Savannah city council asks state lawmakers to nix gay marriage ban

The Savannah city council is asking the Georgia legislature to nix a proposed amendment to the state constitution banning same-sex marriage. The council voted unanimously on Thursday to join Atlanta in urging state lawmakers to vote down a resolution forbidding gays and lesbians to marry. Mayor Otis Johnson reduced the issue to a matter of sound government. "We just can't start amending the constitution for everything we don't like," he said. Alderman Ellis Cook expressed concerns, however, saying he did not want the vote to be construed as support for same-sex marriage. Cook said he opposes gay marriage but supports civil unions. A resolution in the house to ban same-sex marriage in the state constitution was shot down last week when it couldn't muster the necessary 120 votes for passage. Two resolutions are still pending.