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PiscesJustice Stands by Refusal to Give Interracial Couple License to Wed
"It's kind of hard to apologize for something that you really and truly feel down in your heart you haven't done wrong," Keith Bardwell told CNN affiliate WAFB on Saturday.
Bardwell, a justice of the peace for Tangipahoa Parish's 8th Ward, refused to issue a marriage license to Beth Humphrey, 30, and her boyfriend, Terence McKay, 32, both of Hammond.
Bardwell's actions have elicited reactions from some top officials, including Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, who called for Bardwell's dismissal.
"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," the Republican governor said Friday.
Bardwell has not returned repeated calls from CNN this week. But he told Hammond's Daily Star in a story Thursday that he did not marry the couple because he was concerned for the children who might be born of the relationship and that, in his experience, most interracial marriages don't last.
"I'm not a racist," Bardwell told the newspaper. "I do ceremonies for black couples right here in my house. My main concern is for the children." Bardwell, stressing that he couldn't personally endorse the marriage, said his wife referred the couple to another justice of the peace.
Humphrey and McKay received their marriage license October 9 from another justice of the peace in the same parish. They have reached out to an attorney to determine their next step, Humphrey said.
"We would like him to resign," Beth McKay said. "He doesn't believe he's being racist, but it is racist."
The National Urban League called for an investigation into the incident by the U.S. Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, saying in a statement that Bardwell's actions were "a huge step backward in social justice."
According to the Census Bureau, Tangipahoa Parish is about 70 percent white and 30 percent black.
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."
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Because, Cathy, it’s ILLEGAL. I can believe all day long that gas should be free, but if I fill up and drive off without paying, it really doesn’t matter what my convictions are because it’s ILLEGAL. Judging by your nonchalance, I have to assume you’re a white woman. Imagine you wanted to go renew your driver’s license, and a black guy at the counter said, “sorry, I don’t give driver’s licenses to white people because I believe they make horrible driving decisions.” How would that feel? But you’ll never experience that kind of racism, and you probably never have. Lucky you.
He did NOT say they could not get married (which is illegal).
He DID say that he would not be the one to do it.
That is his right and his decision. Any business has that right to refuse service to anyone.
Do I agree with his decision? No.
But it is his right to make that decision.
This justice, just like a minister, should have the right to not marry anyone that he believes in his heart should not marry. Otherwise it would be going against his convictions ( that a child has too many hardships in a mixed racial marriage and he is doing the best thing for any future children). There are always many other justices that will marry the couple so why should a justice of the peace be dismissed for following his convictions?