Justice of the peace quits after interracial wedding flap Play Video

By Associated Press

Posted: Nov 3, 2009 5:48 PM
Updated: Nov 4, 2009 10:15 AM

  A South Louisiana justice of the peace who refused to marry a couple because the bride was white and groom was black has resigned.

  The resignation of Keith Bardwell of Tangipahoa Parish is effective Tuesday, Louisiana Secretary of State's Office spokesman Jacques Berry said.

   Bardwell refused to perform the ceremony for Beth Humphrey and Terence McKay because they are of different races.

   Bardwell has acknowledged he routinely recuses himself from marrying interracial couples because he believes such marriages cause harm to the couples' children.

   Another justice of the peace eventually married the couple.

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

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  • Avatar for coonass
    High + − !
    coonass at Nov 3rd 2009 6:09 PM

    this is F*****g crazy.  He hasthe right to marry and not marry anyone he wants for what ever reason.  I am Catholic,  I had to go through Pre-marage classes and then meet with my priest b-4 the wedding.  iFhe felt we Shouldnt get married,  He could have refused to marry us.  Why is that anny difrent?  Its because it is race fueled and the Media buys it.  Freaking stupid. Its really sad also how these drum beaters cry until these people are forced to resign and get there lives ruined

  • Avatar for Miracle Anderson
    Low + − !
    Miracle Anderson at Nov 3rd 2009 7:23 PM

    Re:this is F*****g crazy.  He hasthe right to marry and not marry anyone he wants for what ever reason.  I am Catholic,  I had to go through Pre-marage classes and then meet with my priest b-4 the wedding.  iFhe felt we Shouldnt get married,  He could have refused to marry us.  Why is that anny difrent?  Its because it is race fueled and the Media buys it.  Freaking stupid. Its really sad also how these drum beaters cry until these people are forced to resign and get there lives ruined.

    This is different because A Priest is a member of a private organization and the Justice of the Peace is not. You are correct that this is all about race. However, it is not the couple that started the race issue that was the Justice of the Peace that refused to marry them. He was the one with the issue. There is no reason in today's life for a person to be so biased as to refuse to marry a couple because of race. If you cannot see that then you are just as guilty. The Justice of the Peace ruined his own life when he broke the law. THAT'S RIGHT, HE BROKE THE LAW. The couple in this case did nothing wrong and yet were forced to endure the racism that was dealt out. If you want to talk about freaking stupid, have you looked in the mirror lately?

  • Avatar for Romeo4-7
    High + − !
    Romeo4-7 at Nov 4th 2009 2:47 AM

    Where does it say a Justice of the Peace HAS to marry anyone?  Does he HAVE to give a reason to refuse?  If it is this man's opinion that children of bi-racial marriages are born with a 'social disability' and he doesn't want to be a part of that system, than so be it. The couple could have easily moved on, as they obviously did, to find someone with a different position, however, they elected to play the race card for their fifteen minutes of fame and cash in with a lawsuit.  I applaud Justice Kieth Bardwelll for holding to his belief and resigning rather than to apologize for it! This is another example of infringement on one's individual freedoms.  PS Exactly what law did this Justice break?

  • Avatar for Dug
    High + − !
    Dug at Nov 4th 2009 9:01 AM

    Wouldn't it be nice if everyone in America would put on their "Big People Panties" and quit complaining and whining about everything.  I cannot find where is says that you have the right to get married. You have the option to get married but it is not a God given right or a Government given right.  There are no Laws that say that a Government Official "has" to marry you so Grow up and quit whining.

  • Avatar for evan
    Neutral + − !
    evan at Nov 9th 2009 12:31 PM

    this is for the dumbasses who seem to think there isn't a law regarding this:

    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 said 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."

    And from Bobby Jindal:
    "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,"

    To be clear justices of the peace work for the state. If dumbass didn't want to marry them he should have gave another reason.

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