I am so tired of fact checking every f*cking thing in the universe:

Let's start this post out by looking at what Johathan Chait wrote recently:

The notion that political punditry ought to, or even can, be constrained by intellectual honesty is deeply alien to the netroots.

Hey, Jonathan, that's mostly what we do, try to find out what's really going on. That's called intellectual honesty.

Take this post for example. Robert Novak writes about a new movie about the 1857 Mountains Meadow Massacre, attributed by most to the Mormons, and how it plays into current politics since Mitt Romney is a Mormon and running for president. How involved was the Mormon leadership at the time? Did Brigham Young know or order the massacre? Etc. Here are the key points Novak makes: (emp add)

The basic facts of the Mountain Meadows Massacre are not in dispute. Mormons mobilized Paiute Indians, accompanied by Mormons disguised as Indians, to attack a peaceful wagon train. The settlers beat back the attack but were left short of food and ammunition. They disarmed at the request of the Mormons, who said they would lead the settlers to safety but instead turned on them, murdering every man, woman and child above age 8. All that is in doubt historically is whether this was ordered by Brigham Young, president of the Mormon Church and territorial governor of Utah. [The movie] "September Dawn" says he was responsible; the church denies it.

Today's Mormons, including Romney, cannot be blamed for those events.

John D. Lee, Young's adopted son and the man who led the massacre, was executed by firing squad 20 years after the killings -- the only person punished. "I have been sacrificed in a cowardly, dastardly manner," he said after his conviction and excommunication.

At a minimum, the reader is told that John D. Lee was behind the massacre and was punished and excommunicated. And it's all in the past. Right?

Well, no. Turns out that

On 20 April 1961 Lee was restored to membership in the Mormon Church.

Which isn't all that long ago and shows that the Mormons haven't, pace Novak, thrown Lee out of the church.

You can make up your own mind about the relevance of Lee, the Mountain Meadows Massacre, and present day Mormons, but the thing many bloggers do - pay attention now Johathan Chait - is, as Atrios said, Fact Check Their Asses.

Because nobody else will.

UPDATE: Corrected date.


posted by Quiddity at 5/03/2007 12:54:00 AM