Re: Paleobotanical Legislation United States (posted for E. Rose)

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Yes Sally you are absolutely right there is no current legislation
concerning collecting on private lands. I'm extremely sorry if I made it
sound that way. I never meant to suggested that. But my source of
information was from someone who DID attend a recent conference and DID
hear discussion of the "idea". I do not believe it was in any official
context and that is why I did not say it was. Maybe they are only a hand
full of peolple but in the very "political" world of science they may have
a greater sway than any of us would like to admit. So get real, there are
individuals within the vertebrate paleo community who would like to see all
collecting restricted to but a few "accredited institutions" and if you
think that's a bad thing then speak to them not me(or maybe you have, I
don't mean to imply, it sounds like you have the right ideas about
"responsible avocational collectors").

Unfortunately my source does not wish to be quoted or even discuss it
further with me because of the Political pressure from certain institutions
he has contact with.[Oh, excuse me I've blasphemed again] And heaven forbid
"politics" does somehow always manages to make it's way into these matters
as much as we would all like to think that science is above that sort of
thing. I'm sick of it.

I guess when a discussion of ideas is not to one's liking it must sound
like a nasty rumour or bit of rhetoric. I know I have felt that way myself
and again I apologize if I gave some very wrong impressions in my earlier
letter.

BUT MY POINT WAS:

Let's all get away from the US versus Them crap and not to get overly angry
at groups or organizations but to take the diologue directly to the
INDIVIDUALS whether they be amateurs, commercial dealers, professional
paleontologists or academians.

This whole issue of who and how and where fossils should be collected
should be of concern to all of us and it should be something that all of us
can address from the grass roots level by not associating with other
amateurs who break the laws or buying specimens from shady dealers or
expressing concern through professional societies we belong to or writing
our state and federal legislators.

I'm going to leave it at that, If anyone wishes to continue this discussion
and post some real facts or real opinions then knock yourself out. But
please don't direct it toward me personaly I will not respond I will be
busy writing to a few scientists and institutions that I used to admire.

E.Rose

PS From what I understand of current western politics and the mood against
government restrictions all of the federal legislation so far has bitten
the big one. [Dam it if I can mine a mountain down to a great big ugly hole
in the ground then I should be allowed to dig up a few lousy bones if I
want to!]