Judge Who Denied Interracial Marriage Sued

(CBS/AP)  A Louisiana justice of the peace is facing a federal lawsuit for refusing to perform a marriage ceremony for a black man and a white woman.

The couple, Beth Humphrey and Terence McKay, filed the suit against Keith Bardwell on Tuesday, alleging that Bardwell violated their civil rights when he refused to perform the ceremony because they were of different races. The suit seeks financial penalties because of mental anguish and emotional distress.

Bardwell, a justice of the peace in Tangipahoa Parish, has said he routinely "recuses" himself from marrying interracial couples because he believes such marriages cause harm to the couples' children.

Bardwell told CBS' "The Early Show" yesterday he doesn't see what the problem is with what he did and that the couple is now married anyway.

"I'm sorry, you know, that I offended the couple, but I did help them and tell them who to go to and to get married," he said. "And they went and got married, and they should be happily married, and I don't see what the problem is now."

Bardwell told "Early Show" co-anchor Harry Smith, "I've had countless numbers of people that was born in that situation, and that they claim that the blacks or the whites didn't accept the children. And I didn't want to put the children in that position."

Bardwell also said he does not issue marriage licenses, he just performs the ceremonies.

However, according to Humphrey, Bardwell wouldn't issue them a marriage license. Humphrey says she initially spoke to Bardwell's wife, who said her husband would not issue the license because they are an interracial couple.

Humphrey said, "I was just completely shocked. I had no words."

McKay added, "He's not going to marry us because your black, and I'm white. ... It's 2009."

Bardwell denied on "The Early Show" that he broke any laws.

"The law says that I cannot deny mixed race marriages," he said. "And that means prevent them from getting married. And I did not prevent them getting married."

[pjk12354]

Kieth,

As much as you would like to think otherwise, you and anyone else in the Republican Party are not God. The couple that came to you to be married did everything legally and you flat refused to do your duty as a Judge. That, my friend, is pure descrimination. They have a solid case against you. I think it is time for you to find out who God really is.

[mascsite]

www.mascsite.org

MASC (Multiracial Americans of Southern California) disagrees with the judge?s assertion that mixed race people ?suffer.? If any issues faced by multiracial people exist, they often stem from having to contend with the negative attitudes and beliefs about our community by outsiders who hold prejudiced and racist views. Research shows that the experience of the multiracial has been incorrectly pathologized, and that their identity formation and overall adjustment is healthy. We also find that there is often a greater ability to interact with and an increased respect for different ethnic/cultural/racial groups. MASC recognizes that President Obama is multiracial, and asserts that his racial/ethnic background has served to benefit him rather than cause him to ?suffer.?

The 2000 Federal Census created the first ever option to check off more than one race as an effort to allow accurate identification of oneself, or one's child as a person embodying more than one racial / ethnic background. This was created to make visible a community never before counted - multiracials ? who are children of interracial/ethnic marriages.

MASC, a nonprofit in existence for 20 years, and many similar nonprofits locally and nationally in the US firmly oppose any person who defies the 1967 Supreme court decision that lifted the ban on interracial marriages.

www.mascsite.org

[ianlou]

What this world needs is less mixed individules like Tiger Woods, Bob Marley and Barack Obama, and more all white bubba's like this Judge.

Yeah, Right.

This judge is evidence that there's nothing like a limited gene pool to produce ril-marikins.

[twistedsister1959]

The JP from Tangi Parish will have to be removed by the La. Supreme Court. Booby Jindal wants to show the USA he is presidential material(please hold your laughter) so it will be very interesting to see how the governor handles this mess. Tangi Parish,one of the Florida parishes, grew very fast after Hurrrican Katrina. La. doesn't have counties. They have parishes. It is located on the North Shore of Lake Ponchatrain. It has an excellent university- one of the fastest growing universities in the country, Southeastern La. University located in Hammond. However, the area is still mostly rural and I know that 1950's attitudes still exist. I see it everyday. It is the attitude of the people in the area like it or not. Both blacks and whites separate themselves still at church, funeral homes and even the school system. The white kids who can afford it go to private school. You may not understand it but it is how things are done by both races still in this day in age. Hopefully, the couple will win the suit and Tangi can move on into the 21st century. It has beautiful land and rivers but very ignorant people, both races included. Hey, Tangi gave you Brittney Spears cut them some slack.

[mejordelahistoria]

I guess this judge is about to join the ranks of the unemployed.

[eus109937]

Hopefully the state of Louisiana and the county of Tangipahoa Parish will have to pay millions to this couple. This country is all about money and money talks. To bankrupt this county and their taxpayers will ensure they do not hire racist, bigoted people for public office.

[kansas1946]

Bardwell, a justice of the peace in Tangipahoa Parish, has said he routinely "recuses" himself from marrying interracial couples because he believes such marriages cause harm to the couples' children.
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LOL. And just MAYBE one of those children could grow up to be President of the United States. Nah, no chance. :o)

[brianbwb-2009]

"The law says that I cannot deny mixed race marriages," he said. "And that means prevent them from getting married. And I did not prevent them getting married."

Wrong, Mr. failed remedial English, it means you cannot refuse to marry them in the grounds of being from different ethnic heritages.

Period.

[watkinsjr2000]

Somebody needs to clue this dude in on the fact that we're in the 21st century now, NOT the 19th.People like this give the south a bad rep!

[prajaowain]

I can't believe this! WOW! What a moron. These are the people that have power over us. Wake up people!