Concerns From the Very Centre of Europe

Where I am - right in the middle

Antiquities dealers' lobbyist Peter Tompa's reaction to my comments on the reactions of North American dealers and collectors to a NYT article about looting and smuggling of artefacts is merely to brush it off as "more foolishness from Poland", as if being from a state in the very centre of Europe was reason enough to dismiss it. [Collectors and dealers might also reflect on how, seen from outside, the kind of views they espouse seem to jive with and reinforce a more general picture of US attitudes to the rest of the world, which in turn might shed some light on the perspective from which how some of us see America.]

I trust the reader is capable of checking for themselves the reactions  to which I refer, and follow my reasons for considering this constant opposition and deflection do nothing to help resolve the issue of looting, smuggling and irresponsible collecting and why I am therefore critical of them. They can then decide for themselves whose arguments are the more "foolish" and whether they incline more to the views of the preservationists, or those who try every nasty tactic they can to oppose them and any change in the antiquities market.