Just Let It Go (Part I)

Wouldn't you think 150 years is long enough to hold a grudge?





I have just finished reading the latest story in our local newspaper about the Mountain Meadows Massacre that occurred in Utah all those years ago. As far as I can tell, every single year since then, an organization of the descendants of those slaughtered family members get together to announce to the world that the Mormons haven't yet apologized for what their ancestors did.


If you haven't heard about it, many years ago a group of people from this area decided to move to California. So, they lined up their wagons and started out. When they got to Utah, they were attacked and almost all were slaughtered by a bunch of Mormons and two Paiute Indians. No one seems to know why it happened, and after all this time, they probably never will. They also don't know how those two hapless Paiutes got roped into the action.


Why, after 150 years, are all these descendants still obsessing over it? I understand that it was a terrible thing that happened to their ancestors, and I can see adding it to their family lore. But, these people have organized and have made it their business to beat the Mormons over the head with it every single year, demanding an apology.


And, every single year, the Mormons waffle around and say what an unfortunate occurrence it was, etc., etc., etc. But, they don't apologize.


This year, for the first time, the elders of the church acknowledged that they regret that their long-dead members did, indeed, take part in the massacre. But, they STILL didn't say the words that the descendants have been wanting them to say. The only thing the descendants had to say was, and I'm paraphrasing, here, "Well, they didn't actually apologize, but we'll just have to accept their regret, FOR THE TIME BEING."


FOR THE TIME BEING!!! Well, now I know why the Mormons have been so reluctant to apologize. They know that, people being the way they are these days, if they DO offer an apology, in the exact words that are being demanded, inevitably, the descendants will not accept it. Because, if they accept the apology, they will have to disband their organization and let it go.


And, after 150 years, they don't know how.