They claim that their views will cause them to be "unfairly" labeled as bigots, their views are going to be shunned, and their voices are going to be forcefully silenced:
“This New McCarthyism demands, ‘Do you now think or have you ever thought that marriage should remain the union of a man and a woman?’ Answer incorrectly, and watch your career be taken from you and your reputation smeared on a thousand websites. . . .That is the fear, that traditional American values are being criminalized as opposed to simply being out of fashion, ” - Tony Perkins
“Even supporters of abortion don’t go around saying that people who believe that life begins at conception are evil people. But this is not the case here, and the problem is that the establishment gay marriage groups have not condemned this view that those of us who favor traditional marriage are bigots and therefore should be abolished.” - Brian Brown
It's a clever move for these individuals to slyly shift to victim mode. In doing so, they can conveniently avoid mentioning their past endeavors to hinder lgbt equality.
When Perkins, Brown, and the rest of that ilk nail themselves to the cross of false victimhood, they can avoid mentioning all of the nasty comments, lies, and distortions they have propagated against the lgbt community over the years. They don't have to talk about the many times they accused of us being pedophiles and all around public health menaces. They don't have to talk about the anti-gay propaganda they have pushed and have inspired others to push. Propaganda like this below:
It's merely an unfairly maligned group of people slowly but surely attaining justice and rights after being dogged, scorned, beat upon, and stepped on for a long period of time.
Perkins, Brown and company are counting on the fact that people will forget all of these things, but it ain't going to happen. I, for one, won't forget it. And I'm going to make it my mission that people remember it. All of it.
And by all means, please don't think any silencing of Perkins and company will be going on. The way I see it, they have a LOT of explaining to do with regards to their past behavior.
Editor's note - For a good history of anti-gay propaganda over the years and how it reflects on today, read 'How They See Us: Unmasking the Religious Right War on Gay America'