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Re: The Fight for Truth, Justice & the American Way, in Monahans

In a message dated 6/1/98 12:47:17 PM Central Daylight Time,
ase@mail.stelljes.de writes:

<< BTW: I hope
 Steve Arnold doesn´t take too much personal offence - this is in no way
 intended by me.

 The REAL problem has been pointed out by Phil Bagnall, and that was what
 I had primarily aimed at with my post, quoting him. One should be very
 careful fighting a battle, and not finally losing a war, as someone else
 on the list put it. >>

Hello Alex and list,

No offensse taken!  I would like to remind you that I did not pick this fight!
The boys parents hired me and I am legally obligated to assit them in getting
the most for their rock.  And at this piont, it involves helping them get it
back!

We were genuinely hoping that the Monahans City Council would have decided to
"give" the rock to the boys!  The city thinks they own it, so they have the
right to give it to the boys, if they want to!  We think that is "the right
thing to do!"

If they don't want to give the rock back, and if political pressure won't work
then we will have to let a judge decide.

I too hope that "the war," as you all like to refer to it, is not lost between
government paid employees (NASA, Smithsonian, scientists and curator types)
and the free enterprisers (collectors, investors, dealers, farmers, private
researchers and boys who find rocks that fall out of the sky  types)!

I am glad you are concerned, but I am not sure if "the war" would be lost
whether this case goes in favor of the boys or not.  Personally I think when
Agents of the Federal Government are allowed to say whatever they want
unchecked, that is where the real danger lies.  Whether they work for NASA,
the FBI or the ATF, much wieght is given to what they say. (And in this case,
what was said, had a very strong impact on the City Councils stance up to this
point.   And unless we as a community (the meteoritical community) stand up
and demand our rights, we will eventually lose them!

Look at what has happened in Canada, and Australia?  These countries have seen
what has happened when government officials step in and override personal and
property rights!  It is now illegal for people to export meteorites from there
without the freedom we enjoy here.  And especially in Canada, virtually
NOTHING has turned up in that country since their laws were inacted to be sure
Canada got to keep 100% of everything found there!  Well, they are getting
100% of everything, 100% of almost NOTHING!!!

If you don't think freedom is important to the science of meteoritcs, just
look in the BMNH Catalogue of Meteorites under the listing of countries and
how many meteorites each country has recovered.

Australia   218
Canada   49
USSR  176
U.S.A.  920

To be honest, I bet if you would ask all the officials in the U.S. Government
that are working in the field of meteoritcs, most of them recognize the
tremendous contributions that they have made to our field of science.  They
also see how much harm the science has suffered by the selfish intents of a
few people in these other governments, where stupid laws have been enforced!
I am willing to bet that they don't want to see it happen here.  We have too
rich of a history of great men like Ward, Nininger, Huss, Stockwell, Monnig
and the like, to want to restrict the freedoms that we all profit from (no
matter what some at NASA say!)

Ever since the HUGE battles, that lasted for decades, between Lincoln LaPaz
(from the University of New Mexico) and Harvey Nininger,  there has been that
tension.  But today few people even know who LaPaz is, and Nininger will
remain our "Patron Saint" forever!  As a matter of fact, LaPaz is only known
by many as "the man who took the Norton County Meteorite away from Nininger!"

So I don't necessarily think that calling these people on the tax payer
payroll "sleeping dogs" is really appropriate!  We will either not get the
meteorite, and the country will still be where we are right now (if a
meteorite falls on public property, it belongs to the public) or a judge will
decide, at least in Texas, that Finders Keepers applies in Texas, and I
believe, the whole science of meteoritcs will advance!  Yes, there might be
appeals, but what would be the worse that could happen?  The decision would be
reversed and we would fall back to where we are now!  But if we don't try, we
will never know if we all (and I do mean ALL in the field of this science)
will improve our lot!

Now as far as approaching the case in an intelligent manner, one that
increases the chances of winning the argument, I am very open for constructive
criticism.  We need all the help we can get.  And if you don't mind me putting
some pressure on any argument you make, then lets bat this around as much as
possible, so if it does end up in court, we have the best chance at winning
this.

Sound fair enough?

Steve Arnold