Interracial Couple Denied Marriage License By Louisiana Judge

[Steely Dan]

The thing is he has the authority to marry people. He doesn't have to marry anyone.
There are usually a group of magistrates in each local. Most don't feel that way. He shouldn't be penalized for his beliefs any more than the couple for theirs. I find this goes on in the South more.

It would be nice if everyone realized that we are all Americans and all defend this country and die for it. I don't agree with this guy, but I defend his right to believe as he wishes. JMO

He can as long as his reasoning isn't illegal. I'm pretty sure racial discrimination is an illegal reason.

:cow:

 

[Nova]

He can as long as his reasoning isn't illegal. I'm pretty sure racial discrimination is an illegal reason.

:cow:

Exactly. It isn't his beliefs that are at issue, it's his action (or inaction, if one prefers, which in this case is also an action).

 

[PorcineGranny]

Which Nova, he is not required by law to do. This is his choice. No matter his excuse.
His choice could be anything, he doesn't like red underwear. Each person is entitled to his opinion and to exercise as he sees fit..Magistrates do not get to charge a personal fee
for this action. They charge what the state collects. Just thought you might like to know.

 

[Velouria]

The thing is he has the authority to marry people. He doesn't have to marry anyone.
There are usually a group of magistrates in each local. Most don't feel that way. He shouldn't be penalized for his beliefs any more than the couple for theirs. I find this goes on in the South more.

It would be nice if everyone realized that we are all Americans and all defend this country and die for it. I don't agree with this guy, but I defend his right to believe as he wishes. JMO

No, he doesn't have to marry anyone, nor does he need to interject his own personal beliefs into the mix. IMO, this is just like pharmacists who refuse to prescribe certain contraceptives to women. And I'm sorry, but telling the couple to find another local magistrate isn't the point. As a public official, his job is to follow and enforce laws of the jurisdiction, NOT to pick and choose which laws to uphold based upon his own personal beliefs. Unless there is a valid legal basis for denying this couple a license, a license should be issued. Perhaps this guy needs to find another job that doesn't require him to violate his own moral code. He doesn't have to give this couple his blessing or buy them a wedding gift, but he should perform the duties required of his position.

 

[RoseRed]

I had a job answering phones from every state for a national company once. A woman called from the Florida panhandle and said during the conversation; "I wus tawkin to mi hussbend, no wait 'twas my brother..." It was very hard to keep from bursting out with laughter. After the call I told a lot of people about it, including the director of the call center. He had the call transferred to a CD and took it with him for a national company meeting in Las Vegas.

:floorlaugh:

So your attitude is acceptable so long as the person is not black? Is this what you mean.

 

[PorcineGranny]

No, he doesn't have to marry anyone, nor does he need to interject his own personal beliefs into the mix. IMO, this is just like pharmacists who refuse to prescribe certain contraceptives to women. And I'm sorry, but telling the couple to find another local magistrate isn't the point. As a public official, his job is to follow and enforce laws of the jurisdiction, NOT to pick and choose which laws to uphold based upon his own personal beliefs. Unless there is a valid legal basis for denying this couple a license, a license should be issued. Perhaps this guy needs to find another job that doesn't require him to violate his own moral code. He doesn't have to give this couple his blessing or buy them a wedding gift, but he should perform the duties required of his position.

Velouria, he is not the one that issues the license. He is the one with the authority to marry in his state. He is not obligated to marry anyone. He receives no incentive to do so. That is why he can refuse. It is not part of his job description unless he agrees to do it. Maybe that is what I was trying to say. Hope that is better.

 

[poco]

i wonder how many brother/sister marriage licenses he's signed down there? (runs away and hides) :runaway:

roflmao!!!!!

