Atticus Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 Story Link Interracial couple denied marriage license in La. NEW ORLEANS – A white 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'm not a racist. I just don't believe in mixing the races that way," Bardwell told the Associated Press on Thursday. "I have piles and piles of black friends. They come to my home, I marry them, they use my bathroom. I treat them just like everyone else." Bardwell said he asks everyone who calls about marriage if they are a mixed race couple. If they are, he does not marry them, he said. Bardwell said he has discussed the topic with blacks and whites, along with witnessing some interracial marriages. He came to the conclusion that most of black society does not readily accept offspring of such relationships, and neither does white society, he said. "There is a problem with both groups accepting a child from such a marriage," Bardwell said. "I think those children suffer and I won't help put them through it." If he did an interracial marriage for one couple, he must do the same for all, he said. "I try to treat everyone equally," he said. Bardwell estimates that he has refused to marry about four couples during his career, all in the past 2 1/2 years. Beth Humphrey, 30, and 32-year-old Terence McKay, both of Hammond, say they will consult the U.S. Justice Department about filing a discrimination complaint. 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. "That was one thing that made this so unbelievable," she said. "It's not something you expect in this day and age." Humphrey said she called Bardwell on Oct. 6 to inquire about getting a marriage license signed. She says Bardwell's wife told her that Bardwell will not sign marriage licenses for interracial couples. Bardwell suggested the couple go to another justice of the peace in the parish who agreed to marry them. "We are looking forward to having children," Humphrey said. "And all our friends and co-workers have been very supportive. Except for this, we're typical happy newlyweds." "It is really astonishing and disappointing to see this come up in 2009," said American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana attorney Katie Schwartzmann. She said the Supreme Court ruled in 1967 "that the government cannot tell people who they can and cannot marry." The ACLU sent a letter to the Louisiana Judiciary Committee, which oversees the state justices of the peace, asking them to investigate Bardwell and recommending "the most severe sanctions available, because such blatant bigotry poses a substantial threat of serious harm to the administration of justice." "He knew he was breaking the law, but continued to do it," Schwartzmann said. According to the clerk of court's office, application for a marriage license must be made three days before the ceremony because there is a 72-hour waiting period. The applicants are asked if they have previously been married. If so, they must show how the marriage ended, such as divorce. Other than that, all they need is a birth certificate and Social Security card. The license fee is $35, and the license must be signed by a Louisiana minister, justice of the peace or judge. The original is returned to the clerk's office. "I've been a justice of the peace for 34 years and I don't think I've mistreated anybody," Bardwell said. "I've made some mistakes, but you have too. I didn't tell this couple they couldn't get married. I just told them I wouldn't do it." Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bleedorange Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 Saw that this morning, too. Unbelievable. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Speed Racer Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 The "I'm not a racist" justification is fascinating. I think he truly believes what he says. I imagine we'll be seeing a lot of "I am not a homophobe" in the future for people in his situation who have piles and piles of gay friends, and let them use their bathrooms all the time, but refuse to marry them. I'd like to think I have pretty strong moral convictions, but there are very few situations were I would let those moral convictions get in the way of doing my job effectively. And by very few, I mean practically none. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Stewart Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 "I'm not 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." And I'm not posting in this thread, I'm just typing and hitting 'Post'. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Atticus Posted October 16, 2009 Author Share Posted October 16, 2009 "I'm not 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." And I'm not posting in this thread, I'm just typing and hitting 'Post'. I would let you use my bathroom (no. 1) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Winston Legthigh Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 I'm going to start referring to the amount of friends I have as "piles" - or maybe I'll just start referring to my hemorrhoids as "friends." Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gobias Industries Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 "I'm not a(n) ___________, I just don't like you." Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Speed Racer Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 "I'm not an ___________, I just don't like you." Incorrect. "I'm not an _________, I just don't agree in giving you the same rights as others. But you can use my bathroom, along with piles and piles of the rest of you people." Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Runaway Jim Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 Fucking Louisiana. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Speed Racer Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 Fucking Louisiana. My uncle was on a business trip in Louisiana, visiting several different sites throughout the state. While in New Orleans he asked a local colleague how far the drive was to a site in a more rural location. The colleague replied, "Oh, about a hundred years backward." Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gobias Industries Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 Incorrect. "I'm not an _________, I just don't agree in giving you the same rights as others. But you can use my bathroom, along with piles and piles of the rest of you people." Do you honestly believe that someone who won't give the rights that people deserve to them respects or even likes those people? I suppose that was my point. Seems like it's some pretty thinly veiled dislike to me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lammycat Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 "Bardwell estimates that he has refused to marry about four couples during his career, all in the past 2 1/2 years."Not too bad of a track record. Of course, this is just an estimate..... