Matt Salmon, GOP Congressman, Does Not Support Gay Marriage Despite Gay Son

[Torie]

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Oh, poor Salmon. He is kind of boxed in isn't he?  That is why I have a fondness for Episcopalians. Their rules are just so lax.

[afleitch]

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Oh, poor Salmon. He is kind of boxed in isn't he?  That is why I have a fondness for Episcopalians. Their rules are just so lax.

His son gave an interview in 2010 in which he said not only did he struggle with it for a while, but he left the church and for a while his siblings stopped speaking to him.

“The first time I had a conversation with [my father] about it, it did not go well. He was very upset and said some things right off that I know he doesn’t really feel,” Salmon revealed. “He’s never called me any slurs or anything like that, but he made it clear he didn’t like it.”

So yeah, for Matt Salmon to get as far as he has done is remarkable. The fact he yet go further is a great shame.

[DC Al Fine]

Why should he change the law just because it would benefit his son? That seems a terrible way to guide policy. He should do it because it is the right thing to do for everybody.

Exactly.

Say his son was caught with child porn. Does that mean he should try and legalise it?

umm no, but child porn is different from same-sex marriage in that the latter isn't harmful to anyone.

That's irrelevant to the question at hand. What a politician's kids are/think has nothing to do with whether its a good policy idea.

[afleitch]

Why should he change the law just because it would benefit his son? That seems a terrible way to guide policy. He should do it because it is the right thing to do for everybody.

Exactly.

Say his son was caught with child porn. Does that mean he should try and legalise it?

umm no, but child porn is different from same-sex marriage in that the latter isn't harmful to anyone.

That's irrelevant to the question at hand. What a politician's kids are/think has nothing to do with whether its a good policy idea.

I think the issue is you chose to make a very disgusting comparison. And yes, child porn is obviously harmful to children and society. Gay marriage doesn't harm anyone.

[DC Al Fine]

Why should he change the law just because it would benefit his son? That seems a terrible way to guide policy. He should do it because it is the right thing to do for everybody.

Exactly.

Say his son was caught with child porn. Does that mean he should try and legalise it?

umm no, but child porn is different from same-sex marriage in that the latter isn't harmful to anyone.

That's irrelevant to the question at hand. What a politician's kids are/think has nothing to do with whether its a good policy idea.

I think the issue is you chose to make a very disgusting comparison. And yes, child porn is obviously harmful to children and society. Gay marriage doesn't harm anyone.

Reductio ad absurdum. The disgusting comparison highlights the argument's absurdity.

[Old Man Svensson]

The people who are applauding Salmon for holding to being a complete asshole, A) Don't get human nature and how it sometimes requires personal involvement to get someone to care about an issue, and B) Are part of the problem.

[Torie]

The people who are applauding Salmon for holding to being a complete asshole, A) Don't get human nature and how it sometimes requires personal involvement to get someone to care about an issue, and B) Are part of the problem.

Very well said indeed. It should be obvious, but apparently it isn't.