 

[MissieMt]

This story does not surprise me one bit. I live on the MS. coast, out in the country. One of my neighbors is an african american family. Unfortunately we witness almost on a weekly basis the problems they face. They can't ride their bikes around anymore because a few people around here enjoy trying to run them off the road. The bus driver who is willing to pick up my son in front of our house when it is raining will not extend the same offer to them....the list goes on.
However, what is surprising to me is some of the comments being made here. This judge is being chastised for stereotyping interracial couples and their children but there are people here doing the same thing regarding southern families and the stereotypical "I married my brother/cousin/daddy".
And yet no one is being chastised about that stereotype....some even find it humorous.
I was not born and raised here, but my children were born here and might live their whole lives here. They will not marry each other. And I know no one in this area who is in that type of marriage or relationship. I don't see how what is being said here regarding that is any better, safer, or less offensive than what he has said.
*retreating back to lurking mode*

I wonder how many brother/sister marriage licenses he's signed down there? (runs away and hides) :runaway:

He probably would have married George and Cindy Anthony. :loser::crazy:





I'm guessing that the person didn't mean it as an insult, rather as a compliment. Unfortunately a compliment from a clueless mind. I worked with a Mexican girl born in America and every now and then people would tell her she spoke so well. They weren't insulting her. In their minds, they thought they were complimenting her.



A Catholic friend of mine had the hardest time finding a priest to marry him and his Jewish wife. That was 18 years ago. The priests didn't think the marriage would last. From what I understand it was much easier to find a Rabbi for their other ceremony.



I had a job answering phones from every state for a national company once. A woman called from the Florida panhandle and said during the conversation; "I wus tawkin to mi hussbend, no wait 'twas my brother..." It was very hard to keep from bursting out with laughter. After the call I told a lot of people about it, including the director of the call center. He had the call transferred to a CD and took it with him for a national company meeting in Las Vegas.

:floorlaugh:

MY BOLD

OMG, ya killin me

 

[kgeaux]

Which Nova, he is not required by law to do. This is his choice. No matter his excuse.
His choice could be anything, he doesn't like red underwear. Each person is entitled to his opinion and to exercise as he sees fit..Magistrates do not get to charge a personal fee
for this action. They charge what the state collects. Just thought you might like to know.

Granny, I've been thinking about your post for a while now. I know there are valid reasons a civil servant might decide not to marry a couple--but in this case we have a government official refusing to marry a mixed-race couple simply because they are mixed races. That is discrimination. A justice of the peace IS a civil servant, and as such are required to follow the law. And the law says mixed racial couples can marry.

His choices in regards to marrying couples seem to be because of a prejudice he has against races inter-marrying.

I really think he is in bigger trouble than he may have first thought.

 

[Steely Dan]

This story does not surprise me one bit. I live on the MS. coast, out in the country. One of my neighbors is an african american family. Unfortunately we witness almost on a weekly basis the problems they face. They can't ride their bikes around anymore because a few people around here enjoy trying to run them off the road. The bus driver who is willing to pick up my son in front of our house when it is raining will not extend the same offer to them....the list goes on.
However, what is surprising to me is some of the comments being made here. This judge is being chastised for stereotyping interracial couples and their children but there are people here doing the same thing regarding southern families and the stereotypical "I married my brother/cousin/daddy".
And yet no one is being chastised about that stereotype....some even find it humorous.
I was not born and raised here, but my children were born here and might live their whole lives here. They will not marry each other. And I know no one in this area who is in that type of marriage or relationship. I don't see how what is being said here regarding that is any better, safer, or less offensive than what he has said.
*retreating back to lurking mode*

I apologize if I offended you. To me these are no more offensive than the "You might be a redneck" jokes. The first one was a joke and the story was true.

I apologize if I offended you.

 

[octobermoon]

AP: La. justice quits after interracial wed flap

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) -- A Louisiana justice of the peace who refused to marry a couple because the bride was white and groom was black resigned Tuesday, after weeks of refusing to step down despite calls for his ouster from officials including the governor.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_INTERRACIAL_REBUFF?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US

 

[Brwnigirl]

The guy finally makes an intelligent decision!

 

[Nova]

Which Nova, he is not required by law to do. This is his choice. No matter his excuse.
His choice could be anything, he doesn't like red underwear. Each person is entitled to his opinion and to exercise as he sees fit..Magistrates do not get to charge a personal fee
for this action. They charge what the state collects. Just thought you might like to know.

Granny, I don't have to sell my house. BUT IF I CHOOSE TO SELL IT, I am prohibited by law from considering a buyer's race as a factor in the sale.

