[meteorite-list] meteorites not being able to leave certain countries

[JKGwilliam]

Some counties, fortunately, decided (before it was too late) they 
needed to protect items they considered an important part of their 
culture, heritage, natural resources, etc.  We are all very sadly 
aware what happens when there are no rules.  It is the nature of 
humans to overuse, over kill and commercially exploit anything they 
can get their hands on.  NWA and Oman are good examples of what 
happens when there are no export rules concerning meteorites.

On the American scene, the American Bison (buffalo) and Carrier 
Pidgeon are two good examples of what I'm talking about.  How many 
buffaloes or birds do you really need to kill?

There are ways for people to procure meteorites (and fossils, plants, 
birds,etc) from countries where tight regulations exist.  Dedicated 
scientist and institutions with programs of proper study and 
preservation should have no problem securing those hard-to-get 
meteorites they want. However, if the desire to possess said 
meteorites is motivated by vanity, greed or purely commercial 
purposes, the regulations are there to intercede.

  If  you (Ssteve) had a rare flower growing on your property that 
collectors could get nowhere else, would you allow anyone who wanted 
them to dig them up without your approval?   What a pity it would be 
to see these rare (hypothetical )flowers show up on Ebay starting at 
JUST ONE CENT.  In short order, your plants would all be gone, forever.

Regards,
John Gwilliam

At 06:41 AM 4/13/2008, steve arnold wrote:
>Good morning list.I want to start a new thread on
>something,that to me is a real steamer,that makes me a
>really upset,as to why certain countries prevent
>meteorites from being able to leave without proper
>papers.You have Australia,Canada,Oman,and now
>Argentina.If there are more I do not of them.I really
>want to know the reasoning behind such mind sets.We
>all live on the same planet,why deny everyone a chance
>to own a piece of the cosmic puzzle that we all love
>to collect?Any thought??When I read that countries are
>now going to keep them under lock and key it just does
>not make any sence.
>
>Steve R.Arnold,chicago,Ill,Usa!!
>        The Asteroid Belt!
>       http://chicagometeorites.net/
>       Collecting Meteorites since 06/19/1999
>       Ebay I.D. Illinoismeteorites
>
>
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