[brownie]

Then should everything that was ever taken from anywhere be returned to the "original" owners? What about conquered lands? The gold taken from the Incas - should that be given to today's mexicans?

I think it belongs to England, and should remain in their until they decide otherwise. If not, we will continually be in a debate over who has the rights to what based on some imaginary tie to history.

[Right Wing Professor]

Then should everything that was ever taken from anywhere be returned to the "original" owners? What about conquered lands? The gold taken from the Incas - should that be given to today's mexicans?

I think you missed his sarcasm.

I agree with you; possession is nine points of the law. The British Museum has had clear possession of these artifacts for 200 years. That's more than long enough to give them title. Nither the two govts. that are trying to repossess them even existed when the BM acquired them.

[RightWhale]

I'll let you two figure this one out and report back to the legal dept. I just expect to find my car where I parked it this morning and my dog sitting on top of his doghouse when I get home. With that, I can get most of the rest of my stuff back eventually.

[Cronos]

I think it belongs to England, and should remain in their until they decide otherwise.

I don't think even the Brits would agree with you on that. The point they make is that they woul dbe the best to keep these artifacts safe -- a valid and very credible point.

However, the other point that these are parts of someone elses heritage is also true. When the Taliban brought down the Bamiyan buddhas, they were destroying their own sense of self, destroying their own culture, in the same fashion that the British under Cromwell destroyed the original Crown jewels that were centuries old.

imaginary tie to history??

The Egyptians and Greeks certainly don't have an imaginary tie to their own histories.

The gold, that's not a good argument to bring up -- the gold was part of Mexico's "heritage" when it was in the form of statues , jewellery etc. When it was melted down and made into coinage, it became part of the wealth which was taken from Mexico, which is another debate.

This is a separate issue from the point of repatriations, this is heritage. As I said before, we would be equally distraught, to say the least, if the declaration of independence was taken by some other nation and displayed elsewhere.