Can the religious right truly claim to not hate gay people as long as they're only inciting the hate?

The thing that bothers me about hatred of gay Americans is that we pay our taxes and go to work and are involved in the community just like the "normal" people. Is that not enough? How can anyone, especially an elected official equate us to being as dangerous as foreign terrorists? I mean, really? Why isn't being an otherwise 'normal' and law-abiding citizen enough for these people?