Ivory and The Metropolitan Museum

 When the public thinks about ivory, they pretty much are at the mercy of the negative pr campaigns waged by the state and federal governments The environmentalists would like you to believe its solely about murdering elephants, cheap ivory trinkets made in China, or evil dealers making exorbitant profits on the black market. No the problem is far more complex and does not lend itself well to simplistic solutions. No,  the approach should actually about identifying the problem, analyzing the data, coming up with a plan, and then managing the solution. The idea that attacking the market place solves all problems is not proven methodology. Without an established network of government and state officials that can identify ivory and can authenticate the art objects that get caught up in this mess, there is no hope that a government can efficiently manage an ivory program. But they will raise money through permits, fines. Unfortunately, they will also spend more that will come out of your pocket.  It is a sad day when our government can vilify some of the greatest works of art in the Metropolitan Museum. Contact your state and federal representatives to oppose this sledge hammer approach to resource management. In the meantime here are a few of some of the great works of art at the Met.