What is militant atheism?

Answer 1

'Militant Atheism' is a term used to describe atheists who actively criticize organized religion. They claim that religion is the cause of many of the major problems we face today. Their implication is that in order for mankind to move forward, these traditional religions need to be silenced, ostracized, ignored, removed, or otherwise restructured to remove the obstacles for progress.

The 'militant' descriptor appears to have been coined in response to the lack of patience for 'religious people.'

Some people who have been described as militant atheists include Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, and Sam Harris.

Answer 2

Militant Atheism is a term invented by religious people to denigrate atheists who have "come out of the closet" and expect or request that they be treated with the respect that the religious demand for themselves. It is similar to ex-slaves being called "uppity" when they wanted respect for their civil rights.