tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279887958085077691.post5455943918614657383..comments2024-02-22T10:35:12.485-08:00Comments on Cultural Property Observer: Half-Truths from a Self-Styled "Cultural Heritage Lawyer?"Cultural Property Observerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05924359202414555962noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279887958085077691.post-43494680135483755132012-03-09T12:30:17.605-08:002012-03-09T12:30:17.605-08:00There is nothing "foolish" about compari...There is nothing "foolish" about comparing different approaches in Europe and the USA. What is I think a bit foolish is the insistence that the USA is in some way an exception to everything and should only be regarded from on bended knees. <br /><br /><i>"The fact is that you in your own posts, St. Hilaire, and SAFE lump "looted," "stolen," "illicitly imported," "illicitly exported" and "smuggled" all together.</i><br />No, that is not a fact, that is your interpretation, and in my case I would say one which flies in the fact of the facts. <br /><br />I asked you to point out where in the post you criticise St Hilaire confuses looting and smuggling, let it be noted that you refuse to do so. <br /><br /><i>"You make it sound easy to comply with complicated regulations, but it is not in many cases.</i> <br /><br />Of course, if it were considered "complicated", the ACCG might do worse than produce guidelines for their collector members guiding them through the processes of legally exporting and importing cultural property. <br /><br />Am I right in thinking that <b>if the items had legitimate export paperwork</b>, then ICE would not normally impound any cultural property at the point of ingress?<br /><br />What, therefore, "litigation costs of fighting CBP" would be incurred if an importer can show the relevant documentation of lawful export complying with US customs law? Surely that is something importers of all sorts of items where such documents are required should expect to have to do?Paul Barfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10443302899233809948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279887958085077691.post-51982603992813759042012-03-09T06:11:37.390-08:002012-03-09T06:11:37.390-08:00Mr. Barford- You've stirred the pot with your...Mr. Barford- You've stirred the pot with your own foolish post claiming Greece is more serious than US law enforcement and then insulting them in the same breath by suggesting US law enforcement should taser or better yet pepper spray customs law violators like an unfortunate squirrel.<br /><br />The fact is that you in your own posts, St. Hilaire, and SAFE lump "looted," "stolen," "illicitly imported," "illicitly exported" and "smuggled" all together. Are you now conceding that just because an artifact does not have the proper paperwork, that does not suggest that it has been looted? If so, we have made a major breakthrough.<br /><br />Honest mistakes in paperwork should not lead to seizures, but the often do, not just in the cultural property field but others too. You make it sound easy to comply with complicated regulations, but it is not in many cases.<br /><br />In any event, St. Hilaire does not need you to speak for him. And this post would have been unneccessary in any case if he simply posted my comments questioning his analysis on his own blog.Cultural Property Observerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05924359202414555962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279887958085077691.post-82651462209302908172012-03-08T20:59:20.495-08:002012-03-08T20:59:20.495-08:00When Mr. St. Hilaire says "provide a meaningf...When Mr. St. Hilaire says "provide a meaningful deterrent to archaeological smuggling", do you suppose he means that archaeologists who smuggle artifacts out of the countries they dig in should be prosecuted more aggressively? I've heard that prosecutions of light-fingered archaeologists are rare.Wayne G. Sayleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02443529723963083983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279887958085077691.post-25585165239814158912012-03-08T10:35:56.551-08:002012-03-08T10:35:56.551-08:00Well, if you are talking about "truth" a...Well, if you are talking about "truth" and "half truth", can you point out where, in the post to which you link, St Hilaire says these items "must be looted"? His text is about smuggling and illicit traffic. <br /><br />Am I right in thinking that if the items had legitimate export paperwork, then ICE would not normally impound any cultural property at the point of ingress?<br /><br />What, therefore, "litigation costs of fighting CBP" would be incurred if an importer can show the relevant documentation of lawful export complying with US customs law? Surely that is something importers of all sorts of items where such documents are required should expect to have to do? <br /><br />Smuggling is a crime, is it not?Paul Barfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10443302899233809948noreply@blogger.com