Thursday, 27 October 2011

SAFE's "Say Yes to Bulgaria" Petition

.SAFE now has a petition on the aptly-named "Change.org" website which people can use to show their support for measures to prevent antiquities smuggling from Bulgaria. So far it has about a third as many signatories as the supporters of buying smuggled artefacts have comments on the Regulations.gov website, which is odd. The petition allows comments, I wrote this:
The US is a state party of the 1970 UNESCO Convention and as should do its part to prevent the illicit trade in antiquities from other states parties (irrespective of article 9). What is happening now under everyone's noses on the US antiquities market (in which artefacts removed from archaeological sites in Bulgaria have figured prominently) fills me with disgust. It is well past time for the US to step in and do something about this.
And it is. It is telling that it needs Bulgaria to actually ask and SAFE start a petition before anyone over there will lift a finger to do anything about this totally open trade in looted archaeological artefacts.

SAFE also has a poll on its webpage which poses a question "Are all nations obligated to protect one another's cultural heritage?". There are four choices, one especially for the naysaying extremists.
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2 comments:

  1. Cultural Property Observer29 October 2011 at 04:35

    You've criticized coin collectors for "not following directions" in making their comments to CPAC?

    But isn't this petition a blatant end run around the process for making public comments?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Paul Barford29 October 2011 at 12:19

    How do you work that out? Is my blog also one? Is anyone expressing an opinion outside the regulations.Gov website one?

    I really do not follow your logic.

    Oh, I get it!! The coiney naysayers (produced by telling them the sky is falling again) have so far sent just 230 comments saying "No to Bulgaria" and a petition started a few days ago has raised 215 signatures for "say yes to Bulgaria".

    In reality, the petition started by SAFE is only a part of the CPAC public consultation in the fevered imagination of a coiney conspiracy theorist.

    I will continue to "criticise coin collectors" while they continue to behave like stubborn and braying donkeys because they are allow themselves to be led by the nose by asinine leaders with their crazy theories.

    ReplyDelete