Not to pile on ol' Gordo, or anything, but this:

"If you'd grown up a Mormon, and spent your life trying to get out from the shadow of that legacy -- it's an emotional scar that you carry"

seems a teeny bit ham-fisted. Those who grew up Mormon spent their lives trying to get out of the shadow of....Mormonism?

And Mormonism is an "emotional scar"?

it's not that bad, actually. i can see why someone who has grown up Mormon having to deal with people calling him crazy (warranted or no) for weird marriage practices is kinda sorta analogous to a gay man growing up having to deal with people sensationalizing his way of life, on the issue of weird marriage practices.

i think a GOP Senator should be lauded, if anything, for trying to express anything resembling empathy for the plight of the gay community. he's miles ahead of his present company there.

He really sounds rather sympatico - but I don't really trust Mormons.

I know - I have a bag of prejudices. It's mostly full of Republicans of all stripes; and christians and stage magicians - 3 groups I don't trust as far as you can throw them.

;)

Actually, his original point makes sense...if you can change the definition of marraige to be 2 people of the same sex, why can't it include multiple people? Isn't that equally as discriminatory? What right is it of the government to say 2 men and 1 woman (or vice versa) can't marry the one's they love? If it's about rights and freedom why stop there?

The fact that mainstream christians interfered with different types of personal relationships that offended their faith in both cases seems a reasonable analogy, though ironically Mormons gave into pressure and renounced polygamy. I am not quite sure who is up in arms about Smith's comments. Is it mormons for having a practice they now consider abhorrent be compared to another about which they feel the same way? Or is it gays not wanting to be compared to polygamists?

If the latter is the case, I think people should chill. While the polygamists we often see in the news are borderline child molesters it would seem, there is certainly no reason polygamy could not be a rational, moral choice made between consenting adults. Certainly, that is the variant portrayed in HBO's Big Love. Associating polygamists with pedophiles is no more repugnant than doing the same for gays. I am not fan of Smith, but this was not a comment to taken to task for.

This guy is pandering, he was original pro-gay, then he voted for the Marriage Amendment, now he's all of a sudden pro-gay again now that the political winds have changed.

I'm sick of the pandering, that's what I'm sick of.

I would give Gordon Smith credit.

The persecution and violence against the Mormons was extreme and a sad chapter in our history (not that the Mormons were the most peaceful group).

I think that Mr. Smith is acknowledging that the severe reaction against gays and gay bashing is as painful as that that was leveled against the Mormons for their beliefs about marriage.

I don't think it was posturing, for one thing it would have been better rehearsed. Say all you like about his conserviative politics but Gordon Smith genuinely cares about all people - even those he disagrees with.

Semi-off topic.

Gay marriage has been legalized here. It is a joy to see how happy so many of my friends and acquaintances are. Just last night one of my friends told me she was getting married to her partner of many years. They have a daughter who is a good friend of my daughter. The best way for the anti-marriage folks to get over it is to meet people like my friends. We're getting ready for another Summer of Love here in San Francisco.

Carry on.

I had no problem with what Senator Smith said. I, like most Americans, believe that gay marriage is morally wrong just like I believe polygamy to be wrong. Smith is from Oregon and is trying to not offend too many people but most Americans aren't going to have too much of a problem with that comparison.

What's happened in California is a travesty of justice and a huge power grab by the judiciary. There's good reason to believe the state's voters will reverse this bad decision in November, too. A Survey USA poll released after the unconstitutional weddings began found that by a 20 point margin San Diego voters support amending the state constitution to outlaw gay marriage. I know San Diego is one of the more conservative cities but this is a good sign for traditional marriage in California.