Julian Cope presents Head Heritage | The Modern Antiquarian Forum

nigelswift

8112 posts

Re: Dual identity?

Nov 06, 2003, 13:01

ES, I take you're point about the advantages of the word Prehistoric, but it also has unfortunate connotations in the public mind, especially if we're a bit radical. I'm still stinging from FW's mention of hippies with dogs on ropes which clearly signalled he'd been spying on me ;)

Reasoned arguments v Eco-warriors:
I definitely don't see us as a clone of the League Against Cruel Sports, on the grounds that I don't think any of us are that way inclined and extremists are usually counter-productive. But equally, and we have to have a consensus on this and perhaps write it into a blueprint, rather more "actively active" (!) and abrasive than might be expected of the Church of England Antiquarians Group. We could define it by agreeing a list of acceptable tactics. Eg. my Silbury notices would be acceptable I would hope but getting prosecuted for camping on the Avebury carpark wouldn't. For me, none of our tactics would be sufficiently unrespectable to necessitate two websites, i.e. the spectrum of radicalism wouldn't be too wide. Personally, I think the guiding factor ought to be that threats to sites are best countered by (a) educating public opinion and (b) giving adverse publicity to those in a position to rectify things. In a way those are the 2 functions you mentioned and for me they're pretty indivisible.

I think there are two types of situations we may face - the scenario BN talks of, where we need a long term local campaign against commercial interests and the short sharp campaign where we hope to shake EH et al out of their indolence simply by publicising the neglect. Again, those require the 2 different approaches but we can do it all from one base.

In reply to:
Dual identity? (Earthstepper)

Replies:
Re: Dual identity? (Steve Gray)

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