Isn't this also inappropriate Mr. moderator?
----- Original Message -----
From: "Steven Miller" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, July 21, 2003 1:55 AM
Subject: Re: Looting The Musuem of Stupidity


> David, thank you for your well stated, and well reasoned, attempt put this
whole issue
> in its proper perspective.  It is a much welcome breath of fresh air after
having to read the garbage that started the whole marines in iraq
"discussion"! Your thread I'll enjoy following!
>
> David Harvey wrote:
>
> > I nominate the Musuem-L thread on "marines" and "appropriate topics" to
the
> > Museum of Stupidity. It is especially noted that the particpants hurled
> > personal invectives, political diatribes, and missed the entire point of
the issue
> > that first started this all.
> >
> > Oh! The Musuem of Stupidity has just been looted!
> >
> > Looting of cultural heritage....remember that?
> >
> > It is appropraite to discuss the US military's responsibility to protect
> > cultural heritage in any conflict - we are signatories of the UNESCO
convention,
> > after all.
> >
> > I think it is a bit over the top to blame the american and british
forces for
> > the looting, as if they had kicked open the doors and loaded the goodies
on
> > to a truck themselves. The truth is that citizens of Iraq did that - and
it
> > appears to have been a phenomenon linked to a long-standing practice of
looting
> > cultural heritage for gain. (Most ot the Pyramids are empty after all!)
> >
> > But the larger issue here, and one that has a long, long history (that
> > invovled many prominent museums until recently) is that of the thriving
trade in
> > antiquities and stolen art. Correct me if I am wrong, but many of the
world's
> > musuems bought stolen works from the black market (no questions asked),
or they
> > acquired them through their colonialst or imperialist pasts (The Elgin
Marbles).
> >
> > Much of this has abated, at least formally, by the adoption of the
UNESCO
> > conventions in the 1980's.
> >
> > But there is still a thriving market for stolen cultural heritage. And
this
> > is what really feeds the phenomenon. If there wasn't such a huge demand
for
> > these treasures in Europe, Asia, and America, and elsewhere in the
world, then
> > there would not be the market to create the lucre necessary to feed the
looting.
> >
> > So much could be done by stricter intervention on international borders.
On
> > having groups that monitor auctions and online trading, of higher
priority
> > given to the protection of cultural resources and heritage by national
and local
> > governements. On having more severe penalities for trafficking in
cultural
> > heritage - not just fines, but real hard time.
> >
> > As the current issue of Archaeolgy magazine points out, this is the
issue.
> >
> > http://www.archaeology.org/magazine.php?page=curiss/index
> >
> > Cheers!
> > Dave
> >
> > David Harvey
> > 2930 South Birch Street
> > Denver, CO  80222
> > 303-300-5257
> > [log in to unmask]
> >
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