Interracial Couple DENIED marriage license


Published/Last Modified on Friday, October 16, 2009 10:53 AM CDT

Myra

This letter was just posted to help people understand why it's not always as easy for minorities to "Get over" racism. In 2009 a man in power is denying two grown adults the right to marry because of his personal feelings. The divorce rate is over 60% regardless of race. A while back people were speaking of how Hurricane Chris made Louisiana look...This does no good either. It's posted all over the web today...  

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."

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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.

Copyright © 2010 The Daily Iberian

Comments

    Really wrote on Nov 5, 2009 2:27 PM:

    " Interracial marriages are wrong? According to BAM they are. Glad to see the 1930s and 1940s mentality is alive and well! With people like you, no wonder racism never dies an easy death. "

    BAM wrote on Nov 4, 2009 2:06 PM:

    " Interacial marriages are wrong. It is not fair to their children who by the way have no choice in the matter. Have you ever seen a blue bird get it on with a red bird ? NO ! Even birds have more sense. "

    Constitution Please wrote on Nov 4, 2009 12:09 PM:

    " This particular Justice of the Peace followed the advice outlined earlier. He just resigned his position. If he cannot enforce the laws of the state of Louisiana and the nation--and by refusing to officiate an inter-racial marriage, that is precisely what he was doing--then he should not hold the the title of Justice of the Peace. "

    Armygyrl wrote on Nov 4, 2009 8:31 AM:

    " How does he pick and choose when he wants to do his job. If he doesn't want to do the job, then he should lose it. I"m sure nowhere in the oath did it say that he could choose when to do his job. Nor did it say anything about his personal opinions. "

    LeBlanc wrote on Nov 2, 2009 5:48 PM:

    " I feel if he did not want to be the one to conduct this marriage thats his choice. There are manny other people who could have done it. Everyone has the right to their own opinion. To say his opinion is wrong is the same as saying there opinion is wrong. let people have their right to their own opinion that's why america is so great.......was so great "

    To Consitution Please wrote on Oct 28, 2009 7:45 PM:

    " I couldn't have said it better. The best one I have read. "

    To the Proud American wrote on Oct 28, 2009 7:41 PM:

    " You have a right to your opinion, I disagree people have the right to choose as they please. Your opinion speaks for itself. Good Day Sir!!! "

    Constitution Please wrote on Oct 27, 2009 10:31 PM:

    " This JP can hold all the personal beliefs he wants. He took an oath to uphold the Constitution of the state of Louisiana as well as the rules of the nation. The Supreme Court ruled that laws banning interracial marriage are unconstitutional. This JP can believe what he wants, but if those beliefs conflict with the job he swore to do, he should remove himself from this conflict. "

    Proud American wrote on Oct 27, 2009 1:49 PM:

    " We may not agree with what this Justice of the Peace did but have to give him credit for standing up for what he believes in! "

    Opinion wrote on Oct 25, 2009 7:45 PM:

    " People have a right to choose religion,
    marriage, etc. My only opinion I'm not convinced the justice of the peace is looking out for the welfare of the children. If two people love each other
    why not. who are we to judge.. BF... "

    Acadiana Atheist wrote on Oct 24, 2009 11:41 AM:

    " L...I'm not at all saying to you not to comment. We as Americans have the 1st Amendment. However, my point to you is that on my "Does God Exist" page, you come across as a holy roller and are judging me. Then on this page you are saying things that aren't Christian in nature. You can't say , I believe in a Skyman and Jesus is my invisible bestfriend and then say I don't agree with interacial marriage. Your Skyman according to Christians loves everyone, so you as a Christian are required to do the same. Duh!!! "

    Lol.... wrote on Oct 23, 2009 2:22 PM:

    " It just so funny to me when I hear people say I have black friends. WOW.... "

    Non-Atheist vs Atheist wrote on Oct 23, 2009 2:21 PM:

    " I hope you're right. Much love for you...! "

    L wrote on Oct 22, 2009 8:42 PM:

    " acadiana atheist watch DR. PHIL today and you will see what you really are deep down inside, and yes i'm a christian and that doesn't mean I can't give my opinion about what is being said.A christian can comment on anything they want to if they so choose to do so and I chose to comment about your post,and i'll say it again are you serious? if they weren't a part of your family would you still feel the same?watch DR. PHIL and you will see who the closet racist is and it's not me. "

    MeMeG wrote on Oct 22, 2009 1:57 PM:

    " Anyone agreeing with this is ignorant. I'm white and my husband is balck. I have been all over the world and I have never seen such racism (outside of the midlle east).

    For-those-that-say-the-bible-says-we should-not-marry:

    There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)

    Moses' wife was of another race and in Numbers 12:1-15 Aaron and Miriam were punished for criticizing this interracial marriage.

