Plaintiffs, and attorneys from both sides of the issue, are preparing to face off – once again – over the legality of same-sex marriage. This time before a three-judge panel, at the 10th US Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver, Thursday, April 10, 2014.

But having witnessed this battle finally go to the mat, as it were, I think it’s important to reflect on the Geneses of this ‘movement,’ to ban same sex marriage, that led to the passage of Utah’s Amendment III, in the first place.

It’s important to remember that, as it had never been specifically banned under state or federal law, before the passage of Amendment III – and those similar laws in other states – gays and lesbians were TECHNICALLY – at that time – in possession of not only civil right, but the legal right to marry.

So, what we saw happen, with Amendment III, was a bit of peremptory legislation, foisted on a largely unwitting public, by shrewd politicians with a specific, far-reaching, religious and cultural bend. Who, while conducting a public ‘campaign,’ basically unopposed, found it all-to-easy to polarize and popularize social discrimination, against the legal rights of those with alternate lifestyles and sexual orientations, by appealing to the public – and their church members – lowest common denominator. That being how “we” are not like “them.” And “them” =’d cultural and religious Armageddon. The very battle cry raised – “In Defense of Traditional Marriage” – raised a clerical and legal formality, to the level of a protracted assault on religious beliefs.

How ‘quaint,’ to be polite, that a majority of good people were ever convinced to sign off on such a stance. But how equally dishonest of those who – like ex-Attorney John Swallow – wish to claim the backing and full support of the voters, at having prevailed in a corrupt and mendacious – and on its surface, unconstitutional – campaign.

The Salt Lake Daily Issue anticipates, and fully supports, the restoration of those constitutional rights that have been so egregiously denied to same sex couples living in Utah, and elsewhere.

Utah’s own Restore Our Humanity will be streaming live coverage of oral arguments, beginning at about 10:00 am.