Refusal Of Interracial Marriage ! What In The World?

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   AEvansposted 15 years ago

   I am almost ashamed to call myself American! Lately ignorance in our Country is beyond anything I could imagine, what is wrong with people? Love does not have any color but stupidity? Well that is another story if you are in love it does not matter if you are black, white, green, yellow or purple. This story that I ran across is about as ignorant as any American can become.
   
   Here is the complete story you be the judge was he correct or incorrect?
   
   
   
   Man's halt of interracial marriage sparks outrage
   Oct 16, 2009 (8:23p CDT)
   By MARY FOSTER  (Associated Press Writer)
   
   NEW ORLEANS -  Louisiana's governor and a U.S. senator joined Friday in calling for the ouster of a local official who refused to marry an interracial couple, saying his actions clearly broke the law.
   
   Keith Bardwell, a white justice of the peace in Tangipahoa Parish in the southeastern part of the state, refused to issue a marriage license earlier this month to Beth Humphrey, who is white, and Terence McKay, who is black. His refusal has prompted calls for an investigation or resignation from civil and constitutional rights groups and the state's Legislative Black Caucus.
   
   Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal said in a statement a nine-member commission that reviews lawyers and judges in the state should investigate.
   
   "Disciplinary action should be taken immediately - including the revoking of his license," Jindal said.
   
   Bardwell did not return calls left on his answering machine Friday.
   
   Bardwell has said he always asks if a couple is interracial and, if they are, refers them to another justice of the peace. Bardwell said no one had complained in the past and he doesn't marry the couples because he's worried about their children's futures.
   
   "Perhaps he's worried the kids will grow up and be president," said Bill Quigley, director of the Center for Constitutional Rights and Justice, referring to President Barack Obama, the son of a black father from Kenya and a white mother from Kansas.
   
   Obama's deputy press secretary Bill Burton echoed those sentiments.
   
   "I've found that actually the children of biracial couples can do pretty good," Burton told reporters aboard Air Force One as it flew to Texas.
   
   Humphrey and McKay were eventually married by another justice of the peace, but are now looking into legal action against Bardwell.
   
   Humphrey said she called Bardwell on Oct. 6 to ask about a marriage license. She said Bardwell's wife told her that Bardwell would not sign marriage licenses for interracial couples.
   
   Bardwell maintains he can recuse himself from marrying people. Quigley disagreed.
   
   "A justice of the peace is legally obligated to serve the public, all of the public," Quigley said. "Racial discrimination has been a violation of Louisiana and U.S. law for decades. No public official has the right to pick and choose which laws they are going to follow."
   
   A spokeswoman for the Louisiana Judiciary Commission said investigations were confidential and would not comment. If the commission recommends action to the Louisiana Supreme Court, the matter would become public.
   
   U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., said in a statement Bardwell's practices and comments were deeply disturbing.
   
   "Not only does his decision directly contradict Supreme Court rulings, it is an example of the ugly bigotry that divided our country for too long," she said.
   
   Tangipahoa Parish President Gordon Burgess said Bardwell's views were not consistent with his or those of the local government. But as an elected official, Bardwell was not under the supervision of the parish government.
   
   "However, I am certainly very disappointed that anyone representing the people of Tangipahoa Parish, particularly an elected official, would take such a divisive stand," Burgess said in an e-mail. "I would hope that Mr. Bardwell would consider offering his resignation if he is unable to serve all of the people of his district and our parish."
   
   Bardwell, a Republican, has served as justice of peace for 34 years. He said he has run without opposition each time, but had decided earlier not to run again. His current term expires Dec. 31, 2014.
   
   ___
   
   Associated Press writer Eileen Sullivan in College Station, Texas, contributed to this report.

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      dutchman1951posted 15 years agoin reply to this

      The Lousiana Law is as wierd as that Magistrate, be carefull.
      This afternoon, late, the State Attorney generals' office said he is within the Law! (Now thats insane!)
      
      on CNN, they reported that the Magistrates are given limited powers to only perform the described duties, there are no laws on the books saying how to carry them out!...AMAZING!
      
      I thought Tennessee was backwards, and it is, but this takes it!
      
      If the Attorney Gen. for the state upholds this Guy, over the Governers and the Senators objections, then La. should loose all goverment funding period.  Or Both men should be removed and not allowed to hold any office period.
      
      Its' Jim Crow all over again I guess! I thought we had this beat for good in the USA, guess no one told Lousiana!

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      tksenseiposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Ignorance is not a late development nor limited to any particular country.

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         AEvansposted 15 years agoin reply to this

         You nut I am speaking in general you are so naughty. lolololo

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      Quilligrapherposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Here is what I glean from the news article:
      1. A JP in Louisiana refuses to marry inter-racial couple.
      2. The couple was married by another justice of the peace.
      
      Personally, I am neither embarrassed nor ashamed by the actions of another American.  I do, however, feel some pride when I see just how far this country has come since Little Rock in 1957 and I feel some sadness when I realize what a difficult adjustment it was for some.

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         AEvansposted 15 years agoin reply to this

         Yes our Country has came a long way and I agree it does still have a long way to go.

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   cosetteposted 15 years ago

   time for another Beer Summit
   
   seriously that is whacked. i bet this is it for that judge. no way he should be able to remain a justice of the peace after this...it's absurd, i tells ya.

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      Jeffrey Nealposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      No way a beer summit is smoothing this over. 
      
      Agreed, it would be very unfortunate if this guy keeps his position.  And "no one has complained in the past"?!!!

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   tony0724posted 15 years ago

   Yeah I heard about that . It Is a shame that we have not gotten past that point yet . I guess that Justice of the peace Is still living with a 1963 mentality .

