a pop. of less than 10k and word gets around fast. I'd be willing to bet that this isn't the first time he's turned a couple away and maybe they wanted to out him.

It is an election year here so he may have commited political suicide, we'll see how the community responds.