This Justice isn't color-blind

Louisiana Justice of the Peace Keith Bardwell is getting hammered for refusing to issue a marriage license to a black man and a white woman because he doesn't believe in "mixing the races".

Parish, state and federal officials, Democrats and Republicans all agree that even Louisiana has come too far for that. Gov. Bobby Jindal, for example says that "Disciplinary action should be taken immediately — including the revoking of his license."

I was appalled, of course, which was why I looked up the original stories. Maybe I've been on Saipan too long, watching its residents "mix" with a vengeance.

"There is a problem with both groups accepting a child from such a marriage," he said "I think those children suffer and I won't help put them through it." Whew. I hadn't heard a lame rationalization like that since the last rerun of Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?.

But even a screenwriter would think it 'over the top' to have a character say he had "piles and piles of black friends" and come up with lines like these: "They come to my home, I marry them, they use my bathroom. I treat them just like everyone else."

So, yeah, he's bigoted, disgusting and I find his views abhorrent.

And, yet... both stories say he refers couples of different races to another Justice of the Peace. That doesn't excuse his views, but it lowers my fever a bit.

People who know better than I say that's still breaking the law, so I suppose he'd better be put out to pasture with the other dinosaurs.

I wouldn't want him to sign my marriage certificate anyway.