Justice of the Peace of Tangipahoa Parish in Louisiana Denies Marriage License to Inter-Racial Couple

Are we in a bad recurring nightmare? This is the new millennium and not the ‘50s or so we believe it is but obviously one justice of the peace may still be living in the past.

Keith Bardwell a duly elected justice of the peace of Tangipahoa Parish in Louisiana denies marriage license to Beth Humphrey, 30, and her boyfriend, Terence McKay, 32. A shocking incident reminiscent of the ‘50s happening in the new millennium is unthinkable and bizarre to say the least. His refusal to issue a marriage license is as bizarre as it gets according to CNN’s report quoting Hammond's Daily Star newspaper below:

However, Bardwell told Hammond's Daily Star newspaper that 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."

I wonder where justice Bardwell got his statistics on broken marriages, it happens even on same race or even same sex marriages. Does that mean that one has to sign a contract that their marriage will last in order to get a marriage license? It is a clear case of racial discrimination and NAACP Patricia Morris, president of the NAACP branch of Tangipahoa Parish, located near the Mississippi line, is asking for Bardwell’s resignation for failing to perform his duties as an elected official.

Beth Humphrey says Bardwell is a racist although he thinks he is not which is really odd as his refusal is clearly discriminatory at whatever level you look at it.

CNN reports that Bardwell come forward and made a statement that he has piles of black friend, he invites them to his home, and even let's them use the restroom. He says all of this proves that he is not a racist. Now that is really odd, so his “friends” enjoy the fringe benefit of using his restroom?

Terence McKay and Beth Humphrey went to get their marriage license from another justice of the peace in the same parish and consulted a lawyer to determine their next move. NAACP has also forwarded this case to the state and national level of the civil rights group, it will be interesting to watch how this will turn out.

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