"My main concern is for the children" Louisiana firmly in the 20th century still!

[tricky_ab]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/1..._n_322784.html (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/15/interracial-couple-denied_n_322784.html)

HAMMOND, La. — A Louisiana justice of the peace said he refused to issue a marriage license to an interracial couple out of concern for any children the couple might have. Keith Bardwell, justice of the peace in Tangipahoa Parish, says it is his experience that most interracial marriages do not last long.

Neither Bardwell nor the couple immediately returned phone calls from The Associated Press. But Bardwell told the Daily Star of Hammond that he was not a racist.

"I do ceremonies for black couples right here in my house," Bardwell said. "My main concern is for the children."

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.

"I don't do interracial marriages because I don't want to put children in a situation they didn't bring on themselves," Bardwell said. "In my heart, I feel the children will later suffer."

If he does an interracial marriage for one couple, he must do the same for all, he said.

"I try to treat everyone equally," he said.

Thirty-year-old Beth Humphrey and 32-year-old Terence McKay, both of Hammond, say they will consult the U.S. Justice Department about filing a discrimination complaint.

The best part of this asshole judge is the ironic "treat everyone equally" quote.

[Gnnr]

Interesting. I went to see if there was any validity in his claims and there is.

Interracial marriage in the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interracial_marriage_in_the_United_States#Black_an d_White)

I downloaded the study that they cited in the Wiki (I have access to almost every journal and study). Here is an excerpt from the conclusion.

The current study examined the likelihood of
divorce among interracial couples compared to
same-race couples. We find that although interracial
marriages overall are more vulnerable to divorce, this
reflects the experience of some but not all couples.
According to the adjusted models predicting divorce
as of their 10th year of marriage, interracial marriages
that are most vulnerable involve White
females and non-White males (with the exception
of White females/Hispanic White males) relative
to White/White couples. Conversely, White men/
non-White women couples show either very little or
no differences in divorce rates; or, as in the case of
White men and Black women, are substantially less
likely than White/White couples to divorce by their
10th year.

Either way, his job is not to advise or decide for anyone.

[HyperTek]

if the people want to fuck up their lives, let them lol
better they get married than have a child out of wedlock.

[kingkilburn]

BULL FUCKIN SHIT!

I'm biracial myself and find that to be bs. The only white people that don't like me are obvious racists. Black culture is a whole separate discussion(it's what separates African Americans from the rest of blacks around the world.)

The judge has no right or privileged to decide based on race that a couple can not marry. Then to decide that across the board as some kind of skewed equality is asinine.

[DrftSLowHomIe!!]

damm that sucks i cant belive shit like this still happens

[tricky_ab]

All the [face_palm's] in the world cannot express how deeply disgusted I am. This is a public official who's salary is paid for by the taxes collected from the residents of the town so this service is owed to them -- as it's part of his job description -- without prejudice and judgement. As mentioned in this thread already, if he were really concerned about the well being of the kids, he would deny the poor the right to marry and he should make the applicants prove that they don't smoke or drink or use controlled substances.

Again, it would be a different case if he weren't a public official.