Preface: I unequivocally believe that there is ONE Race, the Human Race, and we just come in many colors.  But to simplify communication, I will address this by the more "common" terms and usage.

I might as well weigh in on the Louisiana J.P.  Inter-Racial Marriage scandal.  I think everyone is being ridiculous, in their drive to "prove" they are not prejudiced, people tend to over-react in the opposite direction.  To me, that exactly proves, that those people really are prejudiced.

First of all, Freedom dictates that we allow others to believe what they want, say what they feel, and practice that belief.  If we don't give freedom, we don't get freedom, and we don't change people's minds by getting angry, calling them names, or threatening their livelihood.  Secondly, half my family is from Louisiana, and not only have I been there hundreds of times growing up, but I lived in New Orleans after Katrina and Rita to help rebuild.  A lot of Louisianans are prejudiced.  I'm from Houston Texas, where it is more diversified and equal, ain't saying there isn't prejudice here, but it is much more low key and rare.  I was shocked, on many occasions, at how blatant the people were with their bias.  Also, I have seen how the Bi- and Multi-Racial kids are discriminated against by all sides and Races, so Justice Keith Bardwell's statement was a statement of fact, they could have a very hard time growing up in this society.  And finally, getting married by the J.P., as well as several other civil functions, is not a MANDATORY duty of the J.P.  You have to apply and pay for these services and the Justices can choose to do them or not, it affects their personal money if they decide not to pick up this side work.  In a county or parish where there are multiple J.P.'s, you are not being denied a service just because one of them chooses not to do it.

I think it is absolutely ludicrous that someone would bring Obama's name into this: He barely talked of his "white side", except as a footnote; Virtually everyone calls him and thinks of him as"black", just ask Kanye West and Jay-Z; And though, he had the perfect opportunity to bring the Bi- and Multi-Racial issue to the forefront, he choose to run by single Color.  I have several Bi- and Multi-Racial nieces and nephews, can't count all the friends that are, and I'm really ticked off by the way Obama and America has handled this issue.  This is a fast growing demographic of our society and it will only continue to grow in the future.  In a hundred years, virtually all American children will be Bi- or Multi-Racial.  I guess we need a Bi-Racial, modern day, Martin Luther King to champion for them, because until that happens, they are simply categorized by which they favor most and then forgotten.

The Justice had a cognizant point, based upon the community that the couple reside in.  I don't like the reasons why he had to make this point, I don't like the fact that this bias exists and is more prevalent then we all pretend, BUT, I will not pretend that it doesn't exist at the expense of the children from this marriage.  Yes, the couple should be able to get married, as long as they are aware and ready to handle the situations and circumstances that arise from their decision.  But they weren't denied their marriage, Justice Keith Bardwell chose not to personally perform the ceremony.  A decision based upon his own conscience, and the only one that can make your decisions for you, is you.

So instead of going after a Justice for exercising his freedom of choice in his own actions, why don't we try to change the reasons that make him feel so strongly.  Don't kill the messenger, solve the problem!

An interesting footnote, the most Racially biased man I have ever met, was a black man from Chicago.  And, considering some of the Rednecks I grew up with, that is a statement.