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Justice Who Refused To Marry Interracial Couple Resigns

Written by Associated Press on November 4, 2009 11:15 am

05_Flatbed_2 - OCTOBER

BATON ROUGE, La. — At least four times in the last 2 1/2 years, Keith Bardwell says he refused to marry interracial couples while serving as a Louisiana justice of the peace.

He said from his experience and discussions, he had concluded that blacks and whites do not readily accept offspring of such relationships, so the children end up suffering.

RELATED: VIDEO: Couple Says There’d Be No Obama If Not For Interracial Couples

His latest rebuff to a bride and groom of different races turned out to be his last. After weeks of calls for his ouster, Bardwell resigned after 34 years in office Tuesday, leaving his reasons a secret.

His one-sentence statement to Louisiana Secretary of State Jay Dardenne said: “I do hereby resign the office of Justice of the Peace for the Eighth Ward of Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, effective November 3, 2009.”

Beth Humphrey, who is white, has said she and her now-husband, Terence McKay, who is black, received their marriage license from the parish clerk of court, where they also got a list of people qualified to perform the ceremony. When she called Bardwell’s office on Oct. 6 to ask, Humphrey said the justice’s wife told her that Bardwell wouldn’t sign the license because they were a “mixed couple.”

In interviews, Bardwell, who is white, said he refers interracial couples to other justices of the peace, who then perform the ceremony, which happened in this case.

“There is a problem with both groups accepting a child from such a marriage,” Bardwell said in an October interview with The Associated Press. “I think those children suffer, and I won’t help put them through it.”

RELATED: GOP Sen.’s Office Makes Statement About Interracial Marriage

Bardwell didn’t return repeated calls to comment about his resignation. Civil rights leaders and officials, including Gov. Bobby Jindal and U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, wanted him out.

Jindal said Bardwell made the right decision.

“What he did was clearly wrong and this resignation was long overdue,” the governor said in a statement.

Humphrey and McKay have filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against Bardwell and his wife.

Their attorney, Laura Catlett, said the resignation won’t stop the lawsuit.

“We’re saddened that it took national attention to this issue, which was decided back in 1967 by the Supreme Court, and also that it took public admonishment from other elected leaders in order for him to resign,” Catlett said.

His quitting “does not in any way change the fact that he, with his wife’s help, discriminated against an interracial couple while he was a public official,” Catlett said.

Bardwell was elected in 1975 in Ponchatoula, La., a town 55 miles north of New Orleans. His term was set to run through 2014, and he had said that even before the flap, he hadn’t intended to run for re-election.

Landrieu said Bardwell’s refusal to marry the couple reflected terribly on the state.

“By resigning … and ending his embarrassing tenure in office, Justice Bardwell has finally consented to the will of the vast majority of Louisiana citizens and nearly every governmental official in Louisiana … We are better off without him in public service.”

Tags: Civil Rights, Louisiana, marriage
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  • http://www.blackinfo.net/?p=6102 Black Info.Net – African American News Hub | Black Info.Net

    [...] more here: Justice Who Refused To Marry Interracial Couple Resigns Related ArticleBIZARRE: 11-Year-Old Becomes World’s Youngest Mother Posted in The 411 Tags: [...]

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Stan_Vinyl/ Stan_Vinyl

    So I guess anyone who disagree’s with this clown is racist too?

    I know he got some black lawyers on here… where ya’ll at?

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Da_J_Rok/ Da_J_Rok

    I mean look at this dude… smh

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Sub-Negro/ Sub-Negro

    Well there are some people on here that aren’t too keen on interracial relationships.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/NutinButThaBest/ NutinButThaBest

    Thats bull, him saying that his reason is b/c its not right for the children. Where is his facts for that? I personally believe that mixed kids (of any 2 or more races) have an advantage of better understanding of diff cultures. Im not mixed but I am a white girl that was raised by black parents, black family. I was able to learn and experience the ways, thoughts, beliefs and everything of my black family and I also learned the same of my white family when i was in contact with them. Also i was able to explain to each parts of my family why the other do what they do say what they say. I think that a lot of racism and stereotypes come from non-education. The more people know about each other the better understanding there is w/less judgment. There where awkward times when we go to McDonalds or something and they ask everyone their order but me, or ask me my order and think my dad wasn’t going to pay for it lol but they didnt know..Same when we go to a store or a restaurant and everyone looks and stares..But anything thats not normal to someone else will drawl their attention..This is just my personal experience I know this is not the same for everyone

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/NutinButThaBest/ NutinButThaBest

    —oh but yea—that’s not his place to determine who should get married and who shouldnt..when there are PLENTY of same race marriages that should of NEVER happened and kids were brought up all fuked up.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Jack_Stephen1/ Jack_Stephen1

    he still doesn’t realize what he did was wrong. and how the hell could he get away with it for sol long?

