This in a new book out on the Mountain Meadow Massacre in Utah. I have been trying to find information on John D. Lee in Panguitch and decided to read about this terrible incident in Morman History written by Walker, Turley, and Leonard.
This book is so well documented down to what was said, who was in charge, the fear and upset at the time, and what moves were made that I can't help but be impressed.
The people involved were carefully followed through historical information, assignments in the church, and the reasons that were made.
Juanita Brooks was the first historian to write about the Massacre. She published Mountain Meadow Massacre and John D. Lee, as well as Lee's Diaries.
I refer you to her as first. She summed up the event, and is quoted in this book published 2008, "Exaggeration, misrepresentation, ungrounded fears, unreasoing hate, desire for revenge, yes even the lust for the property of the emigrants, all combined to give justification which, once the crime was done, looked inadequate and flimsy indeed." Who could say it better?
I was fascinated by the mindset of those who advocated and ordered the massacre once the thought was put into motion. Some objected and went along. Some objected and didn't go along. Some protested loudly, but didn't stop what happened. Killing became the way to go. So at what point do people move into violence that will follow them the rest of their lives? When do murderers decide to murder..rapist decide to rape? We had over the holidays a family member turn rapist against a child...also in the family. What caused that action to take over? All of us are
aware of how drinking and drugs can lead to violence, but when do those that do violence decide it is the way to go? Abortion is the act of killing our children, so when does that become okay? There are those that will kill the abortionist...when does that become okay? We have those that are saying abortion and marriage (gay or not) are constitutional rights. We have increasing gang killings. What happens when killing is the way to go? Have we become a nation of Killers?
Mormans will always live with that massacre as part of their religion. 120 men, women and children killed in an act of deceit. Terrible.
Killing might not be good to bring up as part of the Holiday Spirit...but then, neither is rape. People act. And we all react.
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I flagged this entry in my blog because I thought it was a hard one to write but very well done. I was thinking that at first when there are so few comments and people do not seem to be reading, you could wonder why blog, but an entry like this is more polished, more complete, just from doing it in a blog format, so I think it is worth trying to take it further, so others might enjoy. We do not have all that many active bloggers, but it still takes a while for a new one to attract notice and convince people to come and partake. But you keep blogging like this and they will come. I would tell LaRena the same thing. If people give up on blogging themselves they tend to give up on reading them, so don't get discouraged with that and keep blogging for those who like blogs!
ReplyDeleteI learned that I have a lot more readers than I do commenters.I put a feed widget at the bottom of my blogs and it tells me approximately where people come from that are coming to view.I am fascinated to have people from other countries come back again and again.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the lovely compliment.As for facebook, I quit it. I wasn't happy with getting everything everyone was commenting on others face/page and also sent via e-mail.My mailbox stays full enough with stuff from my tag groups and it was overflowing with facebook comments on others I didn't even know. So-I gave it up.But thank you for accepting me on their as your friend.
I appreciate it.
HUGS
Connie