Missouri lawmakers react to gay marriage ruling in Massachusetts

February 4, 2004
By: Darryl Franklin
State Capital Bureau

State legislators reacted this week to the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruling on gay marriage. Darryl Franklin explains how the court's decision could affect Missouri.
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The Massachusetts Supreme Court clarified their November ruling saying that equal marriage rights--and not civil unions--are constitutional.

State Representative Larry Morris says gays are forced to go through the courts because they couldn't succeed in the legislature.

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"EXACTLY WHAT'S TAKING PLACE IN THE WHOLE GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT IS THAT IT'S A MOVEMENT THAT JUDICIALLY ORIENTED AND NOT LEGISLATIVELY ORIENTED. WHEN ANY GROUP IN OUR SOCIETY CANNOT GO THROUGH THE NORMAL LEGISLATIVE PROCESS AND GET WHAT THEY WANT."
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Unless the decision is reversed in the next three months, the nation will see its first gay marriage as early as May.

From the State Capital, I'm Darryl Franklin.


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