09-29-2016, 06:32 AM
It has been mighty slow here on the forum lately. The heat, jobs, school, etc have just about put an end to detecting. So until things pick up a bit, here's something to read that might be of interest and stir a few comments. Thanks for letting an old man ramble on a bit.
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Just before Memorial Day this year a disturbing story about looting at the Petersburg Battlefield Site caught my attention. It got me to thinking about our hobby and all its many facets. The basics first: The news headlines in late May reported that a large number of open excavations were discovered in the eastern part of the Petersburg National Battlefield. This was reported locally and nationally, and the investigators speculated that relic hunters using metal detectors had looted the site, looking for bullets, buttons, and other items associated with the siege of Petersburg. National Park Service officials were asking for help in identifying the culprits, but as of this time, I am not aware of anyone being named as responsible. Some of the words used to describe the act were “desecration”, ”affront to memory”, “crime scene”, and “outrage”. And the timing of this event, just before the Memorial Day holiday, added insult to injury. It was pretty much a black eye for the metal detecting hobby. This is the BAD, the act itself; and the UGLY is the fallout that ensued.
We all know that there are unscrupulous people out there with detectors in their hands, and that their number, when compared to legitimate users, is certainly miniscule. But those few, with their disregard for the rules of decency, deal a powerful blow to the reputation of the rest of us. An old trite phrase comes quickly to mind—“one bad apple spoils the bunch”. Sadly, it seems that bad news negates good news in a disproportionate rate. Or as Shakespeare said in Julius Caesar, “The evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones”.
I read the postings in our TC forum daily and I am always taken by the good that I see. There is camaraderie among the members, a spirit of unity among those enjoying a great hobby. There are stories of wonderful finds properly dug. There is the sharing of information and history. There is the search for the backstory. There are folks like Scott starting a club and introducing newcomers to the right way to detect. There are examples of special personal item finds being returned to original owners or to descendants. Ed’s discovery of the runner’s medal and Nick’s collaboration in helping Ed track down the family of the young man looms large, as does Pat’s recent recall of the gold ring he found and returned to the owner’s daughter, as examples of the good in this hobby. I could go on for quite a while in this vein—the archives of TC hold lots of such stories. This is the GOOD. But I’m wondering how much “positive press” is generated in these instances. The detectorists were certainly gratified, as were the recipients of this generosity, and maybe a local story appeared in a paper or two (check out Zach’s post in “Video Channel” for 9/27/16—did anyone else see this) and a reader may have thought it was noteworthy and good. But I’m fearful that all these good elements of detecting can be outweighed by one example of bad behavior; such is the attention and weight given to offending news.
It seems to be a basic tenet of human behavior that we want to make ourselves look as good as possible to those we encounter. My mom and dad used to tell me to "put your best foot forward" whenever I undertook a new endeavor. Others have cautioned me to always make a good impression. It’s fundamental. We want to be seen in our best light and we all do it--athletes, movie stars, politicians, businessmen, even entities like companies and charities, and of course everyday people like you and me. In the vernacular it’s called “branding” and it has its rewards. I don’t mean to suggest that we want to be seen in a good light solely for rewards, (after all being and doing good has its own worth), but when good and decent behavior generates rewards as a natural consequence, then we should take advantage. In the realm of detecting it means abiding by a code of conduct which includes digging responsibly, seeking permissions, refraining from digging in prohibited areas, politely and properly pursuing access to banned public areas, like parks and playgrounds, and by promoting the hobby in our contacts with others. Such activity puts detecting in a good light and is more likely to open up access to searchable areas, public and private, than is the opposite. I realize that this probably equates to “preaching to the choir”, since I have seen only responsible behavior described by our members on the forum, but none of us can take for granted that the whole of our pastime is seen in a good light by all. Basically, we have an obligation to do what we can to insure the longevity of metal detecting as our chosen pursuit.
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Just before Memorial Day this year a disturbing story about looting at the Petersburg Battlefield Site caught my attention. It got me to thinking about our hobby and all its many facets. The basics first: The news headlines in late May reported that a large number of open excavations were discovered in the eastern part of the Petersburg National Battlefield. This was reported locally and nationally, and the investigators speculated that relic hunters using metal detectors had looted the site, looking for bullets, buttons, and other items associated with the siege of Petersburg. National Park Service officials were asking for help in identifying the culprits, but as of this time, I am not aware of anyone being named as responsible. Some of the words used to describe the act were “desecration”, ”affront to memory”, “crime scene”, and “outrage”. And the timing of this event, just before the Memorial Day holiday, added insult to injury. It was pretty much a black eye for the metal detecting hobby. This is the BAD, the act itself; and the UGLY is the fallout that ensued.
We all know that there are unscrupulous people out there with detectors in their hands, and that their number, when compared to legitimate users, is certainly miniscule. But those few, with their disregard for the rules of decency, deal a powerful blow to the reputation of the rest of us. An old trite phrase comes quickly to mind—“one bad apple spoils the bunch”. Sadly, it seems that bad news negates good news in a disproportionate rate. Or as Shakespeare said in Julius Caesar, “The evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones”.
I read the postings in our TC forum daily and I am always taken by the good that I see. There is camaraderie among the members, a spirit of unity among those enjoying a great hobby. There are stories of wonderful finds properly dug. There is the sharing of information and history. There is the search for the backstory. There are folks like Scott starting a club and introducing newcomers to the right way to detect. There are examples of special personal item finds being returned to original owners or to descendants. Ed’s discovery of the runner’s medal and Nick’s collaboration in helping Ed track down the family of the young man looms large, as does Pat’s recent recall of the gold ring he found and returned to the owner’s daughter, as examples of the good in this hobby. I could go on for quite a while in this vein—the archives of TC hold lots of such stories. This is the GOOD. But I’m wondering how much “positive press” is generated in these instances. The detectorists were certainly gratified, as were the recipients of this generosity, and maybe a local story appeared in a paper or two (check out Zach’s post in “Video Channel” for 9/27/16—did anyone else see this) and a reader may have thought it was noteworthy and good. But I’m fearful that all these good elements of detecting can be outweighed by one example of bad behavior; such is the attention and weight given to offending news.
It seems to be a basic tenet of human behavior that we want to make ourselves look as good as possible to those we encounter. My mom and dad used to tell me to "put your best foot forward" whenever I undertook a new endeavor. Others have cautioned me to always make a good impression. It’s fundamental. We want to be seen in our best light and we all do it--athletes, movie stars, politicians, businessmen, even entities like companies and charities, and of course everyday people like you and me. In the vernacular it’s called “branding” and it has its rewards. I don’t mean to suggest that we want to be seen in a good light solely for rewards, (after all being and doing good has its own worth), but when good and decent behavior generates rewards as a natural consequence, then we should take advantage. In the realm of detecting it means abiding by a code of conduct which includes digging responsibly, seeking permissions, refraining from digging in prohibited areas, politely and properly pursuing access to banned public areas, like parks and playgrounds, and by promoting the hobby in our contacts with others. Such activity puts detecting in a good light and is more likely to open up access to searchable areas, public and private, than is the opposite. I realize that this probably equates to “preaching to the choir”, since I have seen only responsible behavior described by our members on the forum, but none of us can take for granted that the whole of our pastime is seen in a good light by all. Basically, we have an obligation to do what we can to insure the longevity of metal detecting as our chosen pursuit.