Cultural heritage in Iraq

Regarding destruction and looting of antiquities in Iraq--Some prior
discussion about the role politics should or should not play on this
list should be commented on.

During the nuclear arms buildup of the Reagan era and the nuclear
freeze movement which arose in the larger political body, I
introduced at the annual AIC meeting a relevant resolution. It
passed after much acrimonious debate about whether politics should
have any role in the AIC. The resolution required the AIC to mail a
letter to each of 100 Senators and 435 Representatives. The
resolution pointed out the obvious--that any contemplation of
nuclear war was antithetical to preservation of the world's art and
cultural resources. And that our role as professional conservators
was to address threats to art and artifacts wherever and from
whatever source they might arise. The resolution urged members of
Congress to understand the full cultural implications of what they
were voting for and supporting.

Would such a resolution at this year's AIC meeting be appropriate to
have our voices heard as broadly as possible?

Robert Mussey,
Furniture, Boston, Mass.


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 16:68
                    Distributed: Friday, May 2, 2003
                       Message Id: cdl-16-68-003
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