The Hewitt strategy of trying to bring the LDS church - especially LDS money - into a Christianist popular front began with the Romney candidacy. Then it morphed into Prop 8, funded by $20 million of Mormon money. The leadership of the LDS church has every right to do this; but equally gay people and their families now have every right to highlight the Mormon church as an enemy of civil rights and of gay people everywhere. This will be decried as bigotry. But gays are not fighting to remove the civil rights of Mormons; while Mormons have successfully campaigned to remove the civil rights of gays.

Tolerant and inclusive Mormons should not be forgotten; the Mormon tradition of church-state separation should not be ignored either. But toleration goes both ways. Gay people have every right to regard the Mormon church hierarchy as a mortal enemy. If they knock on my door any time soon, they will get an earful.

(Photo: Protest signs are left on the fence of the Los Angeles Mormon Temple as supporters of same-sex marriage continue to protest against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints November 6, 2008 in Los Angeles, California. By David McNew/Getty.)

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