I do not think that word means what you think it means...

[fairyrune]

I'm sure you've all heard about the Louisiana Justice of the Peace who is in the habit of denying interracial couples marriage licenses.

To be clear, I'm going to start with a definition from Webster's.

rac·ism
Pronunciation: \ˈrā-ˌsi-zəm also -ˌshi-\
Function: noun
Date: 1933

1 : a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race
2 : racial prejudice or discrimination
rac·ist \-sist also -shist\ noun or adjective

For those of you who may not be familiar with what's going on, Mr. Keith Barwell is a Justice of the Peace in NOLA. He refuses to issue marriage licenses to interracial couples because he feels that their future children will not be accepted by society.

He says, "I'm not a racist. I just don't believe in mixing the races that way." By definition, that actually makes him a racist, doesn't it? That falls under "racial prejudice or discrimination," if I'm not mistaken.

As for the children, he says, "There is a problem with both groups accepting a child from such a marriage. I think those children suffer and I won't help put them through it." While this isn't quite eugenics, (a science that deals with the improvement [as by control of human mating] of hereditary qualities of a race or breed,) it does seem that he is trying to dictate who can breed with whom. Who is he to say who can have children, and who can't?

He also claims the "I have black friends, so I can't be racist!" excuse. He says, "I have piles and piles of black friends. They come to my home, I marry them, they use my bathroom. I treat them just like everyone else." Unless, of course, they want to marry a white person.

This is 2009. The US government declared interracial marriages legal forty-two years ago. Mr. Barwell has taken it upon himself to ignore the law, and do as he sees fit.

I think he should be asked to resign immediately. If he cannot perform his duties as the law states he should, then he can no longer serve as a Justice of the Peace.

Comments

[spreadsothin.livejournal.com]

I think it's creepy the way he describes his black friends- he has piles of them? they use his bathroom? really?

Yeah, Loving vs. Virginia should give him a smackdown.

[fairyrune]

I KNOW! I'm like, dude, that makes you sound like you're trying WAY TOO FUCKING HARD.

[mcallahan.livejournal.com]

Is he an asshole? Yes.

Should he resign as a justice of the peace immediately? Yes, definately

Is he by definition a racist? Unfortunately no...

He doesnt believe whites are superior to blacks or anyone else. He believes that the children of interracial unions are outcasts in BOTH cultures and therefore refuses to be a part of it. I bet if he was approached by a Spanish/Black couple or an Asian/White couple he would likely react the same way... but no one asked him about that.

Personally, I don't think it's right and I think he's an F'n idiot... but it isnt racism.

[fairyrune]

I disagree. Not signing a marriage document because the couple have different skin colors is discrimination based on race. That, by definition, is racisim.

I think the "But think of the children!" excuse is ass-covering bullshit. Those people can have kids regardless of whether or not he signs their marriage license, so what's the fucking problem?

[barrelofrain.livejournal.com]

Racism is also categorized by the systematic oppression of a particular group (for the reasons mentioned above). Though he is an individual acting, it's on behalf of an institution, and therefore is systematic oppression.

So, I'm going to have to agree... His actions are racist and he should step down.

Sorry for typos... On my phone!

[synnoveaevael.livejournal.com]

good thing he doesn't handle any out of country or inter-racial adoptions! think of the children!

[fairyrune]

I wonder if he signs marriage licenses for poor people? Or people with disabilities? Think of the children!

[synnoveaevael.livejournal.com]

HAHAHAH! i mean, seriously. biracial children can have horrible things happen to them. like. become president. hahahahh

[fairyrune]

And win a Nobel prize! And graduate from Havard! THE HORROR!

[synnoveaevael.livejournal.com]

i wouldn't want that shit for MY kid. sheesh.

[woogledesigns.livejournal.com]

The thing is I can see the layers in his head.

He's probably a bit disgusted by the idea of a black hand touching the inside of a white thigh. Lots of people are. But he recognises this and keeps it quiet and tells himself off a bit when he catches himself thinking badly about it. He has black friends and genuinely treats them politely and kindly and has them in his home and genuinely cares about them on one level. But he knows that there is a social reality that people less restrained than him will hate the mixed race (just a reminder- there's no such thing as race apart from as a social construct: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmtubiCfYjY ) family and especially persecute the children of it. So, out of a genuine belief that he is doing the kindest thing he discourages those unions.

This is in fact WORSE than someone who just hates people for having a different body type. This guy, in his head forgive his black friends for being black. He makes exceptions for them, in his head. And he thinks, he genuinely thinks he's not racist for doing this. He won't even recognise what he's doing. He has no idea that he shouldn't. It has not sunk into his head that if his black friends are genuinely equal then no exception, no special treatment would be necessary. That if he did this his response to the awful truth that the children of much darker skinned and a much paler skinned parents will be called half breed and mongrel and whatever else would be to sit the couple down and talk to them about how they will be coping with this, in the short and long term. Instead he does a hateful thing- he excludes. He does a hateful thing and believes with all his heart that he is being loving.

[fairyrune]

You hit the nail right on the head. That is probably exactly how is brain is working.

The notion that marriage automatically equals babies irks me to no end, as well. I want to get married, but I can't ever see myself having a kid. Ever. In fact, Rich and I have already decided that in the unlikely event that we lose change our minds, we're going to adopt.