Interracial Couple Denied Marriage License In Louisiana UPDATE

Interracial Couple Denied Marriage License In Louisiana UPDATE…is just what you would expect…A bunch of people are upset about the actions of a justice of the peace in Louisiana who refused to issue a marriage license to an interracial couple.

Top officials, including Gov. Bobby Jindal, are calling for Keith Bardwell’s dismissal, as Justice of the Peace, in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana.

Beth Humphrey, 30, and Terence McKay, 32, were denied a marriage license because of their race by Justice of the Peace, Keith Bardwell.

Louisiana Gov. Jindal stated that the state judiciary committee should review the incident in which Keith Bardwell, justice of the peace for Tangipahoa Parish’s 8th Ward, refused to issue a marriage license to Beth Humphrey, and her fiance, Terence McKay, of Hammond, Louisiana.

“This is a clear violation of constitutional rights and federal and state law. … Disciplinary action should be taken immediately, including the revoking of his license,” Governor Jindal stated.

Louisiana Democrat, Sen. Mary L. Landrieu, stated that the committee should “use its authority to have Justice Bardwell dismissed from his position. Not only does Keith Bardwell’s decision directly contradict Supreme Court rulings, it is an example of the ugly bigotry that divided our country for too long.”

Justice of the Peace, Ketih Bardwell stated earlier in the week that, “he was concerned for the children who might be born of the relationship and that, in his experience, most interracial marriages don’t last.”

Bardwell went on to state that, “I’m not a racist. I do ceremonies for black couples right here in my house. My main concern is for the children.”

He then stressed the fact that he couldn’t personally endorse the marriage, and his wife had referred the couple to another justice of the peace.

Interracial Couple Denied Marriage License In Louisiana UPDATE shows you that some racial bigots just never know when to shut up.

Beth Humphrey states that “the case boils down to discrimination.”

Beth Humphrey stated that on Thursday, October 15th, 2009, that she called JOP Keith Bardwell on October 6th, 2009, to ask about getting a marriage license, and was asked by his wife whether it would be an interracial marriage…Ms. Humphrey was told that JOP Bardwell does not sign off on interracial marriages.

Not to be he distracted from the main goal of getting married, the couple, received their marriage license on October 9th, 2009, from another justice of the peace in the same parish. They have also obtained an attorney to determine their next step.

They have since gotten married by another Justice of the Peace, Terry Crosby.

The soon to be wed couple, stated that, “We would like him to resign. He doesn’t believe he’s being racist, but it is racist.”

Now involved in the issue is Patricia Morris, president of the NAACP branch of Tangipahoa Parish. She states that her NAACP chapter has forwarded the case on both state and national levels of the civil rights group.

“He’s an elected public official and one of his duties is to marry people. He doesn’t have the right to say he doesn’t believe in it. If he doesn’t do what his position calls for him to do, he should resign from that position,” stated Patricia Morris.

According to the Census Bureau, Tangipahoa Parish is about 70 percent white and 30 percent black. I am surprised that this issue has not come up before.

The U.S. Supreme Court tossed out any racially based limitations on marriage in the landmark 1967 Loving v. Virginia case. In the unanimous decision, the court ruled that “Under our Constitution, the freedom to marry, or not marry, a person of another race resides with the individual and cannot be infringed by the state.”

I do believe that the proverbal stuff is fixin’ to hit the fan…

For the full story of “Interracial Couple Denied Marriage License In Louisiana UPDATE,” go to CNN News. BBAC would like to say “Congratulations to Terance and Beth McKay!”