It's only fair, right, and just for same sex couples to want the same rights and freedoms to marry. However the way they have sought to accomplish these goals was not only wrong but stupid. There already had been a widespread anger and resentment at the US courts even before all of this started. Most judges at this level are appointed for life. In spite of some good reasons for this, people are sick and tired of the courts wielding more and more power (most of which is usurped from the legislative branch). This is where I say the gay community was stupid, in not acknowledging this resentment towards the courts. Not only wrong in using the courts to by-pass legislation (unlike the civil rights movement), but also in terribly bad timing.
And it's a false belief to think that the majority of civil rights advances came through the courts. A few did like Brown v Board of Education, but most came through legislation and executive order. The biggest in memory is probably the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act the following year. Both which came through legislation, and not lawsuits and court victories. True the courts had a hand in it, but it was a lot of local and state legislation that set the groundwork for federal legislation.
Its this anger at the courts, bigotry and an in-your-face demands by homosexuals that has caused the backlash. A backlash that has enacted bans in 44 of 50 states and probably set equal marriage goals back decades. I said right after the first few court cases in Mass and Cal that it was going to backfire. Had they worked carefully to garner some grassroot support first, then built influencial political groups to work on legislation long strides would have been made by now.
Yes there are political groups like LGBT, HRC and others, but they usually hone in on one or two issues, and are still more intested in going the easy but ineffectual way. The courts. I don't know what HRC's budget is but they spent around $30 million on SSM in 2004 only to get it banned in 44 states. Not only stupid but counter productive. If you think the gay and transgendered communities are too small to be legislatively effective you are mistaken.
Blacks are aren't as small a block as gays, but concider their successful accomplishments. Look at the strong influence of the Cuban lobby. There are even fewer Jews than black, but they have a strong influence. The LGBT community will have more influence too when they build grass root support first and build from the bottom up instead of trying to by-pass the system and work top down.
