Interracial couple denied by judge their marriage certificate

[Saya]

Yeah I checked, we didn't go back in time, it is still in fact 2009.

HAMMOND, La. — 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.

Neither Bardwell nor the couple immediately returned phone calls from The Associated Press. But Bardwell told the Daily Star of Hammond that he was not a racist.

"I do ceremonies for black couples right here in my house," Bardwell said. "My main concern is for the children."

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.

"I don't do interracial marriages because I don't want to put children in a situation they didn't bring on themselves," Bardwell said. "In my heart, I feel the children will later suffer."

If he does an interracial marriage for one couple, he must do the same for all, he said.

"I try to treat everyone equally," he said.

I have to interrupt to say "BWAAH?"

"I have to be racist otherwise I'll actually have to judge people for who they are, and you know, actually do work. Excuse me, I'm off to hunt mockingbirds."

Thirty-year-old Beth Humphrey and 32-year-old Terence McKay, both of Hammond, say they will consult the U.S. Justice Department about filing a discrimination complaint.
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Humphrey told the newspaper 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.

"It is really astonishing and disappointing to see this come up in 2009," said American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana attorney Katie Schwartzman. "The Supreme Court ruled as far back as 1963 that the government cannot tell people who they can and cannot marry."

The ACLU was preparing a letter for the Louisiana Supreme Court, which oversees the state justices of the peace, asking them to investigate Bardwell and see if they can remove him from office, Schwartzman said.

"He knew he was breaking the law, but continued to do it," Schwartzman 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.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/1..._n_322784.html

[Lolly PopMuzik]

How did he get to be a judge of the peace without knowing about Loving v. Virginia? I thought the passage of Prop 8 was enough to make the two of them spin in their graves.

"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."

[Saya]

Quick, someone call the President! Obama must be warned that interracial marriages....oh.

[PortraitOfSanity]

It happened in Louisiana. So, while it is ridiculous, it really shouldn't be that shocking.

[Saya]

Louisiana, thats where tekajo, cajuns and the voodoo museum is, right?

[PortraitOfSanity]

Yup, yup. It's fairly liberal by Southern standards, but pretty stone-age for a lot of social issues, especially racism.

[Still Jack]

Man. I'd just go get married in Vegas then...

[SweetJane]

I think it's funny how as soon as someone says "I'm not racist, but..." they usually say the most ignorant, racist thing you've ever heard. For example, when my manager got shot, his trashy-ass girlfriend said, "I'm not racist, but when I see black people now, I get a little jumpy."

The judge might as well have said, "I'm not racist, but all of my friends are! Even the black ones!"

[Still Jack]

Your manager got shot? Is that a good or a bad thing?

[SweetJane]

There have been a lot more shootings, stabbings, and robberies here since the economy has turned to shit in my town. What recession?

Anyway, he won't be leaving the house now, so I don't have to run into him. He was delightfully stupid. My friend Charles and I basically kept him alive every day at work, so whenever he'd start yelling to "MOVE FASTER! MAKE SOME MONEY!" I'd start spouting socialism without him even knowing it.

"Do you actually make more money based on our sales?"

"Yeah! I make 10% off sales."

"Well, we don't. Get out of my way, I'm taking a smoke break."

[oktoberschilde]

Originally Posted by mmonew0012

Roberto Micheletti said the agreement would create a power-sharing government and require both sides to recognise the result of November's presidential poll. Mr Zelaya said the deal, which requires the approval of the Supreme Court and Congress, would be signed on Friday. The president was forced out of the aion Abyss power levelingcountry on 28 June. His critics said he was seeking to amend the constitution to remove the current one-term limit on serving as president, and pave the way for his re-election. Stephen Gibbs, BBC NewsThe US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has described this agreement as "historic", that suggests we are extremely close to a deal.It is also significant that both sides say that the Congress of Honduras has to approve this.That could mean a slight delay, but it might actually also have been the key to the solution. Neither side could agree and so ultimately, perhaps to save face, they had to leave it to others finally, and symbolically, to make an agreement.It appears the US government put the pressure on the Micheletti government to say leave this to the Honduran Congress. And although the Congress initially voted to remove President Zelaya from power, now it wants him back, asAbyss Points power leveling everyone understands that it is the only way out of this. Q&A: Crisis in Honduras Mr Zelaya returned covertly to Tegucigalpa on 21 September and has since been holed up in the Brazilian embassy. He says he has returned "for the restoration of democracy". His term of office is due to finish at the end of January. Negotiators for Mr Zelaya and Mr Micheletti resumed talks in the capital on Thursday in an attempt to resolve the political crisis which has gripped Honduras since the army-backed coup four months ago. The opponents had earlier been told by US Assistant Secretary of State Thomas Shannon that they had to reach an accord in order toaion Basic powerleveling ensure international support for the election on 29 November. Afterwards, Mr Micheletti announced that a power-sharing deal had been reached that included a "significant concession". "I have authorised my negotiating team to sign a deal that marks the beginning of the end of the country's political situation," the interim leader told a news conference. "With regard to the most contentious subject in the deal, the possible restitution of Zelaya to the presidency" would be included, he said.

:: takes a long slow drag; and passes it on ::

WOW...

This is your brain on Tom Clancy

[Renatus]

Originally Posted by oktoberschilde

:: takes a long slow drag; and passes it on ::

WOW...

This is your brain on Tom Clancy

It's just a typical spambot.