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4. 76

   AEvansposted 15 years ago

   More like 1863 lolol ridiculous and completely insane.

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5. 59

   Hunting Videosposted 15 years ago

   What year are we in? Am I in a time capsle and gone back 50 years.

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6. 72

   ledefensetechposted 15 years ago

   What's the problem, this guy is going to be out of a job and those folks got another justice to marry them.  It's not like the couple was threatened with lynching and the justice who's a racist will forever be known as one in his community.  50 years ago that sort of thing was the norm and today this justice has scorn heaped on him from around the globe.  That's progress.

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      dutchman1951posted 15 years agoin reply to this

      It is progress in the sense that we reconise it as wrong immediately, but... By this happening in the first place it shows we are not making progress. The background and thought process the magistrate used should not be there at all. To make a decision like that, shows we are licensing un-educated men and women to act ire-responsibly. Thus no progress is being made.
      
      And for the La. Attorney Gen. Office to make a statement like that, reason like they did? Yet knowing we have civil rights laws on the Federal books to prevent this..? (Absurd)

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         ledefensetechposted 15 years agoin reply to this

         It's a bit complicated.  In the society we live in today, with the mindset of hyperlaw things like the letter of the law rather than the spirit.  But this incident only goes to show that you'll not change people's minds by law, but by showing that at base, we're all human and that means something.  Humanism in many ways is the basis of our society and we're constantly being challenged to live up to those ideals.  It's not a bad thing to be reminded of that from time to time.  You can either learn from the mistakes others make or be the mistake others learn from.

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      Friendlywordposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Not good enough! There are too many people like him. I bet he was signing autographs the minute this story broke. That couple should make sure nothing is left of him except a greasy spot.

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         tksenseiposted 15 years agoin reply to this

         What do you mean?

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         ledefensetechposted 15 years agoin reply to this

         Hatred only begets hatred.  Funny how you and this guy have more in common with each other through your hatred than you have in common with most Americans.

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   Ghost32posted 15 years ago

   I understand the uproar, but I'm also old enough to remember when such a refusal would not even have been recognized by the majority as out of the ordinary, let alone reprehensible.  At the age of ten, I stood literally alone against several adult males in a small town barber shop, the lone voice against racism.  Later, as a twenty year old soldier in Uncle Sam's Army, I did my own personal informal survey and concluded that only three out of 100 people surveyed showed no clearly identifiable antiracial bent.
   
   Today those who dare to speak openly against those of other races in this country are in the minority, but it was not always so.
   
   Thus, I'd say we do have progress.  Backsliding here and there?  Definitely.  But still progress when it comes to the overall picture.

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      dutchman1951posted 15 years agoin reply to this

      I hope so Ghost, I have seen that very thing in my time also, but the DA Office? reasoning like that? CNN said they retracted that comment as premature!....lol..."DUH!"
      
      Jon

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   Dame Scribeposted 15 years ago

   Wow! definitely should strip him of his license never mind reliving or rekindling them days of racism, could be a closet KKK member too, scary when find people like that in the justice system

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      tksenseiposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Or the Senate

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   Lady_Eposted 15 years ago

   Interracial Marriages are actually on the increase, so he will just have to live with it because it will always be in his Face.

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    Dame Scribeposted 15 years ago

    There some gorgeous kids from interracial couples out there too, even in Hollywood Moon Bloodgood, Korean/Dutch, Michaela Conlin, Eurasian.

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       AEvansposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       I agree!
       Congrats on the 100 again.

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    Dame Scribeposted 15 years ago

    Thanks AEvans I was surprised to come into HP n find that number there. Feels sorta strange for me lol

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       AEvansposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       It is well deserved!

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    hinckles komaposted 15 years ago

    Thats just and alot of other things.. tells me we are headed from a free country to dictatorship. gay marriage, straight marriage, interracial marriage who is to say that we as people of free choice cant marry anyone and anything. if i want to marry a cat why not i should get a licence for me and my cat. ok iam joking but we are all human beings with emotions and choices why not all stand up and fight that right together.love all

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    Paradise7posted 15 years ago

    This story makes me livid with rage.  I just got a card in the mail yesterday from my second cousin, who's a white teacher in Richmond, VA, who married a black teacher (from Richmond).  They now have the most beautiful baby girl.  They sent me a photo with the birth anouncement, and it's treasured with my other keepsakes.
    
    That judge is not in his right mind.  He ought to be relieved from his duties on the bench.

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    Gemsongposted 15 years ago

    This is a very interesting subject and rather close to home. It is only been 30 years since it's been legal for mixed couples to marry in Virginia. We're still a long way for it to be acceptable. My husband and I have been married for 25 years and we still get mixed reactions.
    
    One positive was the adoption of our son when he was infant. When we went through the process we were freqently told we would be likely waiting five years for a baby. Then we were taken aside and told that because we were a mixed race couple the wait would be much shorter. Less than a year after starting the process Christopher came into our life, a child of mixed background.
    
    I think I'll save the negative aspects for another time.

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15. 63

    Gemsongposted 15 years ago

    This is a very interesting subject and rather close to home. It is only been 30 years since it's been legal for mixed couples to marry in Virginia. We're still a long way for it to be acceptable. My husband and I have been married for 25 years and we still get mixed reactions.
    
    One positive was the adoption of our son when he was infant. When we went through the process we were freqently told we would be likely waiting five years for a baby. Then we were taken aside and told that because we were a mixed race couple the wait would be much shorter. Less than a year after starting the process Christopher came into our life, a child of mixed background.
    
    I think I'll save the negative aspects for another time.

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