Yes, we are all entitled to our personal biases, but when there is a pressing social interest in combatting ingrained and arbitrary prejudice, we may be prohibited by law from acting on some of our biases. And rightfully so.

I don't care whether or not the magistrate receives a personal fee for his services, he is still a civil servant. No civil servant should be allowed to discriminate on the basis of race. Period.

 

[Nova]

Velouria, he is not the one that issues the license. He is the one with the authority to marry in his state. He is not obligated to marry anyone. He receives no incentive to do so. That is why he can refuse. It is not part of his job description unless he agrees to do it. Maybe that is what I was trying to say. Hope that is better.

Well, to continue my house-selling analogy, if the magistrate had never performed any marriage, had always refused to perform any marriage, then you would be right: he couldn't be sued for refusing to perform this particular marriage of an interracial couple.

However, I am assuming it is not the case that the magistrate never performed any marriages.

 

[Nova]

This story does not surprise me one bit. I live on the MS. coast, out in the country. One of my neighbors is an african american family. Unfortunately we witness almost on a weekly basis the problems they face. They can't ride their bikes around anymore because a few people around here enjoy trying to run them off the road. The bus driver who is willing to pick up my son in front of our house when it is raining will not extend the same offer to them....the list goes on.
However, what is surprising to me is some of the comments being made here. This judge is being chastised for stereotyping interracial couples and their children but there are people here doing the same thing regarding southern families and the stereotypical "I married my brother/cousin/daddy".
And yet no one is being chastised about that stereotype....some even find it humorous.
I was not born and raised here, but my children were born here and might live their whole lives here. They will not marry each other. And I know no one in this area who is in that type of marriage or relationship. I don't see how what is being said here regarding that is any better, safer, or less offensive than what he has said.
*retreating back to lurking mode*

MM, I believe we've discussed this before and you know I was raised in the South.

But as long as white Southerners are running African-American bicyclists off roads, I don't think we get to complain about stereotyping.

Your children may rely on the defense that nobody is considered a true Mississippian unless his or her local roots go back to the War of Northern Aggression.

 

[mysterygirl]

MM, I believe we've discussed this before and you know I was raised in the South.

But as long as white Southerners are running African-American bicyclists off roads, I don't think we get to complain about stereotyping.

Your children may rely on the defense that nobody is considered a true Mississippian unless his or her local roots go back to the War of Northern Aggression.

I didn't know you were raised in the South Nova.

However she is right about stereotyping. If it is wrong it is wrong....regardless of what some idiots do......

 

[kgeaux]

As a representative of USA government, albeit on a small scale, this man did NOT have the right to base his decisions on the race of the bride and groom. He clearly is in the wrong.

While we are all happy and relieved to hear that he has stepped down, it is worthwhile to note that he has been under intense pressure to resign since day 1. The governor condemned the jp's decision, and asked him to step down. This man is so entrenched in his beliefs and so stubborn that it took way too long for him to realize he had done something wrong.

 

[Steely Dan]

As a representative of USA government, albeit on a small scale, this man did NOT have the right to base his decisions on the race of the bride and groom. He clearly is in the wrong.

While we are all happy and relieved to hear that he has stepped down, it is worthwhile to note that he has been under intense pressure to resign since day 1. The governor condemned the jp's decision, and asked him to step down. This man is so entrenched in his beliefs and so stubborn that it took way too long for him to realize he had done something wrong.

He didn't resign because he thought he did something wrong. He still thinks he's right.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/11/03/louisiana.interracial.marriage/index.html

Bardwell, speaking to CNN affiliate WBRZ, said he was advised "that I needed to step down because they was going to take me to court, and I was going to lose."

"I would probably do the same thing again," he said. "I found out I can't be a justice of the peace and have a conscience." :banghead:

 

[southcitymom]

I didn't know you were raised in the South Nova.

However she is right about stereotyping. If it is wrong it is wrong....regardless of what some idiots do......

Our own Southern belle! :crazy:

 

[mysterygirl]

Our own Southern belle! :crazy:

Scarlett O'Nova !?:idea: