Judge Denies Interracial Couple a Marriage License

Posted by jeannesager on October 16th, 2009 at 10:26 am

mixed race wedding cake topper 300x222 Judge Denies Interracial Couple a Marriage LicenseA Louisiana judge turned away an interracial couple requesting a marriage license this week out of “concern for the children they might have.”

Yes, I said this week - as in this happened in 2009.

Keith Bardwell told the AP he isn’t a racist because he has “piles and piles of black friends.” What’s more, he let’s them use his bathroom! In his house! Let’s nominate him for the neighbor of the month award.

But, of course, he just doesn’t take kindly to whitey marrying one of them there colored folks. In the past two and a half years as a judge, Bardwell has apparently turned away four couples because, as he told the AP, ” “I think those children suffer and I won’t help put them through it.”

And he’d turn away another couple of mixed race, he says, because he treats everyone equally. Would that be with equal amounts of discrimination?

According to U.S. Census figures, the number of multiracial people in America rose 3.4 percent last year to about 5.2 million in the U.S., making “multiracial” the fastest-growing ethnic group in the nation. So Mr. Bardwell, guess what the best way to decrease societal acceptance issues for biracial children is? To accept them.

The couple, by the way, is suing.

Image: Magic Mud

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10 Comments

[...] do I let these situations surprise me? After all - it was just a few weeks ago that we heard about the judge who wouldn’t give a marriage license to a couple for fear they’d create biracial [...]

Pregnant Woman Request All White Delivery Staff | Strollerderby commented on Oct 29 09 at 6:33 pm

Besides you don´t need to be married to have kids, so there.

tripletmom commented on Oct 16 09 at 2:16 pm

What an ass!

Manjari commented on Oct 16 09 at 2:19 pm

It’s interesting as hell that people are far more concerned with being CALLED racists than seeing how their actions are racist.

Mistress_Scorpio commented on Oct 16 09 at 5:21 pm

what if he’s right? Are race relations so bad down there that the children would be at risk? I mean it’s no reason to do what he did, but let’s not view it in isolation from the society they live in.

chelseamisscandy commented on Oct 17 09 at 6:13 am

He was a justice of the peace, NOT a judge.

Lucky commented on Oct 19 09 at 11:34 am

If this judge really did treat people all equal like he says then he wouldn’t marry anyone- only ignorant people think the way he does and he needs to really get over it- as long as children are born into a family who will love and take care of them, then that is all that should matter not the color of their skin.

Sabrina commented on Oct 19 09 at 5:42 pm

Lucky - a justice of the peace is a type of judge, so the description of Bardwell as a judge is correct.

jeannesager commented on Oct 19 09 at 5:45 pm

aaah, what does it take to become a JP in Louisiana? Apparently this guy who just feels so darn badly for biracial children (yeah right) isn’t aware that biracial can grow up to be successful, happy, and *gasp* President of the United States…

jenny tries too hard commented on Oct 20 09 at 9:20 am

er, biracial KIDS can grow up…

jenny tries too hard commented on Oct 20 09 at 9:21 am

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