Louisiana Judge Says No to Marriage License for Interracial Couple
Big Sis sent me this story Friday and my head almost exploded from the sheer ignorance of it. A Louisiana judge recently denied a marriage license to an interracial couple on the grounds that he was concerned about their potential offspring and how they would be accepted.
Aw, he cares ... in the most backassward way possible.
Keith Bardwell, justice of the peace in Tangipahoa Parish, said he believed that interracial marriages didn't last that long and that was among his grounds for denying couple Beth Humphrey, 30, and Terence McKay, 32, a marriage license. The couple is said to be considering legal action.
From MSNBC:
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.
The American Civil Liberties Union is working to get Bardwell removed from the bench. Bardwell claims he's not racist ("He marries black people in his own home!" he sez), but the ACLU begs to differ, claiming he knows he's breaking the law, yet does it anyway.
So how many years has it been since the Loving case that made it legal for black/white couples to marry in the United States? And how long has Bardwell been a justice of the peace denying interracial couples the right to marry the person they love? This judge, whether he realizes it or not, is essentially telling the offspring of interracial couplings that they are cultural bastards who have no home when that simply is not true. While there may be different challenges for a biracial child, to assume that whites and blacks are simply incapable of accepting biracial children is both ignorant and ridiculous.
I have biracial people in my family, I have biracial friends and I went to school with children of all backgrounds. To argue that these kids lives are so hampered by their ethnicity that they shouldn't have been born it's not only offensive, it is outrageous. Based on this argument, all black people should stop having kids because their children may experience racism and not be accepted by the majority culture. The judge makes no sense. But of course he doesn't. He's operating under limited, racist and retrograde thinking. It's beyond ignorant and I hope the ACLU is successful in getting this cultural dinosaur off the bench.
interracial issues, marriage, race, racism 
Reader Comments (28)
Could not believe it when I read this article late last night! WWWWWHHHHHHAAAAATTTT?????
Not to mention that the entire assumption is flawed... I mean so many of us are so mixed up in terms of our backgrounds that the term "biracial" almost becomes meaningless. I mean, where does this guy draw the line? Surely we're not heading back to the days of quadroon, octaroon bs.
Nice of him to care so much about the children...
So, I guess in his thinking, no one should be allowed to adopt a child from another culture - because then they wouldn't be accepted by their culture or their adopted parents' culture(s). I mean, does he think people should even be able to adopt regardless of the similarity of background of parent and child? He'd also say, I assume, people with a mental disability should not be allowed to marry. Or a psychological one for that matter. Or deaf people. I mean I could go on and on and on. I would like to see if the ACLU could pursue a case on this though and use the arguments included in this case to extrapolate to gay marriage. Since we all see this as wrong, why not help people to use this to see that banning gay marriage is also wrong? That banning marriage between any two consenting adults with full reprieve over the course of their lives is wrong. Now THAT would be news.
I hope we aren't shocked about this story. Bardwell knew this would receive media attention. Apparently he is watching too much of Jon and Kate plus 8.
Children of interracial marriages are just too common today to even make that argument. Why, they're some of our country's most famous athletes, they're wrinning grammys, emmys and academy awards--hey, one even got elected president!
The audacity of it all! There is not an African American in this country that is not bi or multi racial..thanks to the ancestors of the good judge! What planet is he from and when is his return shuttle?
maybe he is scared of another mixed black baby becoming President.
*SMH*
Not surprised, just embarrassed for my home state.
The man is a moron. He also said that he has black friends, lets them into his house and lets them use his bathroom. I mean really?? There are some seriously ignant folks in this world
The funny thing is that is an hispanic man/white woman yet everyone seems to automatically assume it is black/white. Should see comments on local newspaper.
http://www.jackandjillpolitics.com/2009/10/interracial-couple-denied-marriage-license-in-lousiana-its-not-2009-everywhere/
All this other stuff aside--yes, he's breaking the law down there in Jindal & the Bible instead of biology, genetics, geology etc Land. Equal Protection and the like--all the stuff from the Loving case.
