Interracial couple in Louisiana denied marriage license

[bliss_eternal]

Interracial couple in Louisiana denied marriage license

updated 7:42 a.m. EDT, Fri October 16, 2009

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (CNN) -- Civil rights advocates in eastern Louisiana are calling for a justice of the peace of Tangipahoa Parish to resign after he refused to issue a marriage license to an interracial couple.


Terence McKay claims a justice of the peace refused to give him and his white girlfriend a marriage license.

"He's an elected public official and one of his duties is to marry people. He doesn't have the right to say he doesn't believe in it," Patricia Morris, president of the NAACP branch of Tangipahoa Parish, located near the Mississippi line, said Thursday.

"If he doesn't do what his position calls for him to do, he should resign from that position."

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http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/10/16/louisiana.interracial.marriage/

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This is cross-posted in the interracial support forum.

I find it interesting that this is happening in the year that the product of an interracial marriage is the President of our country. :eyes:

This guy is as bad as the pharmacists who chose to deny filling women's birth control prescriptions, on the basis of "the pharmacist's personal morality." :puke:

Who are these people, that think they are entitled to make decisions for others, instead of just doing their f**&^ jobs?

:grr::mad:

[comtec]

1. What does this have to do with feminism?

putting aside that I can not agree more that this is total racist, KKK, bullshit, and that I'm totally UNsurprised that it's come out of the deep south.

why post it here?

This is nothing like denying women a prescription for birth control.

this is a racist asshole doing what bigoted assholes do!

sad that the government would even hesitate to come down with the iron fist of GOD on these assholes!

that's the only surprising part. it's 2009, and these assholes are STILL re-living the civil war and before. how fucking sad!!!

[bliss_eternal]

2. Excuse me ....

...but in my opinion, you really need to do some reading about feminism. As opposed to derailing discussions, because you don't have a basic understanding of what comes under the umbrella of "feminism."

Feminism is about women's equality.
Apparently it didn't occur to you that there are women of color who are also concerned about their equality, as women. :shrug:
It is about the equality of women whether they are lesbian, straigt, bisexual, married, single, wealthy, middle class, impoverished, caucasian, yellow, brown, etc.

If you could be bothered to take the time to review the history of posts in this forum, you'd see this is not the first time such an issue has been brought here. We have had discussions about race and ethnicity as it relates to women's equality, and equality for women of color. As well as how the struggle for women's equality impacts the equality of other oppressed groups (i.e. glbt, disabled persons, ethnic and racial groups, immigrants, etc.). There are posts here about "gay rights being a feminist issue" and "the passing of a hate-crime bill."

I don't mean to be rude, but I don't understand your presence (or posts) in this forum. I also don't appreciate your disruptions here.

I come here to talk with other like minded people. I'm not here to defend what I post to those that can't be bothered to LEARN the basic principles of what this forum is about, BEFORE they post (or take members to task for their input).

Kindly, take the time to review our mission statement posted at the top of the forum.

[comtec]

5. my point is that she wasn't denied because she was a woman

she was denied because the "judge" is a fucking bigot.
I think you misunderstand my point, and I am trying to see how.

this is a racist issue, not a misogynist one.

*shrugs*

it's strange how I am being attacked, seeing as how we agree on the wrongness of this!

I don't consider this a feminist issue because there was another person involved who wasn't a female.

has any of you considered the man's feelings in this?

Have you thought for one millisecond how hurt, and crushed he is?
He LOVES this woman, and is not allowed to marry her!
what about him?

and yes, i feel that denying same-sex marriage is equally as wrong!

The judge is a racist asshole and should be tossed down a dark hole and forgotten about.

but this is a human rights issue, not a feminist issue.

[jmm]

6. Feminism is a human rights issue.

How can a movement that wants to build connections and breakdown barriers between people, and wants no roles other than those chosen or earned not support the rights of all? Nobody here is saying or implying the feelings of the man involved should not be considered. Anybody who would not consider his feelings or not be against discrimination based on race, sexual orientation, etc. would be going counter to the goals of feminism which will never be reached without a broad focus on humanism.

Also much of racism is rooted in sexism while many of the criticisms towards feminism are rooted in racism. We could discuss ad nauseam all the race based sex myths and the ways in which women are still seen as property. A quick Google search will show you plenty of people are opposed to feminism because they think it will lead white women to be promiscuous and have interracial relationship (usually this "fear" involves black men).

