The plea by Mormon general authority Whitney Clayton for everyone to treat Mormons "civilly, with respect and love" is pathetic and arrogant ("Gay-unions fight roars on," Tribune, Nov. 6). The LDS Church lit a match in a theater full of gays, and now it asks them to "pretty please, don't yell fire." The LDS Church voluntarily and aggressively stepped forward to be the grand marshal of the gay-hate parade. Gays never attacked the church. The church is the aggressor. It started this fight. It lit the fire. It stomped all over the golden rule, and now it invokes the rule to silence those it offended.

My tolerance level has been reached. In the past, I held Mormon leaders responsible for the church's un-Christlike conduct; now I look upon every member with a jaundiced eye for the responsibility they share. That includes my many cherished Mormon friends. The church has driven a wedge between us; please remove it by speaking up, for your silence is no longer acceptable. Your church delivered a deliberate, abusive assault on the purely secular rights of gays; raise your voice against this injustice.

Joe Watts

Murray