I am sorry for not getting any posts out this week. I’ve been busy. According the the poll, it turns out that there isn’t an unwritten order of things because Elder McConkie wrote it all down.
This week, somewhat inspired by recent events, is a little different in that I am not sure if one of the participants is LDS (and five minutes on the internet didn’t help).
Historical Utah Smackdown: Killer edition!
Who is the more important executed Utah killer vaguely associated with Mormonism:
John Lee or Gary Gilmore?
John Lee: led the Mountain Meadows Massacre; claimed to have done it on orders from Brigham Young; the only person convicted for involvement (Justin, correct me if I am wrong).
Gary Gilmore: the first person executed after Furmand vs. Georgia had invalidated prior capital laws, captured by my stake’s second counsellor, rumored to have sought death by firing squad because of things Brigham Young taught about “blood atonement.”
Have at it, vote below or to the right.
Well, Gilmore had a Mormon mother and a Mormon pioneer heritage through her line (I read _Shot in the Heart_ a while back). His execution drew international attention. He was vaguely associated with Mormonism, and the blood atonement thing was an issue in the case.Lee’s trials, conviction, and execution drew national attention. Lee was strongly associated with Mormonism, and his “confession” implicated local (Haight, Dame) and SLC (Geo. A. Smith and BY) leaders. Blood atonement was an issue. He published his side of the story. I’ll go with Lee. Posted by Justin
Hrm, I don’t mean to make the choices so easy. I am apparently alone in finding the reintroduction of the death penalty in the 1970’s, after a brief hiatus, significant (we are, after all, in the US of W (who only executes the guilty)).Lee-backers, why? Is it just because he is significant to the LDS? Higher body count? More like a terrorist? Posted by John C.
Well, I voted for Gilmore, as I had never heard of the other guy. I think Mountain Meadows still has yet to really come into mainstream consciousness.