For a century and a half, the Mountain Meadows Massacre has shocked and distressed those who have learned of it. The tragedy has deeply grieved the victims’ relatives, burdened the perpetrators’ descendants and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints generally with sorrow and feelings of collective guilt, and heaped unjust suffering upon the Paiute people.

With the 150th anniversary of the tragic event today, what can be done to bring about healing and reconciliation among those still affected by it?

I suggest four things.

First, face the truth. We cannot change the past, but we can choose how we will react to it. Despite efforts made over 150 to rationalize the massacre, the fact remains that nothing the victims purportedly did or said, even if all of it were true, came close to justifying their deaths. Though it occurred in the context of the Utah War, what happened at the Mountain Meadows on September 11, 1857, was not a battle: it was a massacre, a mass killing of some 120 defenseless men, women, and children who had been promised protection.

Second, honor the dead. Those whose remains lie at the Mountain Meadows never had a proper burial. Partial skeletons unearthed during the construction of the 1999 monument were respectfully re-interred before the monument’s dedication, but other bones from even those victims may still lie scattered below the surface of the Meadows. The events of the next few days, including the memorial service today, provide an opportunity to remember the lives of the people whose earthly remains hallow the ground that now covers them.

Third, continue the dialogue. What occurred at Mountain Meadows in 1857 was in many ways unspeakable. For over a century in some quarters, especially parts of southern Utah, the massacre was largely unmentioned and unexplored, a subject whispered in corners and off limits to open discussion. In recent decades, people with a wide spectrum of viewpoints have felt free to express them openly.

A dialogue has begun between the descendants of the victims and the perpetrators, representatives of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Paiute leaders. The discussion has at times been halting and emotional. But in the past, it was often nonexistent. Though healing takes time, continuing the dialogue offers hope for understanding among those who may approach the subject from divergent points of view.

Fourth and finally, be tolerant of others’ viewpoints. A failure to respect other human beings led to the massacre. The recent and welcome discussion about the massacre has at times threatened to devolve into acrimony. Being tolerant does not mean quashing all emotion. The killing of 120 people and the untold suffering of the survivors is a highly emotional matter. So is the burden carried by the descendants of those whose ancestors perpetrated the massacre and those who were blamed for it unfairly. But it is possible to voice opinions and express emotion in an attitude of respect for both the living and the dead.