Comments on: Puerto Rican petroglyphs caught in sovereignty fight http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/485 History fetish? What history fetish? Wed, 07 Jan 2009 13:59:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: livius drusus http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/485#comment-16347 livius drusus Sun, 06 Jul 2008 13:56:49 +0000 http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/485#comment-16347 At the very least the ACoE regulations regarding where historical artifacts are to be kept should have been suspended during work in Puerto Rico. It's such an incredibly tone-deaf, 19th c. McKinleyite imperialist action to just strip the site of all its antiquities and send them to the US "for their own good". As for the private company, I have no doubt whatsoever that they were paid and well. The US government is notoriously willing to be overcharged by its contractors. I hope very much that partage was not involved in the deal. For public relations reasons alone that would be an insane move. At the very least the ACoE regulations regarding where historical artifacts are to be kept should have been suspended during work in Puerto Rico.

It’s such an incredibly tone-deaf, 19th c. McKinleyite imperialist action to just strip the site of all its antiquities and send them to the US “for their own good”.

As for the private company, I have no doubt whatsoever that they were paid and well. The US government is notoriously willing to be overcharged by its contractors.

I hope very much that partage was not involved in the deal. For public relations reasons alone that would be an insane move.

]]> By: livius drusus http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/485#comment-16346 livius drusus Sun, 06 Jul 2008 13:51:31 +0000 http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/485#comment-16346 Well, at least they saved the artifacts, and if by some miracle the site doesn't flood, Puerto Rican archaeolgists will be able to examine the find. Cross your fingers and hope for revolution. ;) Well, at least they saved the artifacts, and if by some miracle the site doesn’t flood, Puerto Rican archaeolgists will be able to examine the find.

Cross your fingers and hope for revolution. ;)

]]> By: Cheri http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/485#comment-16272 Cheri Thu, 03 Jul 2008 22:56:39 +0000 http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/485#comment-16272 I too find it sad that the Army Corps of Engineers is able to loot artifacts and remains of our ancestors. The USA "rescued" Puerto Rico and her inhabits which automatically sets the idea up that they are the law. Add to this the USA refusal as to acknowledge the Taino are not extinct (the native of North America have this problem too) and because they labeled PR as a common wealth of the USA that they, the USA government see them self as "God and Lord", ultimate ruler. How is this any different from being ruled by Spain? The Army Corps of Engineers and other USA entities seem to think they can abuse and negligent the governing law of Puerto Rico. If this were any other country they would have honored protocol, not to mention they would not have hired an outside group who only have monetary gain in their eyes, but hired within Puerto Rico. They treat the people of PR and her government as though they are backward and incapable of scientific analysis. PR has everything that the USA does. Because these items were not accounted for by itemizing as by PR law we will never have a true accounting of what has been looted and sold. There is no way that an outside archaeological company was going to go into the field without monetary compensation and a share of what was found, if not a guarantee they could keep all they salvaged. Their contract was with a US entity not the PR government who should have been consulted and partnered in the project. I find it amazing and interesting that after their find suddenly their was a glut of perfect Taino pieces to hit the Ebay market topping out at prices well over $2,000. I'd like to see the contract that company in Georgia had and an accounting of the artifacts as well as an investigation into why they negated PR law. In short the US government only honors those governments it wishes to recognize and because they feel commonwealth is equated to a colonial ownership they will do as they please until the people of Puerto Rico take them to court via the Supreme Court, the UN and the court of the people (media) not until them will the government of PR, her people and her laws be honored. I too find it sad that the Army Corps of Engineers is able to loot artifacts and remains of our ancestors. The USA “rescued” Puerto Rico and her inhabits which automatically sets the idea up that they are the law. Add to this the USA refusal as to acknowledge the Taino are not extinct (the native of North America have this problem too) and because they labeled PR as a common wealth of the USA that they, the USA government see them self as “God and Lord”, ultimate ruler. How is this any different from being ruled by Spain? The Army Corps of Engineers and other USA entities seem to think they can abuse and negligent the governing law of Puerto Rico.
If this were any other country they would have honored protocol, not to mention they would not have hired an outside group who only have monetary gain in their eyes, but hired within Puerto Rico.
They treat the people of PR and her government as though they are backward and incapable of scientific analysis. PR has everything that the USA does. Because these items were not accounted for by itemizing as by PR law we will never have a true accounting of what has been looted and sold. There is no way that an outside archaeological company was going to go into the field without monetary compensation and a share of what was found, if not a guarantee they could keep all they salvaged. Their contract was with a US entity not the PR government who should have been consulted and partnered in the project.
I find it amazing and interesting that after their find suddenly their was a glut of perfect Taino pieces to hit the Ebay market topping out at prices well over $2,000. I’d like to see the contract that company in Georgia had and an accounting of the artifacts as well as an investigation into why they negated PR law.
In short the US government only honors those governments it wishes to recognize and because they feel commonwealth is equated to a colonial ownership they will do as they please until the people of Puerto Rico take them to court via the Supreme Court, the UN and the court of the people (media) not until them will the government of PR, her people and her laws be honored.

]]> By: Livia http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/485#comment-16258 Livia Thu, 03 Jul 2008 06:50:15 +0000 http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/485#comment-16258 That's sad and just another sign of the times. History, ancient or slightly more recent, isn't important in this now-centric time. That’s sad and just another sign of the times. History, ancient or slightly more recent, isn’t important in this now-centric time.

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