[bliss_eternal]

8. Excellent points, jmm...

As always. :thumbsup:

It pains me that you had to make such comments at all. Solely because someone has seen fit to come here and define feminism for women. :eyes: Two discussions have been derailed because of this clueless member.

Not sure if he's continued to hang around because his first post here was locked. Perhaps in an effort to prove himself somehow "less misogynistic." Whatever the reason, it didn't work, and dare I say--has failed miserably.

The more he says, the clearer it is who and what he is. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck....

:eyes:

[bliss_eternal]

7. YOU don't understand feminism.

...nor do you define it, for anyone--but YOURSELF.

You are attempting to apply what YOU think feminism is to us, instead of taking the time to learn the many ways it is applied, and has been applied in this forum in the past. I don't have time for such arrogance and contempt for this forum.

But thanks, for making the time in your busy schedule to wander in here, to dismiss and minimize the concerns of women of color.

We've had these discussions in the past. The only person complaining is YOU. Someone who has only frequented this forum of late, and has a locked thread here, about "men's issues." :eyes:

I won't be bothered to respond to you further. It's clear you are only here to derail discussion.
Consider yourself dismissed.

:hi: bye!

[comtec]

9. I surrender

I will never curse your forum thread again.

I sincerely apologize for thinking.

[bliss_eternal]

10. Not good enough.

You need to leave the forum, not merely the threads I've created.

I'm not the only one displeased with your presence here. You'd know that if it didn't seem you were intent on being obtuse. I'm merely the one to be so brusque in stating it. Others attempted to politely tell you, your posts seemed clueless and inappropriate for this forum.

You are NOT a feminist nor a supporter, clearly.

You've shown yourself to be unwilling to (and not open) to learn a damn thing about this forum or feminism. You have no right telling women how to define or feel about ANYTHING. Your arrogance and dismissive attitude aren't welcome here.

So leave, please.

[comtec]

11. I'm sorry you feel that way

I think you're making the perfect point as to why so many people are weary of feminists.

Believing everyone should be treated, and paid equally, is something most thinking people can get behind.

However I think you are being unreasonably harsh, because I dared to ask questions that call your delicate paradigm into question.

The saddest part is you're wrong.

we are on the same side, and I do believe in women's rights.

Isn't it better to be asked a harsh question by someone on your side who is only interested in improving our side's argument, than to have someone from the other side who only wants to cause us harm?

If I am not a feminist, what am I in your eyes then?

[bliss_eternal]

12. Your presence here...

...would be funny if it wasn't so pathetic.


Do feminists like men?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=341x14544

seems to me that you're just here to be pita, so we'll react (negatively) to your presence.
then you can prove your bullshit theory (from your above locked thread) as correct.

what dudes like you can never fully understand is the fact that people's (women's) reactions to you are all about YOU, your choices and behavior. not because feminism is based on some premise of "disliking men."

btw, most people dislike those with obnoxious behavior that show up out of the blue, hell bent on their own personal brand of illogical nonsense, with no apparent clue of how silly they look in the process. :spray::rofl:

[ismnotwasm]

14. Hey

I suppose y'all feelings are hurt and shit; but here's a couple of books for you. Remaining teachable is a good thing

"The Dialectic of Sex; The Case for Feminist Revolution" By Shulamith Firestone 1970.

"The Second Sex" by Simone de Beauvoir 1949

For background, read the works of Marx, Hegel, Foucault. Women philosophers aren't big names and still aren't, but these man are readily accessible to anyone on-line

You'll want to think a bit on your words regarding race or racism. Read works by Black Feminists. Or Latina feminists. Or Pan-Asian feminists. Do you think they, possibly have the right to say anything to say about interracial marriage? As feminists?

Your white privilege is showing.

