Interracial couple denied marriage license in Louisiana

[Guitar Shark]

Interracial couple denied marriage license in La.

By MARY FOSTER, Associated Press Writer Mary Foster, Associated Press Writer

Fri Oct 16, 4:50 am ET

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."

[chan_bkny]

Offspring of interracial couples are gorgeous. Look at Keanu Reeves, Quincy Jones's daughter Rashida Jones, Thandie Swinton to name a few.

P.S. Edward and Alex Van Halen are half white and half Asian. Eddie has a cute smile.

[Coyote]

The more things change...

[kwame k]

Originally Posted by chan_bkny

Offspring of interracial couples are gorgeous. Look at Keanu Reeves, Quincy Jones's daughter Rashida Jones, Thandie Swinton to name a few.

P.S. Edward and Alex Van Halen are half white and half Asian. Eddie has a cute smile.

Pre-Meth Mouth, of course

[chan_bkny]

It cracks me up that the judge says he has "piles of" black friends and allows them to use his bathroom. Can we use "pile" as a unit of measure when referring to human beings?

[FORD]

Originally Posted by chan_bkny

Offspring of interracial couples are gorgeous. Look at Keanu Reeves, Quincy Jones's daughter Rashida Jones, Thandie Swinton to name a few.

P.S. Edward and Alex Van Halen are half white and half Asian. Eddie has a cute smile.

And let's not forget that guy who just won a Nobel Peace Prize. While living in the White House.

Yeah, obviously those "race mixing" kids never amount to nuthin'

[Nitro Express]

Maybe Katrina ran all the black people out of New Orleans and the KKK moved in.

[Seshmeister]

Originally Posted by FORD

And let's not forget that guy who just won a Nobel Peace Prize. While living in the White House.

You think Obama is 'gorgeous'?

Oh my...

[chan_bkny]

Originally Posted by FORD

And let's not forget that guy who just won a Nobel Peace Prize. While living in the White House...

Of course. Last week there were two articles in The NY Times about our First Lady's roots. Mrs. Obama's great great great grandfather was a white slave owner. It was sad to read. Mrs. Obama didn't comment on the findings.

[standin]

He is right in some ways. I have met a lot of prejudiced black people and a lot of prejudiced white people. But the "not in my family" goes beyond black or white. Asians, Middle Eastern, Spanish and a plethra of other variants of humans and classifications of existence holds difficulties for couples that wish to marry and have children.
Often times it can be troubling for the families that try to integrate lives from different classifications.

For example an outlaw biker family of many generations daughter marrying a a guy from criminal justice centric family.

Or even as simple as a country boy marrying a city girl.

Or 2 from different socioeconomic standings.

Fact is there are some hard core racist in the black community as there is some hard core racist in the white community. The well being of the children and family coherence of a couple where one is white and the other black, depends on the families.

Should someone be able to step in and enforce separatism, no, not at all. But it does not make separatism nonexistent just because it is not enforced or we wish it away.

[Seshmeister]

Originally Posted by chan_bkny

Of course. Last week there were two articles in The NY Times about our First Lady's roots. Mrs. Obama's great great great grandfather was a white slave owner. It was sad to read. Mrs. Obama didn't comment on the findings.

People always get confused with that kind of thing though choosing one ancestor over another.

Mrs Obama had 16 great great great grandfathers which would make her genetically only 3% white slave owner.

In the same way that we are all Africans if you go back far enough, and that most of us are related to Ghengis Khan and Shakespeare one way or another.

[Seshmeister]

And why do racists always start sentences with "I'm not racist"...?

[standin]

Originally Posted by chan_bkny

Of course. Last week there were two articles in The NY Times about our First Lady's roots. Mrs. Obama's great great great grandfather was a white slave owner. It was sad to read. Mrs. Obama didn't comment on the findings.

I venture solidly that in her past is also, black slave owners.
I do not know the history of her her grandfather you speak of, but he very well may had loved her grandmother. Should he had given her status as a free-woman. Yes, but I do not know if or if not he did. Moreover, if it would have worked in their favor if he had.

[Guitar Shark]

I suggest that you venture solidly to the loony bin.

[chan_bkny]

Originally Posted by Seshmeister

And why do racists always start sentences with "I'm not racist"...?

There is a sophisticated racism nowadays that is not so blatant. You can be working with one side by side everyday and not detect it. This kind of racist has a superiority/inferiority belief about a group/groups, but will make exceptions for individuals of those groups if they do not behave in the stereotypical fashion of that group. If for example, a white guys dates a black girl; he thinks he's not racist because of that one relationship. But he could be dating her because she doesn't "act black."

