Ron -

That's because few archs bother to talk to Historians, including those who
specialize in Oral History ( which is more than turning on the tape
recorder ), yet they have no hesitation about telling historians what's
historically important.

I get quite a chuckle out of reading comments on this list from folks who
say to their fellow historical archaeologists that they have to reach out
to other organizations/disciplines/societies, etc.  Some get quite worked
up about this.  But for these types, this translates simply as pertaining
to the SAA.

How many of your fellow archs do you know who are members of the OAH, the
WHA, or the MHA? How many archs even know what those letters mean? How many
of them actually attend the annual meetings of those organizations, let
alone even propose to give papers at them so as to seek out real
interdisciplinary discussion and insight. No, few do, but they MUST be
engaged with the SAA!

These are same folks who are gonna tell Historians that something is
important under NR criterion D, which is supposed to be for a site's
ability to "...yield information important in prehistory or history."  As
devoid and ignorant as these people are of any connection with history or
its current trends, how could they even presume themselves as qualified to
make such pronouncements!?  But, IMHO, they are quite uninhibited in doing
so.

This may be an old and vexing situation to some, but I have to deal with
this kind of uninformed arrogance all the time.

Cheers!

Carl Barna
Regional and Oral Historian
BLM Colorado State Office


                                                                           
             Ron May                                                       
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museum curators, sociologists, genaeologists, and
collectors. The meetings are every bit as well attended as SHA conferences
and  many
groups of private collectors attend. I really am surprised this group has
not been addressed on HISTARCH.

Ron May
Legacy 106, Inc.