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/SexyMoneyMaker/ SexyMoneyMaker

    and they call this the US of A huh? united my a** smh

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/sexkitten212/ sexkitten212

    THATS BULL MY DAUGHTER IS MIXED SO WHAT SHE DOESN’T DESERVE THE SAME RIGHT’S BECAUSE THEIRS STILL BASTARDS OUT THERE LIKE THAT

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/jazzwatch/ jazzwatch

    Well let the racist mutherf**ker quit…..maybe he can get a job with the KKK!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/chictatious1/ chictatious1

    (yawns)…wink, wink.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/DARK-LYON/ DARK-LYON

    That’s good for his old racsist Punkass

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/shaggakhan2009/ shaggakhan2009

    Wow! — I guess everyone here is on the Black/White interracial dating/marriage bandwagon. It’s the latest fad so he MUST be a racist!

    But why is he a racist if he doesn’t like I/R marrige. He can feel anyway he wants as long as he does not break the law or deny civil rights. This IS America … right? So he resigned. It is neither Good nor Bad. It just IS.

    Everyone has a right to their opinion. So does he.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Baby-Baby/ Baby-Baby

    That may be right shaggakhan2009 but he chose not to marry these I/R couples because of his own personal reasons. He married all white couples and I’m assuming he married all black couples. It’s the I/R couples he had a problem with. He cannot sit on the bench and do that. He was doing it for any children they may have in the future. That’s bulls**t.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/daishaniqua_nic/ daishaniqua_nic

    I agree that he can have personal opinions against interracial marriage and not be racist however, he cannot discriminate against people or deny them their civil rights to marry who they choose…not as a public official.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/alex_65_98/ alex_65_98

    Yeah..thats a really racist state. I had the cops called on me when I was a young college student in that state because my girlfriend at the time bought one soda with burgers and fries and shared the soda with me since I didnt want a full soda.The manager called the cops on me (my girlfriend was a light-skinned black girl with green eyes and they thought she was white).They were actually going to arrest me..I transferred to another school and havent been back to that state since…lol

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/soveu/ soveu

    Good Riddance lizard neck mofo

    You cant re-write the laws to suit your personal agenda, his azz should have been fired a long time ago. He didnt give a shat about no kids he had the power and stupiz azzes let him get away with this bs for too long. He racist believe it or not even if it was a non white doing this his azz would had been fired within 24 hours with no time even blow snot from his nose he’d be o-u-t

  • http://newsone.com/nation/dan-charnas-2/interracial-marriage-still-rising-but-not-as-fast/ Interracial Marriage Still Rising, But Not As Fast | News One

    [...] RELATED: Judge Who Refused To Marry Interracial Couple Resigns [...]

  • http://kissrichmond.com/national/deedeerenee/interracial-marriage-still-rising-but-not-as-fast/ Interracial Marriage Still Rising, But Not As Fast | KissRichmond

    [...] RELATED: Judge Who Refused To Marry Interracial Couple Resigns [...]

  • http://wchbnewsdetroit.com/national/wchb/interracial-marriage-still-rising-but-not-as-fast/ Interracial Marriage Still Rising, But Not As Fast | WCHBNewsDetroit – WCHB 1200

    [...] RELATED: Judge Who Refused To Marry Interracial Couple Resigns [...]

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/georgemichael/ georgemichael

    He has every right to his opinion, but part of his job is to marry people and to not dpo your job because of a personal opinion that conflicyts with your actual job based on the laws of the land is wrong

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/georgemichael/ georgemichael

    and his comment on the children suffering has no base. All children can suffe or prosper from any union of any people

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/A-Real-Genius104/ A-Real-Genius104

    TRUTH IS:

    SLEEPING AROUND WITH THOSE FILTHY FLEA BITTEN MANGE AND PARASITE CARRYING DOGS IS NASTY.

    YOU BLACK PEOPLE GOD GIVEN COMMON SENSE SHOULD TELL YA’LL THAT THOSE OTHER RACE OF PEOPLE ARE NOTHING LIKE YA’LL,THEY DON’T LOOK LIKE YA’LL,THEY DON’T SMELL LIKE YA’LL,THEY DON’T ACT LIKE YA’LL,THEY DON’T THINK LIKE YA’LL,THEY DIDN’T COME FROM YA’LL,THEY DON’T TALK LIKE YA’LL BUT,THOSE OTHER RACE OF PEOPLE DON’T HAVE ANY GOD GIVEN COMMON SENSE TO THINK THAT WAY JUST LIKE THEY DON’T HAVE ANY GOD GIVEN COMMON SENSE TO KNOW THAT THEY ARE FULL OF MANY DIFFERENT KIND OF INFECTIOUS VIRUSES AND DISEASES THAT YOU BLACK PEOPLE DON’T HAVE BUT,STILL IN ALL THEY SAY COME ON AND TRY THEM OUT IN THE BED (in other words they are born some infectious disease carrying and passing animals).

