[pianotech] Ivory Laws

[Mike Spalding]

Dean,

You can either argue your side, or lay it to rest, but it's not possible 
to do both.

Mike

On 5/8/2012 8:58 PM, Dean May wrote:
> This is really political and heavily one sided. It is only beautifully put
> if you agree with the faulty premises, which some on this list to not. Most
> of the same arguments could be made against eating meat. Can we lay it to
> rest now?
>
> Dean
>
> Dean W May (812) 235-5272 voice and text
>
> PianoRebuilders.com (888) DEAN-MAY
>
> Terre Haute IN 47802
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
> Of Joseph Giandalone
> Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2012 9:46 PM
> To: pianotech at ptg.org
> Subject: Re: [pianotech] Ivory Laws
>
>
> Mark,
>
> You put this beautifully, and I couldn't agree with you more completely !
>
> It always was, at all times in History, WRONG to slaughter these creatures
> so that their two front teeth could contribute to minor amusements for
> humans. And this is the kind of hubris and arrogance that is destroying our
> planet. Ivory is a fetish, and I've called it so in the past (and been
> roundly ridiculed in this forum for advocating the "waste" of what ivory has
> already been "harvested" - and for ignoring the wonderful laws that provide
> for the sale of confiscated poached ivory and use the proceeds to extend
> protections against such poaching. HAH.)
>
> The consistent way to advocate for protection of the source animals from
> poaching is to reject the fatuous idea that Real Ivory makes a piano in any
> way more desirable as an instrument. Or that the Ivory Trade was EVER
> anything but a brutish, disgraceful exercise for all concerned in every
> segment of it. Seriously: do some reading up on it if you dare; it was, in
> its heyday, a massive disgrace to the human race.
>
> Nobody ever asked the elephants if it was OK with them to take their 2 front
> teeth and brutally murder them in the bargain. Remember folks: these are
> among the most intelligent animals on earth; they are very family-oriented,
> and they mourn their dead. I'd like to say to some of the folks on the
> "other side" of this issue: a leather-crafting friend of mine tells me that
> the human scrotum makes a very fine wallet . . . any of you gents mind if we
> help ourselves to a little raw material ??
>
> Joseph Giandalone
> Conway, MA
>
>
> On May 4, 2012, at 12:17 PM, Mark Dierauf wrote:
>
>> Paul -
>>
>> Of course I realize that you are not advocating the slaughter of elephants
> to provide new material for covering piano keys (or any other reason). But
> we as piano techs often (virtually always, in my experience) praise this
> material for various reasons, and that is the problem. As long as ivory is
> prized for whatever reason there will be a market for it and these animals
> will be pushed ever closer to extinction. You say near the end of your post
> that we should not do anything that encourages the killing of elephants. I
> believe that whenever we talk about "a beautiful set of ivories" we are
> doing just that, even though that is certainly not our intention. Like it or
> not, we are part of the problem.
>> I used to think that confiscated poached ivory could be sold and the
> proceeds used to fund anti-poaching efforts. That was tried, and it only
> served to further increase the value of tusks in a part of the world where
> money is scarce and life is cheap. More and more I think that it all belongs
> in museums only, and that we as a society can either choose to be
> inconvenienced by regulation or watch passively as these (and other) animals
> disappear forever. Before you (not you specifically, Paul, but anyone
> reading this) take issue with my use of the word "inconvenienced" in
> speaking of regulations that can often seem heavy-handed, I would refer you
> back to my original post - "Tell that to the elephants".
>> Respectfully,
>>
>> - Mark
>>
>> On 5/4/2012 8:32 AM, paul bruesch wrote:
>>> Whoa. That photo is repulsive and uncalled for. I am absolutely NOT
> suggesting that we should continue to "produce" new ivory. This thread is
> about selling a piano with key covers made from animals that have long since
> been "harvested". The gist of it is that no one who owns a piano in
> California can sell it if it happens to have ivory key covers. Instead, they
> need to have those ivory covers removed and replaced with plastic. Do you
> know what plastic production looks like? Ulimately, it may not be quite as
> hideous as your graphic photo of the slaughtered elephant, but it ain't
> pretty either. Who gains anything besides the technician recovering the
> keys?
>>> I completely agree with the current US ban. We absolutely should not do
> anything that encourages further killing of these enormous, beautiful
> beasts.
>>> I think this post should remove any doubt as to my viewpoint in this
> matter. I will not respond to it any more.
>>> Note that the use of double-quotes in the first paragraph is to denote
> the use of popular euphemisms typically used to soften the tone of this sort
> of practice.
>>> Paul Bruesch
>>> Stillwater, MN