Not Yet... Not Yet!

Every now and then, I read something in the newspaper or hear something on the news so ridiculous, I have to slap myself and hope that I'm not dreaming. You know, we have an African American or bi-racial president now, whichever label you want to choose. We had a lot of hopeful Americans running around saying that this was the beginning of "post-racial America" and I have to admit, for a minute I had bought it all... hook, line, and sinker. But ever so often, there comes a story in the news like this one that makes me shake my head and just sigh, "Not yet... not yet."

A white Louisiana Justice of the Peace recently refused to issue a marriage license to an interracial couple out of concern for any children the couple might have. I heard this and I said to myself, "Are you kidding me?" What business is it of the Justice of the Peace what happens to the (unborn) children of this couple? Since when did Americans become Gladys Kravitz (the newsy neighbor on Bewitched, who was always looking in Darren and Samantha's window?)

Keith Bardwell, Justice of the Peace in Tangipahoa Parish, (He would have to have my first name, wouldn't he?) says it is his experience that most interracial marriages do not last long. (Oh really, he's an expert at this?)Bardwell told the Associated Press on Thursday, "I'm not a racist. I just don't believe in mixing the races that way. (Yeah, right!) I have piles and piles of black friends. They come to my home, I marry them, they use my bathroom,(Well gee, isn't that special. They can sit on his toilet!) and I treat them just like everyone else."

Bardwell said he asks everyone who calls about marriage if they are a mixed race couple. If they are, he does not marry them. Further, he 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 the offspring of such relationships and neither does white society.

Bardwell said, "There is a problem with both groups accepting a child from such a marriage. I think those children suffer and I won't help put them through it." If he did an interracial marriage for one couple, he must do the same for all, he said. "I try to treat everyone equally." he said. (Dude, thou dost protest a bit much!)

Bardwell estimates that he has refused to marry about four couples during his career, all in the past two-and-a-half years. Beth Humphrey, 30 years old, and Terence McKay, 32 years old, both of Hammond, say they will consult the U.S. Justice Department about filing a discrimination complaint against the Justice of the Peace.

Humphrey, an account manager for a marketing firm, said she and McKay, a welder, just returned to Louisiana. She is white and he is black. She plans to enroll in the University of New Orleans to pursue a masters degree in minority politics. She said, "That was one thing that made this so unbelievable. It's not something you would expect in this day and age." This is right, you would not expect this kind of crap in this day and age. This is supposed to be post-racial America.

Humphrey said she called Bardwell on October 6th to inquire about getting a marriage license signed. She says Bardwell's wife told her that Bardwell will not sign marriage licenses for interracial couples. Bardwell suggested the couple go to another Justice of the Peace in the parish, who agreed to marry them.

Humphrey said, "We are looking forward to having children and all our friends and co-workers have been very supportive. Except for this, we're typical happy newlyweds." It is really astonishing and disappointing to see this come up in 2009," said American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana attorney Katie Schwartzmann. She said the Supreme Court ruled in 1967 "that the government cannot tell people who they can and cannot marry."

The ACLU sent a letter to the Louisiana Judiciary Committee, which oversees the state Justices of the Peace, asking them to investigate Bardwell and recommending "the most severe sanctions available because such blatant bigotry poses a substantial threat of serious harm to the administration of justice."

"He knew he was breaking the law but, continued to do it," Schwartzmann said. According to the Clerk of Court's office, application for a marriage license must be made three days before the ceremony because there is a 72-hour waiting period. The applicants are asked if they have previously been married. If so, they must show how the marriage ended, such as divorce.

Other than that, all they need is a birth certificate and Social Security card (and to be of the same race, apparently). The license fee is $ 35 and the license must be signed by a Louisiana minister, Justice of the Peace, or a judge. The original is returned to the clerk's office. Bardwell said, "I've been a Justice of the Peace for 34 years and I don't think I've mistreated anybody. I've made some mistakes but, you have too. I didn't tell this couple they couldn't get married. I just told them that I wouldn't do it."

Incredible! Just incredible! So, do I still think we are seeing the dawning of the post-racial America age? Yes. Do I think we are there yet? Not yet... Lord have mercy, not yet!