On September 11, 1857, a group of emigrants heading to California were massacred at the hands of Mormons in the Utah Territory. After having promised the travelers protection, the local Mormon leaders treacherously planned the mass murder of every man, woman, and child old enough to be able to remember. They did so in the name of their religion and to protect themselves from the perceived threat of being wiped out by the U.S. Army.

September Dawn tells the story, but not well. The historical event itself has enough drama, pathos, and unresolved questions to make a good film. While it gives the basic account of the event, for the most part, that only serves as a backdrop to tell a love story between a young Mormon man and a young woman on the wagon train. The love story may be an attempt to put the tragedy into human terms, but that is hardly necessary.

The fictionalized account focuses on Jonathan Samuelson, son of the local bishop and head of the local militia, and Emily Hudson, daughter of a minister traveling with the wagon train. Theirs is a story of love at first sight, even if they come from far different worlds. We watch the careful flirtation and the quickly growing attraction build even as the foundations of the tragedy are being laid by Jonathan’s father (and by others higher up the Mormon hierarchy.)

The reasons for the massacre are many, but part of it hinges on the idea that violence can be redemptive. Those whose blood is shed are being saved from a life that the killers see as going the wrong way.

The film also fails to recognize the historical debate about whether this was a local decision or whether it went ahead at the behest of Brigham Young, the Prophet and President of the Church (and also Governor of the Utah Territory). This film traces the event to meetings at which Young presided and directed. Latter Day Saints to this day claim that Young had nothing to do with the massacre and would have stopped it if he had known. I don’t think there is a consensus view among historians on this point.

While it would be easy to see this as an anti-Mormon film, I think the design is for us to see this as a film about religious extremism and the way violence can follow on that extremism. Those who feel they are in possession of the ultimate truth can easily see those around them as inferior and unworthy—perhaps even unworthy of life. When this is combined with a sense of persecution, a dangerous atmosphere is created.

Those things did indeed come together to bring about the Mountain Meadows Massacre in 1857. It should be noted that the sense of persecution that Mormons felt was justified. They had been the victims of violence throughout their history—even the murder of their founder, Joseph Smith at the hands of a mob. The Mormons had established a society where they felt safe from those who would harm them, and they took measures to ensure their safety. Those measures soon grew to be very proactive and offensive.

But the film wants to do more than just tell a story of 150 years ago. It wants us to reflect on the way that same dynamic continues today. The most obvious example is contemporary Islamic extremism. The date of the massacre is coincidental, but for Americans in the 21^st Century, it is an unavoidable reminder of our own September 11. The film includes several lines that especially point us to think of Islam. We hear someone quoting Joseph Smith who said, “I will be to this generation a second Mohammed.” And often when referring to Smith or Young, people would simply say “The Prophet.” It becomes easy to make the connection with extreme Islam.

Islam also understands itself to be in possession of the truth, and those who promote extreme forms of Islam make the case that the world is trying to destroy Islamic culture. They see the acts they do to be an attempt to save the world from the destructive forces of Western culture.

But Islam is not the only religion that is infected with extremism and violence. Consider those who would bomb abortion clinics or who stalk doctors who perform abortions. Are they not also acting from a position of knowing the truth and fighting off what they see as the forces of evil that are destroying society? Is not the justification for the violence that it is an act of salvation?

Even though the love story clutters the film, there is still something to consider as we look for the ways the dynamics of Mountain Meadows continue to this day.