Can the Gay Rights movement be compared to teh Civil Rights Movement of 1960s?

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Controversy! Yes… I’m at it again! A few days ago a couple friends of mine were having a well mannered disagreement. One of my friends said that the Gay Right Movement is just like the Civil Rights movement of the 50’s and 60’s. My other friend disagreed and said that they are nothing alike. I don’t usually reveal my opinion at the start of my discussions, but it’s warranted this time. I agreed with my friend who said the two movements are similar, and this is why. Before I start I want to make it clear that I do not mean to take any importance away from the Civil Rights movement of my parents and grandparents’ era. Clearly the two groups face different challenges and hardships, but I think some very clear parallels can be drawn. So lets pretend we are living back in America during the 50’s and 60’s. This may not be a very hard task for some of you older MyLotters… and I DEFFINATLY want to hear from you who lived in that era!!! So lets forget about the Gay Rights movement for a moment and just remember the Civil Rights movement for now. White culture owned the all. This is not to say black people were not allowed on in… but it was in small pieces. A popular TV program may have a “Negro Day” once a week. White people and Black people were “separate but equal”. White people could go into a “White Restroom” and not be afraid of seeing a colored person there. Safety! White people could climb onto the bus and know that they were safe because all the black people had to sit in the back of the bus. Phew! And what a relief to know that if all the seats were taken, a white person could still sit down by making a colored person get up. White parents could send their kids to school with the comforting knowledge that they will not be sharing a classroom with black children. People were afraid of the unknown. American culture was an exclusive club. No blacks allowed. And I think I have figured out WHY that was. FEAR. People were AFRAID of what would happen in day to day life in Blacks were allowed into mainstream American society. If we did away with segregation – will that mean that blacks will start showing up in the same schools as our white children? What happens if a WHITE man, and a BLACK man meet in the same bathroom!?! Society will collapse, that’s what. For as long as anyone could remember, blacks and whites were separated. That’s how its ALWAYS been, and that how it should always be. Why change it? Why change the code of our society just because the blacks are mad that they don’t have the same rights as whites? The Whites are the majority. They make the rules. There is no reason to change something just because a few people thought it was unfair. So we come to my point. The Gay Rights movement and the Civil Rights movement both faced very different challenges, but there is one factor is/was at the root of their cause. They both are historical attempts to ease the fears of those who oppose them. Because if you think about it – fear of gay culture is the single greatest hurtle that homosexuals must overcome. Ask anyone who opposes gay marriage why they feel that way. Here are a few reasons you will get: 1. It’s wrong according to the Bible. 2. They don’t want to send the message to society and our children that we condone homosexual behavior. 3. Marriage has ALWAYS been a union between a man and a woman. Why change something that has always been in place? I will address these points, then open it up for discussion. 1. The Bible also encourages slavery. This was an argument used during the Civil Rights movement. But we, as a country, decided that segregation is NOT acceptable… so this became a law that God passed down that we, as humans, decided to ignore for the sake of our humanity. 2. I think it’s important to teach our kids to be tolerant and accepting of people with differences. ANY differences. Is it such a terrible message to give to our children that we are all Gods children and we are all entitled to happiness? Is it so bad to teach our kids to judge with their hearts, and not to discriminate against someone who is different? 3. Just because something has been done a certain way for years – does NOT make it right. The Civil Rights movement in American History proves that much. Granted, the Gay community does not have any remarkable figures like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., but I think that the Civil Rights and Gay Rights movement are mirrors of each other. They are both fighting a common enemy: Fear. Alright… thoughts? Comments? I’m sure we are not all going to agree here… but I promise you that your RESPCTFUL response will earn mine.