Looking at the civil rights movements of the 60s/70s, which may be somewhat romanticized, people were much more calm and rational about much more terrible things.

Considering very few people on Reddit actually lived through the 60s and 70s, I find that is a small chance this comparison you're making holds any ground.

Also, the definition of "terrible things"; we all know about the lynchings of black men and women, the public disgrace many mixed couples received, but I'm not sure you've ever seen the full extent of the hatred that many gay couples receive(d) every day. Many gay men and women have been killed in the past, and many more harassed and beaten in the streets all while the police looked on with an unconcerned eye. For a very long time, a gay person could not get any legal help from anyone because of their social status. Though homosexuals never went through slavery, the denial rights and the process of gaining them is still very real. The status of homosexuals as societal pariahs was, and still is in many places, very real. Gays were never enslaved, but I venture to say that the harassment and killings are all worth something for the public to be startled over.

Back when African Americans had truly suppressed rights and faced much more violence and much more respected opposition, they created a calm and peaceful resistance. A very select few proposed more radical approaches such as leading an exodus, but generally it was a respectable move towards equality.

The same is true for the gay rights movement. It was always a relatively peaceful gathering to overturn law--you should watch Milk. Eez a good movie...

The gay rights movement seems to be more about bitching and hatred. It focuses on demeaning those who disagree - see the use of "homophobic" - and being as obnoxious about their issue as possible. I see literally no reason to appose gay marriage (and support it), but the avid proponents are just so horribly disagreeable.

If you're saying this about the gay rights movement, you've probably never been a part of it. Perhaps you do support gay marriage, but I mean, you've probably never met the participants. A lot of this comes from the media's portrayal, and the best way I can answer why is if they can show a bunch of crazy bastards running around acting nuts, they're gonna sell more ad space. I'd also like to point out that the use of "homophobic" as a word used to demonize other people is not unlike the use of the word "racist" today. I believe this is more of a generational thing, as Liberalism has become more commonplace.

The real issue with the movement is how baseless most of the arguments are. It's mostly just shock stuff like "gay away the pray" with a guy annoying fundamentalists with gayness, or asserting that jesus would/does like gay people.

If you think the arguments are baseless, then you've probably never heard any. "Gay away the pray" is not what changes legal statutes; it's simply a play on words with a phrase that is popularly touted by the media. Again, all the obnoxious people you see is what people use, not to change law, but to get attention. Media looks for the crazy people so people at home watching pay more attention--"My god, this is what I'm supporting?!" as opposed to rolling footage of two little old lady lesbians who've been living together for 40+ years without their love being recognized legally (for example, taxes change when heterosexual couples get married) while they knit sweaters for their cats.

Real arguments for gay's rights include, but are not limited to:

• Equality as a function of society

• Rights heterosexual couple's spouses have that a gay couple legally cannot have, such as speaking for one's spouse while they are in a coma, or (in many states) the passage of property is hugely affected by marital status

• Adoption--in many states, a homosexual couple cannot have joint parental rights over an adopted child

• And many, many, more. Married heterosexuals are given on base housing on military bases, while married homosexuals aren't recognized as married (DOMA) and so do not receive such benefits.

Anyways. Sorry for the length. Have a nice day.