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Louisiana: Justice of the Peace Resigns
The article went on to say that the couple would be suing Mr. Bardwell.
IMO, this is an appropriate response to the incident. It was not his personal belief/opinion that brought about the pressure to resign, it was his personal actions and the clear violation the couples' civil liberties.
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: November 3, 2009
A justice of the peace in Baton Rouge who refused to marry a couple because the bride was white and groom was black resigned. The justice of the peace, Keith Bardwell, who is white, quit the post with a one-sentence statement to the Louisiana secretary of state, Jay Dardenne, and no explanation of his decision. Mr. Bardwell refused to perform the ceremony for Beth Humphrey and Terence McKay on Oct. 6 because they are of different races. When questioned about his refusal, Mr. Bardwell acknowledged that he routinely recused himself from marrying interracial couples because he believed such marriages caused harm to the couples’ children. Mr. Bardwell’s resignation followed calls for his ouster from several public officials, including Gov. Bobby Jindal, a Republican, and Senator Mary L. Landrieu, a Democrat.
The article went on to say that the couple would be suing Mr. Bardwell.
IMO, this is an appropriate response to the incident. It was not his personal belief/opinion that brought about the pressure to resign, it was his personal actions and the clear violation the couples' civil liberties.