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Speed Racer Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 Do you honestly believe that someone who won't give the rights that people deserve to them respects or even likes those people? I suppose that was my point. Seems like it's some pretty thinly veiled dislike to me. To me it's the same argument as "I'm all for gays marryin', they just gotta marry someone of the opposite sex." I honestly believe someone can believe they like and respect people to whom they would willingly deny rights. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gobias Industries Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 To me it's the same argument as "I'm all for gays marryin', they just gotta marry someone of the opposite sex." I honestly believe someone can believe they like and respect people to whom they would willingly deny rights. I suppose we agree to disagree on that. If you aren't willing to grant full rights, then you aren't respecting them or liking them at all. I consider that on the level of "acknowledgement of existence," which is exactly what it sounds like. You aren't willing to accept them, but you obviously know they exist. Maybe I'm being too idealistic, but whatever. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Speed Racer Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 I suppose we agree to disagree on that. No, we certainly agree on that. All I'm saying is that people who say that they "like" or "respect" people they are denying rights to may well believe that they do like and respect them. Clearly, you and I can see that they don't, but that doesn't stop me from discounting their own perception of their behavior and attitudes. And that, to me, is what makes people who say that so damned scary. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PopTodd Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 "Everybody just gotta keep fuckin' everybody til they're all the same color!"-Sen. Jay Billington Bullworth Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Stewart Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 "Everybody just gotta keep fuckin' everybody til they're all the same color!"-Sen. Jay Billington Bullworth Love that quote! I think of it often. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
anthony Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 My god! That is disgusting! How does this still happen in the 21st fucking century!?! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
caliber66 Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 My god! That is disgusting! How does this still happen in the 21st fucking century!?!What, black and white people trying to marry each other? Seriously. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
anthony Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 What, black and white people trying to marry each other? Seriously. It is just that this hits a little close to home. Not to get to personal, but I am currently participating in an interracial marriage and it really pisses me off to think that I could have been denied marrying my soul mate (sorry for corny phrase, but it works) due to some asshole's hangup. Bardwell said he has discussed the topic with blacks and whites, along with witnessing some interracial marriages. He came to the conclusion that most of black society does not readily accept offspring of such relationships, and neither does white society, he said. BTW, isn't our president the offspring of an interracial marriage? Didn't a lot of people accept him during the election? The empirical evidence does not seem to support his viewpoint. I really hate when people try to cover up their prejudice by citing some tenuous and/or untrue issue. I would have respected the dude more if he did say he was a racist. Impossible to argue that! Oh, I'll get off my soapbox. I assume I am preaching to the choir... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kidsmoke Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 Choir here. I read this story this morning and just sighed and shook my head, thinking how far we still have to go. It's still a very intolerant world. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sweet Papa Crimbo Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 I would let you use my bathroom (no. 1) I don't think I should be allowed to use your bathroom...I can destroy an American Standard with ease. At least the joker is in Louisiana and not Texas. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mountain bed Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 Oh God, where do I start here? First off, I'm as sickened and disgusted as everyone else here. If I'm Bobby Jindal I would publicly castigate Judge Cornpone. This kind of thing is so beyond the pale that the bastard needs to be called out, immediately. I live in a little town where the KKK ran the politics/power structure of the town up into the early '80s. The intolerance still exists, just a little more covertly than before. I've been arguing with the local yokels about race nearly my whole life. I decided long ago to teach my children not to hate or judge because of race. My oldest kid is now in a serious relationship with an African-American. The dude was actually a little apprehensive to visit us in our home (due to the town - legendary for its Klan influence, not because of us). I couldn't be more pleased - the gentleman is easily the nicest guy my daughter has ever dated. According to my kid every time they're out in public (outside of Indy) there are always a lot of stares, snide remarks, etc. Christ. I cannot believe these attitudes still exist in 2009. If they ever do get married I will the proudest papa you've ever seen when I give her away at the altar. But not because the guy is African-American, but because he's good dude. Fuck the haters. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kidsmoke Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 Amen to that, Scott. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nobody Girl Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 NEW ORLEANS – A white 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. I'm pretty sure they could still have kids even if they weren't married. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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