[A.J.Armitage]

Yeah, you equate a couple of roughneck hillbillys acting in the far frontier of a frontier settlement--without knowledge, much less consent of anyone in authority--to the INSTITUTIONALIZED persecution, led by prominent Methodist and Baptist clergy, as well as elected officials--though without true color of law and in such a way that was condemned as "criminal" just a few years later by the Federal authorities that had to take over Missouri just a few years later.

Joe Smith commanded a militia and was a mayor. He ran for president.

He also ordered thugs to attack a newspaper.

[Illbay]

You've heard of slander, right? Funny thing, slander. You have to prove it in a court of law.

And the Nauvoo Expositor was found GUILTY of vile, vicious slander (of the same stripe cretins like you regularly spew in these threads) in a court of law, and the FORCES of the law took out their printing press. Bravo. So few times did you see true justice done on behalf of the "Mormons" in that time. That was one of them.

Of course, I remember a former war protestor describing the lawful pacification of a bunch of his maggot-ridden buddies at a small state college in Iowa in the early 70s. He said they were noble citizens, exercising their right of free speech, and were set upon by "thugs."

The way it looked to me, the protestors were burning buildings and turning over cars, and the lawful authorities moved in to restore peace.

Depends which side you're on, who're the thugs and who're the "heroes."

You and that "peace protestor" can have it your way. I and the noble principles of law and order will have it ours.