Could it be this guy?
Posted on 04/03/2014 6:31:41 AM PDT by alancarp
INDIANAPOLIS – FBI agents have seized thousands of artifacts from Native Americans, Russia, China, and other nations from a 91-year-old man's private collection in rural central Indiana.
The items, which also came from Haiti, Australia, New Guinea and Peru, were collected by Donald Miller of Waldron over eight decades, FBI Special Agent Robert Jones said at a news conference.
"The cultural value of these artifacts is immeasurable," Jones said while refusing to disclose details of any of the individual items taken from Miller's property.
Some items were acquired improperly, but Miller, who traveled extensively, obtained others legally or before laws affecting them were on the books, Jones said. Federal authorities will attempt to repatriate items with their rightful owners, he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
again, following the past of least resistance. . .
or a form of mission creep . .
F U .GOV
“Indiana Jones, The Sunset Years”
Could it be this guy?
But the law will force him to prove legal acquisition of everything.
Now, if this was tax court, it would be a whole different thing. Sadly...
If he possessed ONE EAGLE FEATHER amonst his collected item, he would be facing a huge fine and jail time.
Or worse yet, left in the ground to rust, rot and decay. I think it is criminal that private citizens cannot recover artifacts from battlefields and other historic sites. The agencies that oversee them do not and have never have the resources to recover even a fraction of artifacts, so the vast majority are lost forever. Simply allowing folks to buy a permit, recover, and turn over any items considered to be of great historical value (perhaps with some compensation) would serve everyone’s interest best.
You have to suspect this Miller is an outspoken conservative or has otherwise annoyed the powers that be.
I read in the comments for this story elsewhere that antiquities law works like tax court; you must prove that each item was acquired legally with documentation. If so, that law should be changed, imho. Better, get a president who really cares about serious reduction in government so they don’t have the resources to do this crap.
Well DUH!
He had high capacity quivers that held more than 10 arrows.
You prove it with your word. They can then offer compelling proof that trumps your proof.
Great post. Gangstas and drugs are running rampant in this town and the FBI is “taking out” a 91 yr old guy who collects stuff.
Pathetic.
However now seagulls (the disgusting sea rats) are now a protected species.
So one day armed federal agents from some federal agency raid the place and take away the stuffed bird in front of terrified customers.
What a bunch of morons. I think you need an IQ below 80 to work for some of these agencies.
I willing to bet that the maint. crew folks turned him over to the feds. and now the eggheads are having a field day stealing from him, to fill their collections.
why is it that the egg heads always feel that they are the only ones allowed to own anything of a historical nature
So they just stole his stuff.
From the article: “... Indiana artifacts that he had...”
So quite possibly... or just an example of poor editing.
I have a catlinite pipe I bought a few years before the Native Americans decided they didn’t want to sell them to white people anymore. Can I expect a visit from the FBI?
ssshhhhhh!!!!
How can the FBI determine when and how something was purchased/found/obtained? Can the FBI just barge in and demand answers in a “guilty-until-proven-innocent” kind of way?
An old man’s life’s work must be taken away, his honor broken, his genius erased, and the wonders of his life plundered, all in the name of false justice by cruel tyrants bent on their corrupt authority.
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