[CPProt.net] Unattractive trash

[Alexander Bauer]

A word from someone who cares about the future of this list:

Let's not do this again, everybody.

Please remember that the cpprot mailinglist (and the museum security 
network before it) allows for the circulation of information and 
articles about cultural property issues, of which the artnose piece was 
one.  You do not have to agree with every article that is published, 
but does it get us anywhere to refuse to hear any side of an issue that 
does not conform to our own views?

I am surprised that such outbursts have continued, and even happened in 
the first place, in fact, on an email list that revolves around 
cultural property issues--one of the most contentious topics there is.  
Yes, many people's ethnic and national identities are tied to such 
property.  Yes, it is a sensitive issue, and I thought we all knew 
this.  Plenty of people on this list must have had very close emotional 
reactions to other topics addressed here over the years--the Parthenon 
(Elgin) Marbles, the Ethiopian remains in Italy, the list can go 
on--but we have done our best during this time to contain such 
outbursts.  I think this has been for the better, as it has resulted in 
a list that keeps us all informed about the many sides of these always 
difficult issues.

There is certainly little purpose in a list that only tells us what we 
want to hear (cnn is a pretty good example of this).  It is for all our 
benefit to hear different views, even if they are not appealing, even 
if they do not always seem grounded in "fact".  How many of us think 
that both sides of the US v. Shultz case, for example, are being 
completely "accurate" in their presentation of their case?  Should we 
silence one side altogether?  Which would it be?  This is certainly not 
the American Way in the sense that I am proud of.  So let us not 
continue to shout every time a point of view we deign to disagree with 
is posted, or else we will destroy one of the few remaining venues 
where cultural property issues may be aired with equanimity.

Sincerely,

Alexander A. Bauer

Dept. of Anthropology
University of Pennsylvania
325 University of Pennsylvania Museum
33rd and Spruce Sts.
Philadelphia, PA  19104
www.sas.upenn.edu/~bauer2



On Sunday, April 13, 2003, at 10:44  PM, Wallace E Sisson wrote:

> I do not expect to see biased political junk on this informational
> website...IT DOESN'T BELONG HERE!!!
>
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