Re: [Az-Geocaching] what????? Ken again....

Hi Ken again,
I added the PS about your darling daughter and hit "send" before
thanking you for putting up that "offensive" photo. I was curious as
to the content of the pic and from all the broo-ha ha was expecting
something closer to pornographic. Hardly!
Trisha


On Wed, 19 Feb 2003, "Ken" wrote:








This is my response to the Geocahing forum. Along
with the offensive photo.
 
 
 

Hello,
 
I would like to introduce myself as the owner of the virtual cache
that
has become the center of this controversy. The reason that I created
the cache
was to share with others some of the beauty and history that our state
has to
offer.
 
I clearly posted on the cache page the hours that the museum is open
and
there was never a need for a visitor to “trespass”.  In order to find
the answers to the
questions you never had to leave the public access paths that are
maintained at
the site.
 
As far as the “offensive” photograph it consists of my daughter
leaning
up against a boulder with her arm above the petroglyph. This boulder
is located
directly in the walking path that a visitor takes to view the various
petroglyphs at the site. Since this is a museum and this particular
boulder was
directly in the walking path I did not believe it was “off limits” The
rest of
the boulders are separated from visitors by short tubular fencing that
clearly
define restricted space. Since this boulder was directly in the
visitors
pathway, not separated by fencing, with no signs stating do not touch
I did not
believe there was any problem with my daughter posing by the glyph. My
impression of the placement of the boulder directly in the walking
path was that
it was put there exactly for that purpose. This boulder is also
clearly
separated from main rock panels giving me the impression that it was
there for
public inspection. Many museums have similar displays that the public
is allowed
to touch and examine. We are sorry if we violated the museum rules but
it was an
honest mistake and this particular boulder should have been clearly
marked, or
fenced off.
 
Whiling visiting the site, we spoke with the park ranger
who happened to be Native American. 
During our conversation he explained how many of the local Arizona
tribes
once considered this site as a primary sacred location to them.  He
explained to us that many of these
tribes felt betrayed and offended by the academic community taking
over this
sacred site and believed these people demonstrated little compassion,
understanding or respect for their cultural heritage.  Many of these
tribes consider this site
desecrated and will no longer visit this area because of the
interference of the
academic community. 

 
Is there a double standard that the museum is offended about a picture
of
a child touching “their” boulder, yet have no difficulty alienating
entire
tribes of Native Americans in order to conduct their research? The
attitude
we’ve derived appears to be elitist, encouraging academia but forgoing
anyone
else’s learning.
 
The museum is run by Arizona State University, which is a publicly
funded
school. They lease the site from the Maricopa County Flood Control
district,
which is also publicly funded. I find the following statement
interesting.
 
“ I appreciate the removal of the
Center from your website. It has attracted some visitors. However, we
do not think your website is
the kind of PR the Center is
seeking”
 
It interesting that they want to be selective in who can visit this
publicly funded site. Who else is not welcome? The handicapped?
Anglos’? Blacks?
Hispanic’s? Hunters? Fishermen? 4x4 enthusiasts? Dog lovers? I do not
recall
seeing the sign on what they consider “acceptable” visitors.
 
What is acceptable P.R.? National Geographic Magazine? Readers Digest?
Playboy? Since when do they get to control freedom of speech regarding
this
publicly supported site?
 
I also find this statement
interesting:
 
“Please remove the Deer Valley
Rock Art Center from your website. I hopethis request will not turn
into a legal
matter”
 
What legal matter? There never,
ever, was anything placed on this publicly owned property. This site
is listed
a  “Phoenix Points of Pride” and
“The National Register Of Historic Places”. Are they also going to be
sued? Do a
Web Search on “Deer Valley Rock Art Center” and see how many hits you
get. Are
they going to threaten legal action against all these sites? I seem to
remember
a little article called the 1st amendment that maybe they should read
about.
 
The sad thing is that as an
educational institution they have missed an opportunity to help
educated the
Geocaching community about the importance of not touching petroglyphs.
After
learning of their concern I could have posted on the cache page about
how the
oils in fingerprints can actually harm a petroglyph. This opportunity
is now
lost because of their narrow minded thinking.
 
KenWhereRWee? 


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"Although no one can go back and
make a brand new start,
Anyone can start from now and
make a brand new ending."
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