Interracial couple denied marriage license in Louisina--in 2009!

[Disney Doll]

Racism is alive and well and on all sides.

Well, that is quite true and we generally don't hear much about the other "side" of racism, but I guess that is for a different thread!

 

[FireDancer]

People have good reason to be hung up on some of these things. I think most people in the country, including myself, would like to see an end to racism. Unfortunatly the people who find it unacceptable to be racist against a black person - or whatever minoroity race - find it perfectly acceptable to be racist against a white person. Until things end that single out one race or another (such as scholorships for people of a certain race) racism will be alive and well.

Racism either way is equally wrong. A hate crime by one race against another is a hate crime regardless of which race is the perpetrator and which the victim. Racism against white people is under or not reported and under or not prosecuted and find it appalling but I won't use the "but they are doing it" defense to justify actions. That is kind of juvenile.

Certain sexual preference go against most religous beliefs and people will always feel they wrong.

Using ones religious beliefs to determine one's own actions if fine with me. Projecting those beliefs on someone else is not. An orthodox Jew will not eat pork, and he is free to do that. He can not, however, criminalize my choice to eat pork.

As far a nationality goes, do you watch the news or read the papers? There is a war going on. If you, as an civilian american walked down the street in certain counties you could likely be killed just for no other reason than because you are an american. There are certain nations and their people that despise the U.S. and it people so there is good reason to be against certain nationalities.

We don't have to stoop to their level. In America anyone should be able to walk down any street without being killed for any reason. Other countries can deal with their own issues and I will avoid the ones that will behead me because of where I was born. Again, I won't use the "but they are doing it" defense to justify actions.

If a church wants to deny a marriage to an interracial couple or a gay couple they are free to do so. There are different rules applied to government officials and private citizens. Now, after looking more into the story it does look like this guy was purposely singled out because they knew what his answer would be. This doesn't excuse the guy but it makes the actions of the couple disingenuous.

 

[Mermaid02]

I disagree. He is obligated to follow the law and perform his duties. And what if there were no other JoPs available? Would you also think it okay for a cop to fail to respond to a domestic violence call because he was a fundamentalist who thought it was okay for men to beat their wives? If his personal beliefs about race inhibit his ability to do his job he should change careers. I feel this way about pharmacists who have "moral" problems with birth control, too.

yeah- what she said.

And I'm all for outing the racist pig.

 

[sunnyday123]

I disagree. He is obligated to follow the law and perform his duties. And what if there were no other JoPs available? Would you also think it okay for a cop to fail to respond to a domestic violence call because he was a fundamentalist who thought it was okay for men to beat their wives? If his personal beliefs about race inhibit his ability to do his job he should change careers. I feel this way about pharmacists who have "moral" problems with birth control, too.

Right!!!

 

[bicker]

Everyone is entitled to personal beliefs and opinions, but those should not carry over into a job as a public official (or any other job).

Absolutely... when we're at home or in our private lives, that's one thing, but when we're performing any duty for which we've received any type of license or registration from the government, then anti-discrimination laws should be applied. That goes beyond elected and appointed government officials, to include cab drivers (hack license), doctors (medical license), CPAs (accountant certification), etc.

 

[luvmy3]

I live in Arkansas and my husband is a quorum court member (justice of the peace). He is an elected official. He does not issue the marriage licenses. He sometimes gets calls to marry people. He doesn't care what color they are. If he's available when they want to get married then he usually does it. He is not obligated to marry anyone. When he does marry them he signs the license and then the couple take it back to the clerk at the courthouse to be filed. His obligation as a quorum court member is to attend the meetings and serve our county and the people of his district. I'm assuming it's basically the same in Lousiana. Now I do not agree with the things this man said he sounds totally racist and plain stupid. On the other hand I don't think he should have to marry anyone but giving his reasons was just plain ignorant. Part of the story sounds like they were already married and didn't have the license signed. I agree with another poster that it sounds like this was the response they were hoping for. I wouldn't waste my time on the moron but whatever floats your boat.

Does performing a legal marriage ceremony not fall under the obligation to serve the people of your husbands district? Just curious since it seems to be a contradiction t say he isn't obligated to marry them, but he is to serve them