[FORD]

Originally Posted by Seshmeister

You think Obama is 'gorgeous'?

Oh my...

No..... but Rashida Jones is alright. And let's not forget Halle Berry!

[standin]

Do you think slavery is a white thing?

Anti-Slavery

[Seshmeister]

Originally Posted by chan_bkny

There is a sophisticated racism nowadays that is not so blatant. You can be working with one side by side everyday and not detect it. This kind of racist has a superiority/inferiority belief about a group/groups, but will make exceptions for individuals of those groups if they are not acting like that group. If for example, a white guys dates a black girl; he thinks he's not racist because of that one relationship. But he could be dating her because she doesn't "act black."

Most people are racist to a degree, hopefully most of us are only a little racist these days.

The funny thing is that you can spot the bad racists a mile away because they always use that start to the sentence. It nearly always then has a 'but' afterward.

My favorite line someone said to me once was 'I was never ever racist against black people until I met one of them...'

[Guitar Shark]

Originally Posted by FORD

No..... but Rashida Jones is alright.

Rashida Jones is hot, I think. I had no idea she is Quincy Jones' daughter.

[standin]

Originally Posted by chan_bkny

There is a sophisticated racism nowadays that is not so blatant. You can be working with one side by side everyday and not detect it. This kind of racist has a superiority/inferiority belief about a group/groups, but will make exceptions for individuals of those groups if they do not behave in the stereotypical fashion of that group. If for example, a white guys dates a black girl; he thinks he's not racist because of that one relationship. But he could be dating her because she doesn't "act black."

That always got me. What does "act black" mean?
That is the most annoying part is getting stereotyped.
I found the one's most insecure with their ethics or life were always the one saying you don't "act {insert stereotype here}"

[chan_bkny]

Originally Posted by standin

That always got me. What does "act black" mean?
That is the most annoying part is getting stereotyped.
I found the one's most insecure with their ethics or life were always the one saying you don't "act {insert stereotype here)"

There's a clip on YouTube called "Racism At The Bus Stop," which uses humor to tackle this very issue. For some reason whenever I post a YT clip from this PC it never comes out right, so if you want to check out the clip you can search for the title there. Actually, the entire channel has funny clips dealing with racism.

[FORD]

Originally Posted by Guitar Shark

Rashida Jones is hot, I think. I had no idea she is Quincy Jones' daughter.

I didn't know that until just recently either. If I was going to guess her ethnic background, I probably wouldn't have guessed that her dad was African American.

Her sister Kidada is hot as well.....



And here's both girls with dad......

[FORD]

Originally Posted by chan_bkny

There's a clip on YouTube called "Racism At The Bus Stop," which uses humor to tackle this very issue. For some reason whenever I post a YT clip from this PC it never comes out right, so if you want to check out the clip you can search for the title there. Actually, the entire channel has funny clips dealing with racism.

Is this the one?

[chan_bkny]

When Mariah Carey became big with her first album, Jet Magazine or Essence had Mariah Carey on the cover withthe headline "Why She Looks White and Sounds (or was it Sings?) Black."

[standin]

Originally Posted by chan_bkny

There's a clip on YouTube called "Racism At The Bus Stop," which uses humor to tackle this very issue. For some reason whenever I post a YT clip from this PC it never comes out right, so if you want to check out the clip you can search for the title there. Actually, the entire channel has funny clips dealing with racism.

Aw Jeepers! These are great!!!!!
That dude hit the nail on the head.




Well, some of them are lame. And stereotypical themselves.
The one about the elevator, the dude is some stager getting in alone in an elevator with another person. One should always be cautious about that. Always.

[chan_bkny]

Originally Posted by FORD

Is this the one?

No, it's another one. In the clip are two black men, one in a suit and one "dressed ghetto." The ghetto guy kept taunting the one in the suit, saying he's not black.

Standin found it!

[Nitro Express]

Originally Posted by chan_bkny

Of course. Last week there were two articles in The NY Times about our First Lady's roots. Mrs. Obama's great great great grandfather was a white slave owner. It was sad to read. Mrs. Obama didn't comment on the findings.

Yeah. That's how most people of African decent made it to America. Most the indians died off from disease so they had to bring Africans here to work the plantations. The British, the Spanish, and The French were all using slave African labor all over in the Americas and Caribean. If slavery wasn't going on, most the black people would still be in Africa other than the ones who migrated here later after slavery. So yup, I'm sure Mrs. Obama's acestors were slaves like most black Americans. Can't blame me, my ancestors were vikings and we only used white slaves 1000 years ago.

