Mixed Race Couple Denied Marriage License – A white Louisiana justice of the peace denied a marriage license to a mixed race couple, supposedly out of concern for any children they might have.
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.
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.
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.
“That was one thing that made this so unbelievable,” she said. “It’s not something you expect in this day and age.”
“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.”
“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.”
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October 16th, 2009 at 10:23 am
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October 16th, 2009 at 10:25 am
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October 18th, 2009 at 12:57 am
I will write this as if Beth and Terence are reading it and hopefully they are
I think he should be able to do what he damn well pleases. If he doesn’t want to marry you two, then just mozy on and find someone who will. But your not going to do that are you. Your going to make a big scene out of it like so many are now. I think people like you are sickening. Leave well enough alone. He wants it his way and you want it your way, but you will fight him to the very end. Leave people alone . You know you could find someone else to do it. He didn’t say who you could or couldn’t marry, and he shouldn’t be forced to do something he doesn’t want to. He just said “HE” didn’t want to do it. Now what would either of you do if you were told you had to marry someone you didn’t want to. Wouldn’t like it would you? Wouldn’t do it would you? Your not all that special that he has to bow down to you. Just move on and leave the guy alone.