Talk:Zion's Camp
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
[edit] neutrality and sources
This article strikes me as exceedingly friendly to later Mormon interpretations of Zion's Camp. Historians, including Fawn Brodie, commonly treat Zion's Camp as military foolhardiness on Joseph Smith's part. Right or wrong, this article needs to discuss specific historians and the evidence in question. The final paragraph is particularly inappropriate. The language "The purpose of Zion's Camp has often been misunderstood, even by friendly historians." gives away the article's apologetic point of view.
Katapul 00:56, 22 October 2007 (UTC)
- Agreed. In fact a quick Google finds it to be lifted verbatim from here - The Story of the Church by Inez Smith Davis, a highly sympathetic officially endorsed history. Gordonofcartoon 18:42, 13 November 2007 (UTC)
- The purpose of Zion's Camp has often been misunderstood, even by friendly historians. This "camp," which was not military, except in the sense that not all western immigrations of the day were made in such orderly fashion, was not for the purpose of seizing and holding the possessions of the Saints in Jackson County. The facts were that the attorneys for the Saints had been advised by State authorities, notably the attorney general, that it would be useless to restore these lands to their owners unless some steps were taken to secure the safety of both settlers and property. He suggested, emphatically seconded by Alexander Doniphan, attorney, that if enough of the Saints were concentrated in Missouri to form a regiment of militia, to be known as "Jackson Guards," and given state arms and an arsenal, they would not be molested. Complying with this suggestion, Zion's Camp was organized, but it soon became apparent to the originators of the plan, that more trouble, and not less, would result. Convinced of the futility of the plan, they made known their fears to the church representatives, who promptly disbanded the camp.
-
- With that final paragraph apparently stricken, does the article still appear exceedingly friendly to later Mormon interpretations of Zion's Camp. If not then I think the Disputed Neutrality disclaimer should be removed from the article. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.169.81.109 (talk) 13:47, 10 June 2008 (UTC)

