Mo. Gov Wants Marriage Ban Repealed

One day after a suit was filed challenging Missouri's ban on same-sex marriage, the state's governor said he supports repealing the ban -- but through the electorate, not the courts.

Missouri has a state constitutional amendment, approved by voters in 2004, prohibiting same-sex marriages there as well as recognition of those performed elsewhere. "I hope the voters will have a chance to revisit that issue," Nixon said Thursday at an event sponsored by the Missouri Press Association and the Associated Press. "If it appeared on the ballot again, I would vote to allow same-sex marriage."

He also said, "My personal belief is that we shouldn't treat folks differently because of who they are and who they love. If folks want to get married, they should be able to get married," the AP reports.

The American Civil Liberties union filed suit Wednesday seeking recognition for the unions of Missouri same-sex couples who were married in other states.

Nixon has made several gay-friendly moves lately, urging the legislature to pass a bill banning housing and employment discrimination based on sexual orientation and directing state tax officials to accept join returns from Missouri gay couples married elsewhere. The latter has led to a lawsuit from a Baptist group and articles of impeachment being filed by some legislators. At Thursday's event, he called the latter a "publicity stunt."