At Crosscut, Kimberly Marlowe Hartnett points to reports on the large number of Russian and Ukranian churches in Oregon that have been active and vocal in opposing gay rights legislation in the Legislature there.

Some other members of churches with large Russian and Eastern European memberships firmly disagree with the loose-knit group calling itself The Voice of Oregon Youth, telling reporters that the activists do not represent them and emphasizing that there is no monolithic Russian-Christian community. At this point, however, their voices are muffled by the rallying cries of those fighting against proposed civil rights protections for lesbian, gay, and trans folks. While not linked to any particular group, a threat was made on a lawmaker's voice mail that "all who vote for queers will die by November."

Marlowe Hartnett — a former Times reporter who I'm happy to be able to read regularly again — points out that in Washington we've already seen an alliance between established conservative churches and Eastern European immigrants. Ken Hutcherson, of course, has also traveled east, to protest the gay rights movement in Latvia.