    There are meany more examples citing religion NOT RACE "

    Acadiana Atheist wrote on Oct 22, 2009 1:13 PM:

    " xxx.....The reason that the Bible wrote what it did about the separation of the human races was because Bronze Age man had know idea that there was at one time a super continent called Pangea "Google it". They also didn't know about continental drift, that the world was round, that bacteria cause diseases "not demons". The Bible is mans first attempt to explain the unknown. Our brains look for patterns and demand an explanation for things. Humans are the only animal on Earth that knows that it's going to die! Wake up and come out of the Stone Age! "

    Acadiana Atheist wrote on Oct 22, 2009 8:16 AM:

    " L...Yes I would feel the same. I have friends of all colors, religions and sexual orientations.
    On my other discussion board about religion, you try to come across as this Christian who is living a holy life. But, here you are showing your true colors as a closet racist.

    Your God, if he is real loves people of all colors and sexual orientations. It's bad that an Atheist is having to explain morality to you L. You really need put down either your Bible or your hate for people who are different. You can't have both. "

    L wrote on Oct 21, 2009 7:56 PM:

    " ACADIANA ATHEIST are you serious? IF they weren't a part of your family would you still feel the same? "

    xxxs wrote on Oct 21, 2009 6:56 PM:

    " If you knew anything about god who told you or where is it in the bible god has us divided by color. And who made you the judge god will judge all of us. We are all god's children god does not judge us by color only man does "PERIOD:. "

    naysayers... wrote on Oct 21, 2009 6:50 PM:

    " Not suprised in this day and time. Get over it and get on with your lives. Racism and ignorance still exist
    and the justic of the peace is a lair he is not looking out for the welfare of the children what do he care??? "

    Acadiana Atheist wrote on Oct 21, 2009 12:15 PM:

    " I would like to apologize to all of the people of color for some of the horrible comments that ignorant white people have said in this group. I am a white man married to a white woman, but we do have blacks and hispanics in our family and we love them and their childern just as much as any other member of the family. Please know that there are good white people in our community that are not stuck in the horrible past of racism. "

    To xxx wrote on Oct 21, 2009 9:27 AM:

    " If God wanted us all seperate he would have put whites on the moon, blacks on venus, asians on saturn and so forth. He created different people of different looks, culture, etc so everyone would be different . If he wanted us all to be the same he would have made us all look exactly alike in color and looks. It's people like you who still make race an issue and who still make the biracial kids and adults feel out of place. I feel sorry for you, I really do and one day you will be judged for judging.others. "

    xxx wrote on Oct 21, 2009 6:00 AM:

    " JOP Bardwell never said anything about the couple not loving their children, so quit trying to make it out of them or their family not loving the children. But, as long as blacks commit 85% of the crimes and Blacks occupy the majority of our prison systems, racial bias and divide will exist. And not all of society will accept bi-racial children. Why should the children suffer for their parents selfishness. If God wanted us to be together he would have made us all one color. "

    dawn wrote on Oct 20, 2009 5:03 PM:

    " well i hate to tell you me and my husband have been together for over 22 years and we are not going nowhere. im white hes black our kids are beautiful, humble, smart, caring, loving and dont have a problem telling you they are both colors and proud of it. when you meet your maker dont be suprised to see what race he or she may be. boy then i would like to see some faces and know what you will say then. stop being narrow minded, life is bigger than that. "

    Acadiana Athiest wrote on Oct 20, 2009 9:48 AM:

    " I didn't realize that we were still living in the Jim Crow south. I find it hard to imagine in the year 2009 that something like this is still occurring. We have a President that is half white and half black, so I don't think that the argument that mixed people don't do well in our society is valid. xxx, your smarter than that. "

    70544BOy wrote on Oct 20, 2009 4:16 AM:

    " To xxx: If you took a white kid and a black kid and raised them together from infancy they wouldn't know racism until someone taught them, you know we are all the same, have the same goals, faults, problems, we have everything that's common to all men, but skin color divides us....Only one thing makes one different, skin color, everything else we encounter at some point as humans. Race, Religion, Politics, divides us all...but at the end of the day, we're still humans trying to make it..Think about it..really..and this is from a a black person "

    Greg wrote on Oct 19, 2009 6:09 PM:

    " Now many of you have been talking about losing your freedom since President Obama took office. Don't know what freedoms you mean.Well here is a real loss of freedom. I think this is the man you should be getting out of office...this JP. Not only is he trying to take one's freedom to choose whom they marry but he is being paid by these very people through their tax dollars. Oust him quick!!!!! "