To put things in perspective, A freebie from the way back machine

"Ain't I a woman" By Sojourner Truth
I want to say a few words about this matter. I am a woman's rights. I have as much muscle as any man, and can do as much work as any man. I have plowed and reaped and husked and chopped and mowed, and can any man do more than that? I have heard much about the sexes being equal. I can carry as much as any man, and can eat as much too, if I can get it. I am as strong as any man that is now. As for intellect, all I can say is, if a woman have a pint, and a man a quart -- why can't she have her little pint full? You need not be afraid to give us our rights for fear we will take too much, -- for we can't take more than our pint'll hold. The poor men seems to be all in confusion, and don't know what to do. Why children, if you have woman's rights, give it to her and you will feel better. You will have your own rights, and they won't be so much trouble. I can't read, but I can hear. I have heard the bible and have learned that Eve caused man to sin. Well, if woman upset the world, do give her a chance to set it right side up again. The Lady has spoken about Jesus, how he never spurned woman from him, and she was right. When Lazarus died, Mary and Martha came to him with faith and love and besought him to raise their brother. And Jesus wept and Lazarus came forth. And how came Jesus into the world? Through God who created him and the woman who bore him. Man, where was your part? But the women are coming up blessed be God and a few of the men are coming up with them. But man is in a tight place, the poor slave is on him, woman is coming on him, he is surely between a hawk and a buzzard."


Another book from A different direction;
"The White Boned Demon; A Biography of Madame Mao Zedong" By Ross Terrill. By no means a feminist book, it paints a very interesting picture of a strong willed and societally repressed and damaged woman in the midst of revolution

Another freebie and one of my favorites, (even though I'm not religious in the least) it's an awesome verbal ass-kicking from a devout woman.

Woman's Speaking Justified by Margaret Fell. 1666
This one is very long.

http://www.qhpress.org/texts/fell.html

I got tons more.

[bliss_eternal]

17. What an awesome post...!

:applause:

Sojourner Truth...so amazing!

[bliss_eternal]

3. ...

...self delete.

[ismnotwasm]

4. Whoa

I think you've missed the last half century or so of feminist history and/or simply don't understand what feminism is. Feminism embraces and fights for a number of causes. As ideology, philosophy or a political force, feminism is anti-racist, anti-hate, anti sexist AND anti heterosexist, or simply put, actively pro human-rights. Feminism goes way beyond birth control, abortion and equal pay. It always has.

I could recommend a number of feminist philosophers or political activists past and present who could make this a bit clearer for you if you're interested.

[whathehell]

19. What do YOU have to do with Feminism?

[bliss_eternal]

21. lol.

:spray:

[ismnotwasm]

13. Ugh

"My concern is for the children" Asshole. Why do people with this kind of hate always bring up the little ones, using 'the children'--- anyone's children or anyone's lack of children for that matter-- as some sort of personal moral armor? It's the augmentative equivalent of using children's bodies as bullet shielding.

[BlueIris]

15. The pathetic "for the children" rationalization is an excuse the abuser uses to

validate his/her abuse (because it makes a great, if twisted, ploy for sympathy; how could anyone's behavior be wrong if it's done "for the children"?). I've seen it used all too frequently, too, and it's disgusting.

[bliss_eternal]

16. I'm conflicted...

...about which comment troubles me most. The "I'm doing this for the sake of the children" garbage or the "I'm not racist because I allow black people to use my bathroom" comment.

As if permitting people to utilize the room you take a crap in, is somehow akin to being a great humanitarian. :crazy:

[ismnotwasm]

18. I missed that

but it's typical.


And I also don't buy that shit "he doesn't think he's a racist" Whatever comfortable fluffy white cloud he's sitting is there because he's allowed to sit on it. His shit needed to be called on, because evidently this isn't the first time, if he "doesn't sign off on interracial marriages".

If this is true, why is his ass is still on the bench in THE FIRST PLACE is what I want to know. What, he gets to pick and choose when to obey the constitution? Evidently that's been the case. I'm thinking about others he may have turned away, who just went on to someone else rather than raise hell. I think of the the harm he's caused with that mental instability he has while presiding over court.

[bliss_eternal]

20. It's scary...

....that he's still in a position of authority. Though follow-up stories have stated his job was now at risk due to the attention to this issue (see first link below). Unfortunately, I get the sense that no one has challenged him prior to this, because this attitude is still tolerated in that area.



Link to story stating he was asked to resign:
http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2009/10/interracial_couple_wins_suppor.html

Another follow-up, stating the couple is suing the judge/state of nola:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/abraham/detail??blogid=95&entry_id=50006


this link to huffpo. has videos at end of story (comments by judge, others, etc.).
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/15/interracial-couple-denied_n_322784.html