To cut right to the chase on the topic, however, I believe the current LDS church is IDENTICAL to the FLDS church, ONLY MORE ASHAMED OF JOSEPH SMITH AND BRIGHAM YOUNG. I will let mormons attempt to defend themselves against that statement.
I do believe that they differ from he early church inasmuch as the FLDS don't insist on the use of the "Deseret Alphabet" to isolate even communication from the outside world. this is one aspect in which the LDS church attempted to be EVEN MORE CONTROLLING than the FLDS.
Hard to say. None of the Mormons I talk to have expressed what appears to be shame regarding those men, although none defend it. Nor do those Mormons I talk to seem to hold the same views of things as you say the church requires of them. While I don’t agree with their beliefs, I believe these people to be honest.
As they are all happily and mongamously married, and faithful to their wives, and loving to their children, I can hardly agree with you that they are identical in practice to the FLDS who is accused of polygamy, statutory and straight-on rape, and child abuse.
I cannot speak for the Mormon church in general, or any specific member other than those I know. So I am only offering anecdotal evidence, but I see no evidence to lump them with FLDS. If you are speaking theologically, I have no opinion in that regard, only in the practical, worldly view.