September 5 Panel Discussion, "Massacre at Mountain Meadows"

[Elphaba]

The American West Center at the University of Utah and its partners the Charles Redd Center for Western History at BYU, the Mormon History Association, the Tanner Humanities Center, the Tanner Center for Non-Violent Human Rights, and the Salt Lake City Public Library are collectively offering a panel discussion of Ron Walker’s, Richard Turley’s, and Glen Leonard’s highly-anticipated forthcoming book, Massacre at Mountain Meadows (Oxford University Press, 2008). The event will take place on September 5, 2008, at 7pm in the main auditorium at the Salt Lake City Public Library.

Dialogue Massacre at Mountain Meadows Panel: September 5, 2008

In case anyone is interested.

Elphaba

[cullenh]

Man I so wish I could be there !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! oh and just so you know Elpha I FOUND YOUR MARBLES for you just let me know where to send them lolololololololo

[galenbeesley]

well is it going to be posted on line or in streaming video??? That would be cool since I would love to check that out. A new book is coming out on it. Now that is very interesting do you know where I could find information on it??

[Captain_Curmudgeon]

If Will Bagley is on that panel, I'm there in a flash.

Disclaimer: I think I remember Ron Walker from my BYU days and Will Bagley and I were co-workers (and friends) and Evans and Sutherland Computer Company. I think they are both straight-shooters and good guys.

[Elphaba]

If Will Bagley is on that panel, I'm there in a flash.

No Bagley, Captain. I find that a bit dismissive. However, the list of panelists is extremely impressive, and I personally do not think Bagley is absolutely necessary to this panel. But the panel is so interesting, I may just have to take a lot of drugs to make it there.

Here is the list of panelists: distinguished list of three panelists will read the book and prepare formal critiques. Richard Turley, one of the authors of Massacre at Mountain Meadows will then respond to the critiques. A discussion with the audience will follow. The panel includes Dr. John Mack Faragher from Yale University, a nationally known scholar on western violence; Dr. Philip Barlow, Arrington Chair of Mormon History and Culture at USU, will evaluate the book in light of its authors as LDS employees and situate it within Mormon studies and 19th century religious studies more broadly; and Dr. Donald Fixico, Regent Professor at Arizona State University, who will critique the book from the American Indian vantage and in relation to imperialism and colonialism during this era. Notably, the panel will coincide with the release of the book and with ever increasing interest in the Mountain Meadows Massacre. Indeed, it is fair to say that the Mountain Meadows Massacre is one of the Intermountain West’s darkest hours. It represents the single most violent incident in the history of America’s overland migration, most noteworthy because it involved white settlers killing white settlers who were in transit.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

RE: Getting the book. I've read that a number of people are in a queue to receive the book, and will have to wait yet more time. This surprises me, as I ordered mine from Amazon and received it in a couple of days. I'm halfway through it.

If anyone is interested, I'm not that impressed. If you're not interested, ignore that.

Disclaimer: I think I remember Ron Walker from my BYU days and Will Bagley and I were co-workers (and friends) and Evans and Sutherland Computer Company. I think they are both straight-shooters and good guys.

Evans and Sutherland are geniuses. Pure and simple geniuses.

I used to be in charge of Utah's curriculum development for its Applied-Technology Centers when computer-aided instruction was in its infancy. I was privileged to visit E&S when it was off the ground and running. The technology was mind boggling.

It's a long story, but I begged the state to invest in E&S technology, because it literally meant we would not have to hire as many instructors; thus, it would pay for itself within a couple of years. Of course, I was turned down.

I would love to visit them again and see what their doing today, especially in CAI, although I am out of the business.

Elphaba

[Captain_Curmudgeon]

The panel is certainly well-qualified and the whole thing will probably be superb from any number of perspectives.

But Bagley and the current co-authors have all examined much the same evidence and all are trained historical researchers and they've come to many of the same conclusions and some different ones. (I think; I'll have to wait until I've read the new book, but I've seen many interviews of them recently.) So, to me, to have them all together would be a very strong draw.

Even so, if you see someone there who looks like my avatar, that's me. Please say hello.

PS. I have a more recent haircut.

Edited August 29, 2008 by Captain_Curmudgeon
PS

[Elphaba]

The panel is certainly well-qualified and the whole thing will probably be superb from any number of perspectives.

But Bagley and the current co-authors have all examined much the same evidence and all are trained historical researchers and they've come to many of the same conclusions and some different ones. (I think; I'll have to wait until I've read the new book, but I've seen many interviews of them recently.) So, to me, to have them all together would be a very strong draw.

I completely agree. I think Bagley's work is a huge contribution to the study of the MMM. However, we have to be realistic. IMO, the people who put this together would never put Bagley on the panel. They see his work as too biased to take seriously, especially because of his theory that Brigham may have had more to do with the massacre than previously thought.

Additionally, I read a magazine article Turley wrote, saying how surprised they were to discover Haight's major role in the massacre. I was stunned, because I could have told him that! Anyone who has studied the massacre could have told him that!

Even so, if you see someone there who looks like my avatar, that's me. Please say hello.

PS. I have a more recent haircut.

Hmmm, I'm afraid I might mistake you for Bagley. So would you mind wearing a yellow rose over your left ear so I'll know for sure it's you.

Elphaba

[Elphaba]

. . . oh and just so you know Elpha I FOUND YOUR MARBLES for you just let me know where to send them lolololololololo

Oh Cullenh you sweetie, looking out for me.

But you need to look at them carefully to determine if they are my "rational" marbles!

Elphie

[Captain_Curmudgeon]

Hmmm, I'm afraid I might mistake you for Bagley. So would you mind wearing a yellow rose over your left ear so I'll know for sure it's you.

I'm taller and better looking. Will usually wears a jacket or suit coat; I never do (unless it's a funeral).

Pick the one who looks least like Brigham Young and that's me.

[Moksha]

I would like to go but I will have my daughter on that night and she would be too restless to sit through this. It would be fun to meet Elphaba for dinner ahead of time

[brother01]

This one sounds like it would be worth getting a copy of the DVD!:-)

I wonder how they will view the event through their trained expertise, and if they will talk about the LDS views as preached, as well as the Gentile's view of interpretation of what was preached, about the ownership of Missouri from 1830-1833. My personal view is that the tone was set from the beginnings and manifested itself to the greatest extent at the MMM. However, I'm certainly not a trained historian.