Metal Detectorists and Coin Dealers In the Gutter Together

 
Barnum (not a real name)  writes to a ANA coin dealer: "I agree that we detectorists tend to get in the gutter when it comes to Barford, but he reaps what he sows". Really? I criticise current policies on and practices in artefact hunting and collecting, but I really do not agree that I "sow" this kind of stuff, making fun of sexual harassment like this post on metal detectorist Steve Taylors libellous pseudo-Barford-blog:
http://paulbarford.blogspot.com/2013/09/a-nutshell-I-see-Dorothy-King-has-had.html
or this vulgarity from the same source
http://paulbarford.blogspot.com/2013/09/try-new-improved-barford-fried-chicken.html
or this equally vulgar mention:
http://www.johnwinter.net/jw/2013/09/the-amazing-talking-arsehole/
or this puerility: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7CUe93COHw  (so nicely highlighted by an ANA professional numismatist unable to see that his own activities fall into precisely the same category).

Nor when I am discussing something about artefact looting and the manner of presentation of it on the internet in blogs like "Looting Matters" (on a patristics blog!) is this kind of ad hominem interjection called-for:
http://www.roger-pearse.com/weblog/2013/09/12/some-questions-about-looting-matters/ [comments by metal detectorist Dick Stout]


This is what metal detectorists do. Metal detectorists who are not going to engage with the issues discussed here. They want to deflect attention away through ad hominem attacks.

ANA "classical coin" dealers are engaged in such activities too:
http://classicalcoins.blogspot.com/2013/09/anti-americanism-and-archaeological.html
and his comment on the above-mentionedpearse blog.
This particular guy's fixation ad hominem goes back some time:
http://paul-barford.blogspot.com/2010/12/qualifications-and-expertise.html

So much for the ANA Code of Ethics, eh? "To refrain from making unjustified and/or false statements or misrepresentations in my relations with others [...] Any violation of this code will be grounds for expulsion from the American Numismatic Association". Mr Welsh has persisted in making false statements and misrepresentations about myself, and thus reflecting badly on the ability of the coin trade to engage in any kind of normal debate. Of course the ANA does not indicate to whom one would report a clear infringement, thus undermining its own declaration of willingness to combat such problems in their midst. It does not even seem to have an ethics committee, still less a disciplinary one. Metal detectorists have only the "be an ambassador for your hobby" bit in their Code of Practice.

TAKE A GOOD LOOK at this behaviour, for these are precisely the sort of people the PAS wants to grab more and more millions of public quid to make into the "partners" of the British Museum, archaeological heritage professionals and to whom they want us all to entrust the exploitation of the archaeological record. Take a good look and decide what you think about that as a "policy".