Implicates the gay marriage issue a tad, right? marriage has got shit to do with religion, etc. It's a governmental construct. Priests, rabbis, pastors are literally agents of the state, as they, too must be licensed. Marriage, boiled down, is the ability--and indeed the right--to go to an official and get a license. Then the license is "solemnized" somehow. The government cannot discriminate unless they have a damn good reason. Being different races isn't. Nor is being of the same sex.
He makes me ducks my head in shame and almost not want to tell anyone I'm from Louisiana.
But, his views towards interracial relationships arent new. Anyone can go to nola.com and read the hate filled banter of the people there.
It's almost like they really wish they could still parade down the street wearing white hoods.
But, he must be senile. Because there is no way in hell, he honestly thought with a clear head about what he was doing and saying.
Barack Obama and Tiger Woods, are the only exception to the rule? He's an arse.
The full NOLA.com link is http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2009/10/interracial_couple_denied_marr/1952/comments.html
My favorite gasp inducing quote from the full article I read was Bardwell saying "I'm not racist, I've married black couples, have them in my home, let them use my bathroom just like everyone else."
Oh for the love of Mary! He refuses to marry interracial couples but that does not make him a racist because he lets black/black couples use his bathroom??!!?!?!?
The ignorance is......I mean......I have no words.....
KEN,
That is interesting because the article I read DID specifically mention the couple as Black/White and Bardswell makes reference to the African American vs. White issue. So I don't think is was so much an "assumption" but an implication given by the articles floating around.
Brandi - I am embarrassed for the USA - this man is sick
LMAO
I find this incredible!
"I'm not a racist. I just don't believe in mixing the races that way," Bardwell told the Associated Press on Thursday.
Hello? The serious crime of raping a slave and the slave becomes with child?? What makes THAT different?
I wonder how many blacks he denied the right to vote because of what HE thinks?
Applaud Louisiana folks
And this: "said he believed that interracial marriages didn't last that long" ... yeah, sure. The interracial couple across the street from me has been married about a quarter century, they've got a daughter in college. Meanwhile my two white parents divorced when I was 5.
On the up side, seeing this made me realize how far we've (well, most of us) come. When I saw this on facebook I realized that at least 5 interracial marriages, with children, are represented among my FB friends. (That's not counting Hispanic as a race! Add another 20 or 30 if you do). Out of 137 FB friends. My brother married a Korean, my Japanese-Hawaiian college boyfriend married a white girl, my Jewish best friend from high school married a black guy, a black wife/white husband who used to live on my block, and my sister-in-law's stepmom is Chinese. I knew my circle was diverse, as individuals, but I hadn't thought about how intimately diverse it is.....
If that man is hispanic, he is hispanic with african ancestry.
On television I believe they said the guy was a notary not a judge. Makes it only slightly "better" since the fellow has very little power. But, hey, it's people like this that make Rush Limbaugh and Glen Beck and Sarah Palin who they are... I keep reminding myself what BO quotes...that the arc of history swings toward justice. (Gonna have to look up that quote. Anybody have the correct quote?)
Here it is. I looked up the quote because it was bothering me that it resonated with me but I obviously couldn't remember it correctly...and it's worth remembering when something discouraging happens.
On April 4, 2008, Senator Barack Obama, speaking on the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, declared:
"Dr. King once said that the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends towards justice. It bends towards justice, but here is the thing: it does not bend on its own. It bends because each of us in our own ways put our hand on that arc and we bend it in the direction of justice...."
Well, not ALL of us are helping to bend the arc of the moral universe towards justice, but enough of us are! I believe that.
He really thought he was helping the children? This man is crazy. Black men won't let anyone get between them and their white women, not even death.
the logic behind the denial of a marriage license is ridiculous. i guess stopping them from getting married is going to stop many people from engaging in interracial relationships and having biracial children outside of marriage.... completely ridiculous