    L wrote on Oct 19, 2009 4:12 PM:

    " TO xxx if it effect's any kid's, then it's because of people like you.I'M sure you did and said alot of thing's to biracial kid's when you were growing up.AND i'm pretty sure you make face's at the smaller kid's that don't know better and if you do shame on you and anybody else. "

    To xxx wrote on Oct 19, 2009 9:41 AM:

    " I'm sorry but when you love someone then you aren't being selfish and naive. If you love the children you have and raise them right to LOVE all races and every human kind then you have done your job as a parent. It's IDIOTS like you who still see people for color rather than individuals. We have bad blacks, whites, etc. I have been in an interracial relationship for 10 years and we have a 6 year old son. He gets LOTS of LOVE from both my family & my husbands family! My child also gets no criticism.from.school.or.any.where.else. "

    Just wondering wrote on Oct 19, 2009 8:10 AM:

    " In this day and age, does Judge Bardwell really believe that not being married will prevent couples (interracial or otherwise) from having babies? "

    Tom wrote on Oct 19, 2009 8:05 AM:

    " To L

    All comical sarcasm aside, I really do agree with you. I believe the JP is not only a racist but he is so ignorant he doesn’t even know it.

    Even if his comments are true, he still has no right as a public official not to perform his lawful duties for this couple. "

    Outraged wrote on Oct 19, 2009 5:28 AM:

    " To: To Outraged
    Where do you think the Federal Government gets the MONEY in the first place????
    This IDEA that the Federal Government is some RICH benefactor is what got us into this DEEP FINANCIAL HOLE!!!!!
    All they do is SPEND taxpayers money, borrow more money and SPEND it, PRINT more money and SPEND it,causing INFLATION and DEVALUING the money people have saved for RETIREMENT!!!! "

    GayMarriage wrote on Oct 18, 2009 8:22 PM:

    " What if a justice of the peace refused to marry a gay couple based on his personal christian beliefs? That wouldn't be as big of a deal as this because there are a lot of people still on both sides of the gay marriage argument. "

    Area Resident wrote on Oct 18, 2009 6:52 PM:

    " Greg, those two express their opinions even tho no one asks. I;ve never seen two more racist people in my life then Jessie Jackson and Rev. Al! All I did was claify what happened. The JOP did not deny them a marriage license. In fact they got a license & were married. He just was not going to marry them. He said in the past he has done the same, so he would have been a hypocrit if he would have married them. Simple as that! "

    L wrote on Oct 18, 2009 4:58 PM:

    " TO TOM YOU want my input?o.k here it goes.I think that your right he should of kept his mouth shut and just resign,that's good enough for ya! ? TOM it seem's like you missed me.HE has no right to say whether or not they shouldn't be married because of their race and if people would stop teaching their kid's to be racist then it wouldn't be a problem. "

    Wondering wrote on Oct 18, 2009 10:57 AM:

    " Aren't Justices of the Peace elected officials. If so, do you have the right to choose who to marry and not marry within the legal bounds of the law. If they were of age, not family members, then what is the problem. Whites have a high divorce rate, Blacks have a high divorce rate, etc. Additionally, children from poor backgrounds have difficulty fitting in sometimes, black children have difficulty fitting in, white children in predominantly black areas have a hard chance of fitting in, smart children find difficulty fitting in. "

    To Outraged wrote on Oct 18, 2009 9:04 AM:

    " For every $1.00 that Louisiana sends to the federal government, they RECEIVE $1.78 back in federal assistance. So to say that this is YOUR money is inaccurate. Other states (federal benefits) assist you because your contributions alone are not able to sustain your needs!
    I don't know why you continue to bring up Acorn, the Republican talking point. Instead of focusing on Acorn, why not research Halliburton, in particular KBR, a Division, and see what type of money they have defrauded the government of? How their shoddy work has even taken the lives of several of our service people? "

    Outraged wrote on Oct 17, 2009 5:22 PM:

    " To J P Gotta Go:
    Those stimulus checks are proceeds from OUR TAXES!!!This is not OBAMA's MONEY to just go to people who voted for him!!!
    The unemployment benefits had FEDERAL STRINGS attached to them,which would have obligated the state to pay for additional things in the future!!!
    Your right about people not deserving money if they don't WORK!!!
    And I'm not referring to the kind of work ACORN does!!! "

    Unbiased wrote on Oct 17, 2009 5:13 PM:

    " When a person holds a public postion, he need to remain unbiased. Unless there are any laws being broken these two should be allowed to marry. Their bi-racial kids would not be the first and they definitely won't be the last. It's clearly a misuse of his authority to send this couple on a wild goose chase. "

    Getting It Right wrote on Oct 17, 2009 2:23 PM:

