What about the kids?

Apparently no one told Keith Bardwell, a justice of the peace down in Louisiana that its 2009 and that folks of different races have the legal right to get married. Seems an interracial couple went to get a marriage license and this lovely man told them no can do. It seems in his view such unions don’t last and well the kids are not accepted by anyone. By the way, all the news account I have read about Bardwell state that he is not a racist, hell he even lets Negroes use his toilet.  Nice to know should I ever darken his doorstep with a hot case of the runs, he will let a sista use his can….mighty nice of him. I wonder if I could drink from his cups too?

Obviously as a Black woman partnered to a man who last time I checked was white this story felt a little personal, especially because many years ago I heard similar arguments against interracial unions from members of my own family. Hell, I got family members so anti-white that the last time I went to a family reunion, a fair number of folks didn’t talk to me. Saw some of these same assholes when my Momma died and only my Mom’s spirit kept me from cussing em out but that’s another story.

Yes, Bardwell is an ass and hopefully this couple will go on to marry and grow old and gray together. Though its funny because the longer I stay married (12 years in a few weeks) I have wondered what does become of interracial couples? I mean you can find all sorts of tidbits about interracial dating, etc but I rarely see any media coverage about interracial couples married 20-30 years…I suspect there are lots of reasons for that. The reason’s range from it wasn’t until more recent years folks started marrying across racial lines in greater numbers though I suspect a bigger reason is that at a certain point you are just a couple.

Seriously, the Spousal Unit is white, I am Black but we are at the stage in life that race doesn’t phase me. He is just the man I married and like on most days. I spend more time thinking about life, not race.  Hell I don’t even think race factored into why me and the first Spousal Unit split up, more that we were too damn young to have gotten married in the first place.

As for the kids, what about the kids? Yes, biracial kids sometimes catch flack from others but not always and I think among the youth today its almost considered cool to be biracial. As a buddy mentioned to me my son most certainly doesn’t suffer from a lack of friends male or female. I think the only time biracial kids have real issues is when they have no one to talk to them about their roots. I think when kids are connected to their historical roots as well as community, it creates a safe space for them.

Nah, sorry but Bardwell’s arguments are steeped in pure old fashioned racism. That’s ok though see once upon a time a jackass like Bardwell could do this shit and no one would know but now???? Hell, lil ole me up here in Maine is adding my two cents. Hopefully the unemployment line is going to feel real good to Bardwell after this move.

3 thoughts on “What about the kids?”

  1. As a parent of 3 African American (biracial) kids, no 21, 21, and almost 17, this guy is full of crap. I no more believe his claims that he knows scores of biracial folks who have told him they’re not accepted anywhere, than I do his claims that he’s not a racist. Please, what PoC would confide their experiences to this asshat?

    I do agree with what you said: I think the only time biracial kids have real issues is when they have no one to talk to them about their roots. I think when kids are connected to their historical roots as well as community, it creates a safe space for them.

    When my ex and I got married in ’85, we were actually on an Army post in the south. I wouldn’t say we got a warm welcome at the justice of peace, but they married us before we took off for Germany. I later learned that as the white parent, I was completely uneducated and unprepared to parent kids of color – spent 12 years out of the country where we didn’t have to think about it, and played catch up real fast when I came back as a single mom and saw what was going on in the schools and communities. Yeah, I was raised “colorblind”, and had to work to undo that crap.

    Anyway, looking at my own 3 kids, who are mostly grown, this guy is just an ignorant bigot in power who’s projecting his own opinions as “fact” in order to officially put his racist agenda in place. I’d like to meet some of these mythical folks who use his toilet and confide their experiences to him …

  2. Didn’t he have his nerve, inventing statistics to justify his hatred? I hope his azz gets fired, but given the area, I’ll be surprised.

    BTW, do you have any idea how the not so new anymore black former LA police chief is enjoying Maine? I don’t know why I think him from time to time since reading your old post on him; but he’s like a curiosity b/c his move was such change in environment both as a citizen and for his career.

    On a side note, thanks again. I enjoyed that.

    ~Kit

  3. Thanks for sharing your perspective on this. Genuine LOL at this part:

    By the way, all the news account I have read about Bardwell state that he is not a racist, hell he even lets Negroes use his toilet. Nice to know should I ever darken his doorstep with a hot case of the runs, he will let a sista use his can….mighty nice of him. I wonder if I could drink from his cups too?

    I think I know which movie I’ll watch tomorrow night:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0ZMw-N97tw

Comments are closed.