Re: SVP statement on Dr. Rensberger-Burke Museum

[Michael Schmidt <dmichaelschmidt@shaw.ca>]

yes.  agreed! but how many private collectors have been prosecuted for doing 
the same thing?  I know of commercial/private collectors that have either by 
sale or donation made available illegally collected/exported materials to 
institutions, and it has not prohibited any legal acion against them.  And 
while some of these materials were known to have had legal issues before 
being sold or donated, the vast majority of them were sold or donated in 
good faith, and thought to be 100% legal.

My point is the laws are there for a reason.  All this man had to do was 
apply for the permits.  As I understand it, he simply didn't, and there is 
no way that he didn't understand that what he was doing was illegal.  And 
not just once did he break the law, apparntly he did so DOZENS of times.

If I walked into a grocery store and stole food for myself, I will be 
prosecuted.  If I turned around and took that stolen food and donated it to 
the food bank, I don't doubt that I would still be prosecuted.

So, if this man knowingly broke the law on multiple occasions, for no other 
reasons than laziness or possibly ego, why should he be above the law in 
being made responsible?  regardless of his intentions?

Good intentions are no excuse for knowingly and repeatedly breaking the law.

If he is not prosecuted, it simply creates the impression that the laws are 
there for some, but not for others.

Michael
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tim Williams" <twilliams_alpha@hotmail.com>
To: <dinosaur@usc.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, October 18, 2006 11:48 AM
Subject: Re: SVP statement on Dr. Rensberger-Burke Museum


> Michael Schmidt wrote:
>
> > The lack of interest, Bob, I believe is simply embarassment on belalf of 
> > the academic community.
>
> Maybe, maybe not.  It may have something to do with this...
>
> "...but the SVP Ethics Education Committee concluded that the fossil 
> collections resulting from Dr.
> Rensberger's fieldwork are properly deposited in a public institution (the 
> Burke Museum) and have
> been well curated by Dr. Rensberger and the current curatorial staff of 
> the Burke Museum."
>
> Which, to me, says that these discoveries were not for personal monetary 
> gain, and the specimens in question were/are available to science.  These 
> discoveries remain "properly deposited in a public institution", rather 
> than gathering dust in a private collection or ending up on eBay.  That 
> counts for a lot in my book.  I shudder to think how many invaluable 
> fossil discoveries never get to see the light of day because the 
> collector(s) sell their collections privately for a fast buck, or keep 
> them stashed under the porch.
>
> Cheers
>
> Tim
>
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