Keith Bardwell is a justice of the peace in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana refused to issue a marriage license to Beth Humphrey (who is white) and Terence McKay (who is black), the Associated Press reported today. Bardwell (who is white) stated that any children the couple might have might suffer.
“No one's ever complained about it before," Bardwell said Thursday, AP reported. "I do it to protect the children. The kids are innocent and I worry about their futures."
Bardwell stated that he always asks if the couple is interracial and if so, he refers them to another justice of the peace in the area. Bardwell has been a justice of the peace for 34 years, and runs without opposition each time, his current terms ends in 2014 and he stated that he had already decided he would not run again.
Two civil and constitutional rights organizations called on Keith Bardwell resign on Friday because he refused to marry the interracial couple.
However, I am certainly very disappointed that anyone representing the people of Tangipahoa Parish, particularly an elected official, would take such a divisive stand," Gordon Burgess Tangipahoa Parish President. "I would hope that Mr. Bardwell would consider offering his resignation if he is unable to serve all of the people of his district and our parish."
In the past 20 years, the number of interracial marriages has more than doubled according to the US Census Bureau. In Salt Lake City, there are several websites dedicated to help interracial couples succeed.
Source: Associated Press
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