A quick update to this post: Justice of the Peace may be racist.
Bardwell has finally resigned his office. According to CNBC:
Keith Bardwell quit with a one-sentence statement to Louisiana Secretary of State Jay Dardenne: "I do hereby resign the office of Justice of the Peace for the Eighth Ward of Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, effective November 3, 2009."
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal said that this was long overdue, and I must say that I kind of agree with him. Bardwell’s refusal to apologize and refusal to step down has been a travesty for the administration of justice.
I don’t think you can have someone in office as a Justice of the Peace who openly discriminates against those of other races. It simply does not allow for faith in the justice system. And yes, I obviously understand the role JoP’s play, but being part of the greater legal establishment does impose a certain obligation upon them.
Now, the couple in question has filed a federal lawsuit against Bardwell. Now I don’t think that’s necessary in a case like this, when the ‘justice’ has already been served by his removal from office. The damage was minimal, as the couple was referred to someone who would perform the ceremony and not rejected outright. But we will see how it goes.
[Source: MSNBC]
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