[meteorite-list] Open Letter to Brad Andes of Meteor Crater Enterprises

From: Michael Gilmer <michael_w_gilmer_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu, 12 Mar 2009 07:40:53 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <823936.31028.qm_at_web58402.mail.re3.yahoo.com>

Mr. Andes,

In a recent newspaper article linked below, you were quoted as
saying :

"Andes said Lynch is doing the honest thing and the decent thing, which is no guarantee in the world of meteorite collectors. "That says a lot about his character," Andes said"

http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/41069052.html

Mr. Andes, as an honest meteorite collector and enthusiast, I am
VERY INSULTED by your juvenile trash talk. Unlike the rest of you
rich corporate sharks who have driven this country into the
economic toliet, I uphold a highest standard of trading practices
with my fellow collectors and dealers. Your attempt to paint an
entire hobby and group of people as dishonest thieves succeeded in
only one thing - it demonstrated to the world your ignorance of
basic facts and your prejudice against people you don't know.

Was it meteorite collectors who took a feature of nature and god,
put a fence around it and said it's private property? No. Was
it meteorite collectors who stole the land the crater sits on
from native indian tribes who actually own it? No. It is the
height of human arrogance to claim ownership over a crater in
the remote desert that has existed for tens of thousands of years.
And it is the height of human ignorance to go out and make a
stupid statement like the one I quoted above. Because some
wealthy businessman "bought" a piece of the Earth and then passed it
down to his heirs, who in turn hired you to help administrate it,
does not make you better than the people you denounce.

Do you think visitors who stoop down to pick up a piece of nature's
iron and stick it in their pocket (after they paid you already to
be there) are thieves? Who is the thief? How did your white
ancestors acquire the land they live on? They raped, murdered, and
lied their way into ownership - and then codified it into "law".
That makes you and your ancestors dishonest thieves. So make sure
you aren't living in a glass house before you start throwing
chondrites.

So before you open your uneducated mouth, next time do your homework
and learn the facts.

And if all of this sounds harsh, just remember - you Mr. Andes
fired the first shot by insulting a large number of honest people
and calling them thieves. Someone needed to call you out on it.

Next time you want to talk trash about ME or any of the other
honest collectors and dealers I work with, then call me on the
phone and arrange a meeting - I will be more than happy to
school you in person.

No best regards to you,

MikeG

PS - I'm sure I don't speak for the more sophisticated members
of the meteorite community who are cringing as they read this. You
see, I am intelligent enough not to make assumptions about large
numbers of people I don't know.

.........................................................
Michael Gilmer (Louisiana, USA)
Member of the Meteoritical Society.
Member of the Bayou Region Stargazers Network.
Websites - http://www.galactic-stone.com and http://www.glassthrower.com
..........................................................


PSS - does anyone have an email address for Mr. Andes so I can
personally send him my best regards?



      
Received on Thu 12 Mar 2009 10:40:53 AM PDT