Louisiana Justice Who Won't Marry Mixed Race Couples Quits

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.

Keith Bardwell quit with a one-sentence statement to Louisiana Secretary of State Jay Dardenne and no explanation of his decision: “I do hereby resign the office of Justice of the Peace for the Eighth Ward of Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, effective November 3, 2009.”

Gov. Bobby Jindal called Bardwell’s resignation “long overdue.”

Bardwell, who is white, refused to marry Beth Humphrey and Terence McKay.

When questioned, Bardwell acknowledged he routinely recuses himself from marrying interracial couples because he believes the marriages harm the couples’ children. In interviews, he said he refers the couples to other justices of the peace, who then perform the ceremony, which happened in this case.

Read the rest of the NY Daily News article here.

And I was thinking we was free up there ;)

Onward!

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