Another Archaeologist Pussy-footing Around the Issues

In the comments to  PAS-partner Dave Crisp's awful Guardian opinion piece "Joy of metal detecting – it’s not just about the treasure", you can see British archaeology at its best (worst). Now bear in mind that Crisp writes: "We are very lucky in this country to have an excellent system where we can record the items we find, so they can be enjoyed by all. It’s called the Portable Antiquities Scheme...[bla bla]..." next to an avatar of a cuddly kitten a Guardian-reading somebody writes (29 August 2014 7:42pm): 

As an archaeologist I have lots of things I'd like to say here but rather than offending anyone, I'd much rather direct any interested parties to the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) website, where they can learn about responsible metal detecting! Help us, don't hinder us!

You just wonder whether ms Fluffykitten had actually read the text. You can see how this kind of mind works "I'm an archaeologist, but I am too busy/important to read what a metal detectorist has written in a national newspaper, I'll just brush the whole thing off with platitudes". You see also the pass-the-buck, "it's the job of the PAS to deal with these people, not mine". I wonder too if Ms Fluffykitten archaeologist has actually been to the PAS website and seen just what is (and is not) available there. I defy her to, and then tell us what she found there about 'best practice'. The PAS website in its current form is the last place you'd want to send anyone for any information on portable antiquity issues in a wider context, or even the narrower context of best practice (apart from "we-are-your-friend-show-us-all-yer-stuff M8s").

Yes, I am well awere that all over Bonkers Britain there are a whole load of jobsworth archaeologists who'd have a lot of things to say to artefact hunters. They write to me off-line in droves about it ("would if  could, you know...."). Wimps. There are a lot of things Fluffykitten would I hope say if she say three blokes driving a bulldozer through Offa's Dyke (wouldn't she?), if she saw two teenagers digging a hole in a scheduled hillfort, kids vandalising a park bench (no?) or if somebody told her that there is really good evidence that Stonehenge was built 100,000 BC by  anthropomorphic space lizards which is why it is round and points towards the stars. At least I hope she would. So why not here? What is so "offensive" about writing: "This is why I think you are wrong Mr Crisp"?  Somehow, from seeing Mr Crisp in action on TV and You Tube, he does not strike me as being the sort of person with complexes who'd get  defensive and hurt if you disagree with him. He's not a PAS-poster-boy for nothing. He is one of the more articulate of all the PAS partners.

I wonder just when it is that British archaeologists, individually and as a whole, will stop pussy-footing around this issue. When will they stop using the PAS as a prop: "I don't have to deal with it, it is somebody else's problem". It is quite clear that the PAS is not "dealing with it", never have - and on current showing, never will. How long does British archaeology (including the PAS) intend to keep turning its back on the complex issues surrounding artefact hunting and collecting in the UK?

This is not intended as a personal attack on the lady who did write. I used her comment to make a point. I imagine there are dozens of archaeologists who read that article and did not even lift a finger to send a comment to register their disapproval (or support). Shame on the lot of them.

UPDATE  
I see the PAS and its 'polite green men' now, like Vladimir Putin, have their own social media disinformation computer squad. I suppose we are expected to infer that somebody calling themselves "DiggerDoc" [Male Joined: 30 Aug 2014: one comment]. is a real Guardian-reading archaeologist who writes (30 August 2014 3:37pm):

Interesting piece, indeed. It's just a shame that more of my colleagues remain tight lipped when the loonier elements - the anti-everything brigade - sound off against people with metal detectors. They are, doing a worthwhile job and to be encouraged even more to report their finds, and for (sic) archaeology as a whole to work with them.

"Doing a worthwhile job"? That last sentence is a bit dodgy, isn't it? I hope you got your sister to read your thesis if you filled it with phraseology like that, "doc". Transparently a metal detectorist.  Pathetic really, they have to convince people that they have lots of supporters through sock-puppets. The remedy to people "sounding off about [policies on artefact hunting]" is to answer the points made. Just show we are wrong, "Intelligently weighing facts and circumstances" in the wider context they deserve to be seen in. Please, "doc".