It was reported today that there is a justice of the peace by the name of Keith Bardwell in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana. He has been the justice of peace in the parish for about 2.5 years.
Now for those who don't know, a justice of a peace is a type of judge. It used to be the justices of peace (or JPs) would handle a lot of the smaller matters (traffic fines, small claims cases etc) while bigger matters would go to the municipal or superior courts. This has been changing, with some states no longer having JPs. In Louisiana, they are still used and are a part of the Louisiana judicial system. They also have the ability to marry people.
Well, Mr. Bardwell is a JP. He will marry all the people he is legally allowed to marry, except for one class. He will not marry, or issue a marriage license, to interracial couples.
He says its for the good of their unborn children. Yes, that is his reason. Even though he says he is not racist. Mr. Bardwell insists he treats everyone the same, just that he does not think it is right for a black person to marry a white person. Says he believes that those marriages never work.
So nice for a government official to decide what is right in a person's private life. Isn't it?
Has this person never heard of a case calling Loving v. Virginia?
Yes, one of the couples he has denied a marriage license to is trying to get the Department of Justice to sue. I wonder, whats the likelihood of that happening now that the Attorney General has called Americans cowards for not dealing with the question of race?
At least the school board down there must be breathing a sigh of relief. They've already been seven times.
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