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Ashmore and more

Fellow list members,	
	Recent comments about "rouge meteorite dealers" etc. have encouraged me
to write a brief opinion on this topic:
	When someone engages in behavior deemed by many to be destructive, they
should address themselves to the BEHAVIOR, not the individual. Calling
people names will never encourage behavior the name caller sees as more
reasonable. In fact, it clouds the issue as to who is the more
unreasonable.
	If you would like to see certain behavior curtailed, in addition to
objecting to the BEHAVIOR, the best course of action is to SUPPORT that
individual in positive endeavors. 
	While I was FAR from being the only one to voice concern regarding the
promotion and auctioning of the Monahans meteorite, I was certainly very
outspoken about it. However, I never felt Steve Arnold, himself, was
dishonest or reprehensible as a person. In fact, we had a very long
phone conversation during the heat of the action and I found him to be a
very strait foreword and a likable individual. I still strongly
disagreed with his actions at that time (and told him so), but I did not
lack respect for him as a person. 
	Furthermore, most of you may or may not know that Steve Arnold has a
long history of bringing many, many meteorite falls to the public as
well as channeling them to institutions. 
	I in no way intend to imply a softening of my sentiments about the
promotion and auction of meteorites from the field. There is a very big
difference, however, in stigmatizing an individual verses condemnation
only of a particular course of action. 
	I encourage all dealers and collectors who shared concerns about the
high potential the handling of Monahans had for  inflating meteorite
prices to recognize that behavior as being something ENTIRELY SEPARATE
from who Steve Arnold is as an individual & to unhesitatingly support
him in his traditional field recoveries and sales to dealers and the
public. 
	Make no mistake, were he to embark on a similar path as Monahans,
again, I would protest every whit as much as before. But, that is an
entirely separate issue from his productive work in this field.
	Anyone who wishes to hold on to any sense of "punishment" has missed
the point all together. Steve, as I mentioned earlier, has a long
history in the field of meteoritics and deserves to be treated with the
respect and honor his years of service to the community have earned him. 
	Best wishes, Michael

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