The Deseret News reported that the U.S. Government designated Mountain Meadows as a national historic landmark last week. For those who don’t know, in September 1857, 120 immigrants were killed by Mormons at Mountain Meadows near Cedar City, Utah. Mormons tried to cover up the tragedy and blame it on the Indians. I have previously discussed the massacre here and here, if you’re interested in more detail. Families of the Fancher party along with the LDS Church worked together for the designation. The Deseret News article notes that there is a “plan [for] another event in September, during which a plaque noting the landmark designation may be unveiled.” Comments?
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Mormon Heretic 
Fortunately, this designation will prevent further whitewashing of MM by the Mormon Church. For anyone who thinks there will ever be an apology from the MC, guess again. Mormons have never accepted responsibility for the massacre, and the lies and coverup which continued for decades.
‘The Only True Church’? Yeah, right.
This is a positive step.
Acknowledging and honoring the victims is the only viable path. Designation is a highly appropriate step.
Going forward, there needs to be a continued effort like the recent Ensign article. Blame needs to placed squarely on the backs of the local LDS leadership. The role of others can continue to be debated. bu, I still hear folks claim that 1) The Fancher party got what it deserved because of its bad behavior and/or 2) The Indians were really behind this. Both need to be continually debunked for the next decade or so.
Don, just what kind of responsibility are you asking them to accept? As a group? So everyone in Missouri should pay reparations to every Mormon now in the Church, group to group?
Otherwise, what is your point, other than anger.
@Don Harryman
Yep, the Church should always have to apologize anytime some of its 14 million+ members commit a crime!
Don, you seem to be a bit one-sided here. Did you notice the church helped get the designation? The church may not be moving as fast as you would like, but they are making progress on this unfortunate event.
In a way, I side with Don, although perhaps in a less harsh way. At the risk of sounding cynical, it surprises me that it took them so long to finally come clean about the Church’s involvement. I see this as an outgrowth of the fact that the Internet makes it darn near impossible to hide much about our history. The PBS.org documentary years ago also raised awareness of the MMM.
And if I may speak personally, I always felt betrayed when I only learned about MMM after I’d been a member of the Church for several years, as a FT missionary at the time…I learned about it from an investigator. I had read Truth Restored, the Church’s version of our history, and had read everything the Church had put out…and never once was MMM mentioned or addressed.
So, while I agree that the Church is finally taking some ownership, I think the decades of whitewashing will take some time to forget…