On a tour of the Athens Acropolis, I think I offended the guide. She was griping about the Elgin Marbles and how the Brits swiped ‘em. I said: “Gee. I wish they had gotten the Venus di Milo before she got her arms knocked off and the Victoire de Samothrace before she lost her arms and head!” She didn’t reply, but she gave me a nasty look.
I like your response. I think I recall reading somewhere that the pollution in Athens was putting all their antiquities at risk. That which had been taken from them was safe from that deterioration.
It really is a mess...can you imagine if all artifacts were ordered by some new international law to be returned to the countries of origin?