[Nitro Express]

Slavery still goes on. It's more rampant than people think.

[ThrillsNSpills]

Boy oh Boy.
Reminds me of the Nixon I'm not a crook line.


GeeZ. They even use my bathroom.
You know he scrubs the hell out of it afterwards.



And can NO one else marry these people down there?

[chan_bkny]

Originally Posted by Nitro Express

Yeah. That's how most people of African decent made it to America. Most the indians died off from disease so they had to bring Africans here to work the plantations. The British, the Spanish, and The French were all using slave African labor all over in the Americas and Caribean. If slavery wasn't going on, most the black people would still be in Africa other than the ones who migrated here later after slavery. So yup, I'm sure Mrs. Obama's acestors were slaves like most black Americans. Can't blame me, my ancestors were vikings and we only used white slaves 1000 years ago.

I grew up in a predominantly black neighborhood, and the kids in my class snickered at African-sounding surnames until one of the teachers, a very light-skinned black woman, told them that their ancestors had all come over here on a boat as slaves and had to take their masters' last names; that that's why they had names like Jackson, Johnson, Jefferson, McRae, etc. That stopped the snickering.

[standin]

Originally Posted by chan_bkny

When Mariah Carey became big with her first album, Jet Magazine or Essence had Mariah Carey on the cover withthe headline "Why She Looks White and Sounds (or was it Sings?) Black."

I had a conversation recently, I had went through an interview about a year ago and I was told to mention certain aspects of my heritage that really should not come into play. I was like naw, I don't need that boast. After, I didn't get it and I audited the program against the same program in other sections. Yea, blatant racism in play.
Very vague on purpose. (sorry)
I went back and mentioned the aspects and asked her if that was enough. It was shameful her deceit. Sometimes being able to read people is annoying.

[standin]

Originally Posted by Nitro Express

Slavery still goes on. It's more rampant than people think.

Where is the problem?
Forced labour is a global problem, although some regions have larger numbers of people affected than others. The regional distribution of forced labour is:

Asia and Pacific: 9,490,000 (77%)
Latin America: 1,320,000 (11%)
Sub-Saharan Africa: 660,000 (5%)
Industrialised countries: 360,000 (3%)
Middle East and North Africa: 260,000 (2%)
Transition countries: 210,000 (2%)

Anti-Slavery - Forced Labour

[standin]

Originally Posted by ThrillsNSpills

Boy oh Boy.
Reminds me of the Nixon I'm not a crook line.


GeeZ. They even use my bathroom.
You know he scrubs the hell out of it afterwards.



And can NO one else marry these people down there?

That was kinda odd.
But hey, I don't let anyone use my bathroom equally, maybe female can. But a guy, even ones I kinda know, they use the other one.

[chan_bkny]

Originally Posted by standin

I had a conversation recently, I had went through an interview about a year ago and I was told to mention certain aspects of my heritage that really should not come into play. I was like naw, I don't need that boast. After, I didn't get it and I audited the program against the same program in other sections. Yea, blatant racism in play.
Very vague on purpose. (sorry)
I went back and mentioned the aspects and asked her if that was enough. It was shameful her deceit. Sometimes being able to read people is annoying.

I've been on job interviews in which the interviewers had asked about my ethnic background. I thought it was illegal to ask a candidate such questions...? Some old white guy, a partner of the firm, actually asked me, "Where are you from? Your English is better than mine."

[standin]

Wow, just wow..

[Imapus_Sylicker]

Originally Posted by chan_bkny

It cracks me up that the judge says he has "piles of" black friends and allows them to use his bathroom. Can we use "pile" as a unit of measure when referring to human beings?

Apparently, we can.

Well, for blacks, anyway.

Ooer missus!



Cheers!

[letsrock]

Originally Posted by chan_bkny

It cracks me up that the judge says he has "piles of" black friends and allows them to use his bathroom. Can we use "pile" as a unit of measure when referring to human beings?

The Nazi's had "piles" of Jews.

[Diamondjimi]

The minister is just your typical backwoods Hillbilly racist. Guess he figures blacks aren't part of "gods" people...

Reverend Dip is a poor excuse for a human being...

[ThrillsNSpills]

Originally Posted by standin

That was kinda odd.
But hey, I don't let anyone use my bathroom equally, maybe female can. But a guy, even ones I kinda know, they use the other one.

what, you got newspaper on the ground in the garage? or what

[chan_bkny]

Originally Posted by letsrock

The Nazi's had "piles" of Jews.

The Nazi's what had the piles?