PETITION CLOSED

  • The time period for signing this petition has ended.
  1. Signatures
    85 out of 1,000
    Petitioning
    1. Rep. Charles Boustany (+ 8 others)
      Petitioning
      close
      • Rep. Charles Boustany (LA-07)
      • Rep. Rodney Alexander (LA-05)
      • Sen. Mary Landrieu (LA)
      • Rep. Charlie Melancon (LA-03)
      • Gov. Bobby Jindal (LA)
      • Rep. Steve Scalise (LA-01)
      • Rep. Joseph Cao (LA-02)
      • Rep. John Fleming (LA-04)
      • Rep. Bill Cassidy (LA-06)
  2. Created By
    Wendy Bunker
    Lakewood, WA
About this Petition Petition Letter

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091016/ap_on_re_us/us_interracial_rebuff

A white justice of the peace in Louisiana refused to issue a marriage license and marry an interracial couple. His excuses were concern for the children they would have. He also went on to state that he doesn't believe in mixing the races and interracial marriages do not last long. And they aren't the first couple. He has refused three others as well.

Call for the state of Louisiana to remove his license. Blatant racism, abuse of power and discrimination should not be ignored.

Recent Signatures

It is 2009, not 1920. Remove license from Louisianna Justice of Peace Keith Bardwell.

Dear Representative

Keith Bardwell, justice of the peace for Tangipahoa Parish’s 8th Ward refused a marriage license to an interracial couple.

Just a few of his reasons:

"I just don't believe in mixing the races that way" -Keith Bardwell

Is it his place as a justice of the piece to push his beliefs onto others and rob them of their basic rights?

"Came to the conclusion that most of black society does not readily accept offspring of such relationships, and neither does white society." -Keith Bardwell

Is Keith Bardwell a Ph.D. level educated psychologist? Does he have years of data and personal work in the field to back up his conclusions? Is Keith Bardwell himself black? Does he have any idea of the cultural acceptations for African-Americans?

"I think those children suffer and I won't help put them through it" -Keith Bardwell

Does Keith Bardwell have a mass of experience with mulatto children? Has he himself suffered as he "thinks" they have?

"Most interracial marriages do not last long" -Keith Bardwell

Does he have documented and non-bias evidence to back this up? Are there further complications of data that divide the failed marriage groups by income and circumstance?

"He has refused to marry about four couples during his career" -Keith Bardwell

Four couples have been discriminated against! And here he still stands!

In the year 2009, in the wake of the nations first African-American president, members of the African-American community are still experiencing blatant discrimination. Keith Bardwell has abused his power four times with a clear discriminatory policy against interracial relationships. And no one has called for him to resign? It is time that something is done. Keith Bardwell should be removed of his position and never allowed to serve the public again. The public is a mixture of all colors, black, white, yellow and red. There are no dividing lines. Keith Bardwell should have the old school glasses removed from his face to see that the public is all, not his desired separate races.

[Your name]

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