Interracial couple denied marriage certificate

[Purple Fencer]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091016/...rracial_rebuff

Like Louisiana doesn't have enough negative hits??

Did this judge ever hear of Loving vs Virginia??

[lindajdunn]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091016/...rracial_rebuff

Like Louisiana doesn't have enough negative hits??

Did this judge ever hear of Loving vs Virginia??

And, in response to his comment about how a biracial marriage could harm the children of such a marriage, has anyone thought to tell him that the President is biracial?

Someone has been living in a time bubble.

[Insipiens]

Given the % of marriages that end in divorce in America* why does he bother marrying anyone at all?

* here are some statistics I found on the internet at divorcerate.org

According to enrichment journal on the divorce rate in America:
The divorce rate in America for first marriage is 41%
The divorce rate in America for second marriage is 60%
The divorce rate in America for third marriage is 73%

So he definitely shoudln't do any second or third marriages.

[foibles]

"I'm not a racist. I just don't believe in mixing the races that way,"

Time bubble is right.

It strikes me so odd that interracial marriage has only become legal within my lifetime.

It has always seemed like it should've been allowed much earlier than 1967.

[Greybeard]

Did this judge ever hear of Loving vs Virginia??

I was just going to bring that up. Good reference

[Philistine]

{snips}It strikes me so odd that interracial marriage has only become legal within my lifetime.

It has always seemed like it should've been allowed much earlier than 1967.

It's not that interracial marriage became legal in 1967--it's that banning interracial marriage became illegal in 1967.

By 1967, there were only 16 states which had anti-miscegenation laws on the books--and in the 15 years prior, 14 states had stricken them.

A few states (Pennsylvania for instance) hasn't had once since the late 1700's.

--Philistine

[Purple Fencer]

Really doesn't make the South look good....

[MyrddinsPrecint]

In trying to convince people you have black "friends", specifically noting that you allow them to use your bathroom is NOT actually very convincing.

[Go? Fencing?]

I see two issues here- him not wanting to marry an interracial couple, and him choosing not to perform a marriage. I don't know how this varies state to state, but when my mom became a Justice of the Peace in CT last year, she was told that she could choose what she wanted to do. She could perform as many marriages as she wanted, or if she didn't want to, she didn't have to do any. So she could certainly choose not to marry a couple, regardless of the reason. This guy's reason is, to me, a separate issue from his decision not to marry them.

[Purple Fencer]

I see two issues here- him not wanting to marry an interracial couple, and him choosing not to perform a marriage. I don't know how this varies state to state, but when my mom became a Justice of the Peace in CT last year, she was told that she could choose what she wanted to do. She could perform as many marriages as she wanted, or if she didn't want to, she didn't have to do any. So she could certainly choose not to marry a couple, regardless of the reason. This guy's reason is, to me, a separate issue from his decision not to marry them.

I read it as him refusing to marry the couple because they're mixed race....a violation of the protections laud out following Loving vs Virginia.

It's not HIS job to worry about their kids -- for all he knows this couple will choose to be childless....who is HE to make that decision for them?

And like Linda said....Pres. Obama didn't turn out so bad, did he???

He can choose not to perform a marriage so long as he applies that to EVERY couple....the moment he brings race into it (which he did), any cred goes out the window.

[I_luv_saber]

So she could certainly choose not to marry a couple, regardless of the reason. This guy's reason is, to me, a separate issue from his decision not to marry them.

While he could may be able to refuse to perform the marriage without giving a particular reason, I would think it would get sticky if he said it was because of race.

It's like the difference between an employer simply not hiring you without reason, or telling you they have not hired you because they feel white and black people don't work well together.

[Inquartata]

when my mom became a Justice of the Peace in CT last year, she was told that she could choose what she wanted to do. She could perform as many marriages as she wanted, or if she didn't want to, she didn't have to do any.

Hmm. I had to become a Notary Public for work purposes, and was told that I could not refuse to do a notarization, and couldn't restrict doing them, because I was now a "public official"...

It's the "I'm not a racist" part that gets me. What dictionary is the guy using, anyway?

[Wetmelon]

k this is why I'm still waiting for the generation who was born AFTER segregation (Realistically 1975 or younger, at oldest) to grow up and take power in the US, so that we can get rid of this crap...

At least they're swaying with the votes now :P

[Fiat Slug]

I see two issues here- him not wanting to marry an interracial couple, and him choosing not to perform a marriage. I don't know how this varies state to state, but when my mom became a Justice of the Peace in CT last year, she was told that she could choose what she wanted to do. She could perform as many marriages as she wanted, or if she didn't want to, she didn't have to do any. So she could certainly choose not to marry a couple, regardless of the reason. This guy's reason is, to me, a separate issue from his decision not to marry them.

I'm not sure what the law is in Louisiana. However, if the state law says that only certain people can sign marriage certificates and these people can choose to not sign marriage certificates for unconstitutional reasons, then the state law is basically unconstitutional. The guy who refused to sign marriage certificates is either breaking the (state) law or the state law is unconsitutional. Either way, this does not look good for Louisiana.

[thereom4]

In trying to convince people you have black "friends", specifically noting that you allow them to use your bathroom is NOT actually very convincing.

It actually made him sound worse. Because of course extending someone this courtesy ensures you're not a racist.

[I_luv_saber]

It actually made him sound worse. Because of course extending someone this courtesy ensures you're not a racist.

For serious. If one thinks it's a big deal that you actually let them use your bathroom (like it's some great concession), gives kind of an insight into one's mind....

"I mean, I don't yell hate speech at black people passing by, how can you call me a racist? It's not like a throw a punch at every black guy I see..."

[Sabre-Gator]

This is just a bad deal for this Justice of the Peace no matter how you look at it.

[Beloit Fencer of Old]

Given the % of marriages that end in divorce in America* why does he bother marrying anyone at all?

* here are some statistics I found on the internet at divorcerate.org

According to enrichment journal on the divorce rate in America:
The divorce rate in America for first marriage is 41%
The divorce rate in America for second marriage is 60%
The divorce rate in America for third marriage is 73%

So he definitely shoudln't do any second or third marriages.

I would assume that the trend in these statistics make perfect sense to anyone capable of critical thought. With the exception of those entering into a 2nd marriage due to the death of their spouse, second marriages (or at lease one spouse in each) are populated by people who have shown a willingness to divorce.

[Inquartata]

The triumph of hope over experience is the only thing that keeps half of the human race going on.

The other half is just the victim of continuing stupidity.

[glowstix]

Hmm. I had to become a Notary Public for work purposes, and was told that I could not refuse to do a notarization, and couldn't restrict doing them, because I was now a "public official"...

OMG..YOU a public official??? what's next??..