    " I happen to believe the JP has a point. Many believe he is discriminating. If so against whom? The white person or the black person? I would tend to believe he is well liked and respected in his community. The Justice of the Peace is an elected position. If they don't like his view then they just need to vote him out of office. There simply is no denying older black people have problems accepting white people marrying into their families and vice versa for older whites. The mixed children suffer for-it. "

    LovingGOPmeltdown wrote on Oct 17, 2009 10:46 AM:

    " Saw this on city-data. I was hoping that when I clicked on the article it would begin with the words, "On this day 50 years ago". Sadly, no such luck. Our reputation in this country continues to be well-deserved. "

    JP Gotta Go - wrote on Oct 17, 2009 8:35 AM:

    " If this JP cannot marry interracial couples because of HIS PERSONAL BELIEFS, he should be removed as this is one duty of the JP's office.
    It does not surprise me of forum supporters; it just confirms what the rest of the country think of southerners who always vote against their own interest; vote against things that may actually benefit them.
    It's abhorrent to see your governor running around taking pictures with stimulus checks provided by govenment that his party voted against. Why didn't he refuse these like he did unemployment benefits! If you didn't work,you don't get them! "

    To Area Resident wrote on Oct 17, 2009 8:13 AM:

    " You're arguing a fine point that does not matter. There is no LEGAL foundation for what this Justice is doing. It's discrimination, plain and simple, and he should be removed from his job. "

    Greg wrote on Oct 16, 2009 9:50 PM:

    " To Area Resident---Well I guess then it's alright for Jessie Jackson and Rev. Al to express their views? At least they are expressing themselves and not being hypocrits. "

    Mountains from molehills wrote on Oct 16, 2009 3:15 PM:

    " To clarify further...he did not say they couldn't get married...he just said he wouldn't officiate an interracial marriage. I think he even provided a name of a JOP that would officiate. So what's the harm...someone's feelings got hurt because of a backwards thinking JOP? Maybe they got their first HONEST opinion from someone and they didn't like what they heard? Depending on where you live, it's not all Oreos and milk if you're an interracial couple...especially in Hammond, evidently. It could be this guy was only trying to be a cautionary friend. "

    Concerned Citizen of Louisiana wrote on Oct 16, 2009 2:58 PM:

    " As a citizen of Louisiana, and married into a interracial marriage, I honestly dont think this man should be able to hold a job that works with the public. I think it is still disturbing they way some people still have hatred towards two people that love each other, no matter what race they are. I think people just need to get over it and move on. I still get dirty looks from alot of people, black and white, but I just learned not to let it bother me anymore. I love my husband and we are very happy together. "

    Tom wrote on Oct 16, 2009 2:23 PM:

    " Piles and piles of black friends that he even lets use his bathroom.
    He would have been better of to have kept his mouth shut and just turned in his resignation.

    Come on “L”, I’ll likely have to agree with anything you say on this one. "

    Web Skeptic wrote on Oct 16, 2009 1:43 PM:

    " You got this off the Web? I wouldn't believe everything I read on the Web, but if this did happen, it is wrong.

    For the record, I am white and so is my spouse. I have relatives that are an interracial couple and they have been happily married over 30 years. Race is not the cause of the divorce rate in America, loss of morals is. "

    Stupid wrote on Oct 16, 2009 1:30 PM:

    " This couple didn't ask for counseling, they asked for a marriage license. Who is he to even have an opinion on whether or not they could/should get married or any effects on future children their marriage may have. Children all over the country are tormented everyday for a lot of other things besides the color of their skin. These people may be loving and caring and the best parents a child could want. He has no right to refuse them a license. "

    Area Resident wrote on Oct 16, 2009 1:01 PM:

    " I don't know that we read the same article! He is NOT denying them a marriage license. He is NOT denying them to get married. He just said he wouldn't marry them. He asked them to go to another JOP or Judge to be married. He just said HE wouldn't marry them! At least he's not hypocritic about it "

    xxx wrote on Oct 16, 2009 12:26 PM:

    " I applaud Mr. Bardwell. He is correct. No one considers what this does to the children of these marriages. If people are so selfish and naive that they don't think this will have affects on the kids as they grow up, then they are idiots. He was not being a racist, he was a realist. There's a big difference. "

    FactChecker wrote on Oct 16, 2009 12:04 PM:

    " Nothing much surprises me in this state anymore, except the fact that he has refused four couples before this and no one has noticed. "

    Laf. wrote on Oct 16, 2009 11:07 AM:

    " No problem here. I happen to agree with Mr. Bardwell and I would like to thank him for sticking by his convictions. Good Job Mr. Bardwell and please continue your good work. "

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