    TO BE INTELLIGENT IS TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHATS RIGHT AND WHATS WRONG (in other words its the opposite of being ignorant).

    INTELLIGENT IS THE OPPOSITE OF IGNORANT

    DO ANY OF YOU KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SAME AND THE OPPOSITE? COME ON NOW DIDN’T WE ALL LEARN THAT IN ABOUT THE 1ST GRADE OF GRAMMAR SCHOOL

    BLACK AND WHITE ARE NOT THE SAME ITS THE OPPOSITE

    THOSE TWO PEOPLE ARE THE SAME BECAUSE THEY ARE BLACK BUT,THOSE TWO PEOPLE ARE NOT THE SAME BECAUSE ONE IS WHITE AND ONE IS BLACK.

    UP AND DOWN IS NOT THE SAME ITS DIFFERENT

    DEAD AND ALIVE IS NOT THE SAME IT IS DIFFERENT BECAUSE ONE IS HERE AND ONE IS GONE.

    DAY AND NIGHT IS NOT THE SAME IT IS DIFFERENT BECAUSE ONE IS LIGHT AND ONE IS DARK.

    TO BE A MATCH IS TO BE THE SAME.

    NOW DO I HAVE TO BRING MY 12yr.old SON INSIDE OF HERE TO TRY AND EXPLAIN THIS TO SOME OF YOU?

    WHAT DO THEY TEACH YOU BLACK PEOPLE KIDS IN SCHOOL ABOUT SEX EDUCATION? DO THEY TELL THEM TO SLEEP WITH THOSE OTHER RACE OF PEOPLE? DO THEY TELL THEM THAT A PEN!S IS A PEN!S AND THAT A VAG!NA IS A VAG!NA WHEN TRULY IT IS NOT AND IF SO,THEN THEY ARE NOT TEACHING THEM ON HOW TO AVOID CATCHING CERTAIN DISEASES THAT THOSE OTHER RACE OF PEOPLE CARRY.

    THIS IS WHAT I CALL WISING UP TO THE TRUE FACTS OF LIFE.

    YOU BLACK PEOPLE DO NOT BE KILLING UP THOSE WHITE PEOPLE AND THOSE FOREIGN PEOPLE BUT,THEIR BORN MENTALLY DISTURBED PSYCHOTIC AZZES SURE DO BE KILLING YOU BLACK PEOPLE UP THOUGH.

    THOSE STUPID FILTHY WHITE PEOPLE WILL TELL YOU BLACK PEOPLE THAT YA’LL BLEED RED BLOOD BUT,WHAT THEY ARE NOT TELLING YA’LL IS THAT THEIR RED BLOOD CELLS IS DEFINITELY CONTAMINATED.

    DON’T FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF IGNORANCE AND STUPIDITY.

    THE PATH OF THE DEVIL WILL LEAD YOU BLACK PEOPLE TO DEATH AND THE PATH OF GOD WILL LEAD YOU BLACK PEOPLE TO LIFE.

    THOSE WHITE PEOPLE AND THOSE FOREIGN PEOPLE ARE THE MAIN ONES THAT BE ENCOURAGING THIS KIND OF FILTHY BAD SEXUAL BEHAVIOR BECAUSE THEY ARE THE ONES THAT CARRY AND PASS THOSE INFECTIOUS VIRUSES AND DISEASES TO OTHER PEOPLE.

    usfg

  • http://www.facebook.com/ArizonaMildman Steve Walker

    Discrimination is alive and well wherever you go. Stupid is alive and if you are allergic to it, you will believe in the propaganda preached by racially fearful myth motivated, who seem to be everywhere we look. The only answer is to pity them for being so paranoid. This man has a job he has been charged with by the public to do. When on part of his job becomes difficult for him, he shouldn’t be persuaded, he needs to be fired, not allowed to resign. Allowing him to resign is telling him he is correct, but should have been more quiet about it. He needs to know he is wrong.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/BeautasiaLovely/ BeautasiaLovely

    He’s not saying that she doesnt deserve the same rights, he’s just saying that it will be harder for a mixed race typically “black and white” child in America. It’s harder for them to fit in with their peers because most of them seem to look like light skinned black, they look closer to black but they have a hard time fitting in with blacks and a harder time fitting in with whites because they dont look fully white. Thats all he’s trying to say, even though what he did was wrong alot of people can understand the logic behind it . Most bi racial kids mixed with black tend to identify as black and that opens another argument for if a bi racial child accepts one part of himself over the other then how will he be whole ? So this jugde feel that he is helping the future child from a racial identity crisis.

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