Ethical question for you all.

[MountainMan]

Not sure if this is the right forum for this question so if it isn't, go ahead and move it. So here it goes...........


A thread in the counterfeit forum got me to thinking. Whenever I go out to the gun shows, knife shows, flea markets, pawn shops and wherever else I might be, are there certain lines you won't cross? As an example for myself, if I see something that interests me at a table and the owner of the table has what I would consider "too much" Nazi crap on his/her table, I refuse to even deal with that person. I know that person is probably a good person who either just deals in it to make a profit or is a true collector in the historical sense, however I have a real hard time grasping why ANYONE would buy that stuff. I like to think I know my history and I can understand collecting some of that stuff to remember what evil the Nazi's were as long as it is put in that context. I just can't see myself profiting from something like that.

Do you guys have any ethical lines you won't cross? If so,do you mind sharing them?

[tendots]

Several members of my family enjoyed the hospitality of the Germans during the war,great way to loose some weight.As a teen I hated the Germans for what they'd done.As for now,some of my best friends are German.But I still don't want any of those nazi items in my house.Gus.

[carrmillus]

...................buy "huhmericun"!!!!!(john wayne)................. .................

[knife-nut]

I know what you mean. I 'm the same way with Nazi knives or KKK knives.

[TripleF]

Ethical lines? Yeah. I won't decribe a knife better than it is to hopefully sell it for more.......

[MountainMan]

And so I'm clear, I'm not judging anyone here either. I don't know everyones particulars yet nor have I visited the AAPK members stores yet to see what is for sale to pass any judgements.
I've had this conversation with my 13 year old at the last WAC gun show and he saw a book that interested him and I wouldnt allow him to buy it because of all the other stuff being sold on the table.
The thread in the counterfeit forum just made the question pop into my head is all.......

[RobesonsRme.com]

As I see it, history is important and should be preserved.

Those that ignore their history are destined to repeat it or so it has been stated.

There are those that collect Confedrate items from The American Civil War, WII Nazi, Japanese and Italian items, North Korean items from The Korean Conflict and North Vietnamese and Viet Cong items from the Viet Nam War.

I think collecting such items from a historical context is fine. To collect such items and create a "shrine" to the philosophy and ideals of the regimes that created them, not so fine.

I'm talking about genuine historical items, not the plethora of reproductions that seem to flood the market at times.

None of the regimes I mentioned will ever profit or be ressurrected due to the sales and collecting of their artifacts.

The most prominent collectors of derogatory Black memorabilia and American slave items are, not surprisingly, African-Americans.

BTW, I personally do not collect nor do I traffic in any of the items under discussion in this thread.

Charlie Noyes

[MountainMan]

As I see it, history is important and should be preserved.

Those that ignore their history are destined to repeat it or so it has been stated.

There are those that collect Confedrate items from The American Civil War, WII Nazi, Japanese and Italian items, North Korean items from The Korean Conflict and North Vietnamese and Viet Cong items from the Viet Nam War.

I think collecting such items from a historical context is fine. To collect such items and create a "shrine" to the philosophy and ideals of the regimes that created them, not so fine.

I'm talking about genuine historical items, not the plethora of reproductions that seem to flood the market at times.

None of the regimes I mentioned will ever profit or be ressurrected due to the sales and collecting of their artifacts.

The most prominent collectors of derogatory Black memorabilia and American slave items are, not surprisingly, African-Americans.

BTW, I personally do not collect nor do I traffic in any of the items under discussion in this thread.

Charlie Noyes

I couldn't agree more however I don't put civil war era memorabilia in the same catagory as KKK, Nazi or communist memorabilia collecting.
The War between the States is unique in so many ways and all aspects of it I think must be preserved. You are correct as well regarding early black American and slave art. There are collectors of that particular genre that span the spectrum.

[tjmurphy]

Buying or selling those items does not necessarily put you in the same class as a nazi or the KKK, or even a sympathizer. If you were a young adult during the Vietnam conflict, and you violently opposed it and thought it immoral, would you then avoid memorabilia from that era if you collected military items? Just my two cents, not a confrontation.

[peanut740]

Well put Charlie.

[rangerbluedog]

I won't sell human body parts.

[Dragunski]

Considering that most Nazi items are fakes, I tend to avoid tables that have them anyway. But anyone selling fakes as real would be doubly damned in my book. However, I could see that a seller might, possibly, have a real, fixed blade, WWII German knife for sale.

I was once offered, a real, WWII German parachutist gravity knife at a pawnshop. It had no markings left and was considerably beat up. However, I was pretty convinced, by age, materials, construction, that it was real. It was still too beat up and too expensive for my taste, although the seller came down quite a bit.

[gino]

I won't sell human body parts.

LOL !

[Shearer]

Did depends who you are and what you believe in.
My father spend four years of his life in the Pacific during World War Two and would not buy a car made in Japan.
He said. They took four years of my life and they are not going to get my money.

[roofsc]

As I see it, history is important and should be preserved.

Those that ignore their history are destined to repeat it or so it has been stated.

There are those that collect Confedrate items from The American Civil War, WII Nazi, Japanese and Italian items, North Korean items from The Korean Conflict and North Vietnamese and Viet Cong items from the Viet Nam War.

I think collecting such items from a historical context is fine. To collect such items and create a "shrine" to the philosophy and ideals of the regimes that created them, not so fine.

I'm talking about genuine historical items, not the plethora of reproductions that seem to flood the market at times.

None of the regimes I mentioned will ever profit or be ressurrected due to the sales and collecting of their artifacts.

The most prominent collectors of derogatory Black memorabilia and American slave items are, not surprisingly, African-Americans.

BTW, I personally do not collect nor do I traffic in any of the items under discussion in this thread.

Charlie Noyes

well said, i too believe these items have their place, it's just not with me

[MountainMan]

Buying or selling those items does not necessarily put you in the same class as a nazi or the KKK, or even a sympathizer. If you were a young adult during the Vietnam conflict, and you violently opposed it and thought it immoral, would you then avoid memorabilia from that era if you collected military items? Just my two cents, not a confrontation.

Nor did I mean to imply such a thing. However, how can a person not question the motives of some people based on the amount of said stuff they sell. There are two tables in particular at the Puyallup Washington Arms Collectors show where over half of their tables are Nazi "memorabilia. I'm not talking just German military items. If his display was just militarism in general, I would reconsider doing business with him.

To give you another example, lets take the 9mm Luger that many brought home from WW2 as a war prize. Every major firearms collector I know would love to have one in his collection as would I. I personally however, if given the opportunity to purchase one with specific "SS" grips on it, I would not.

Hope that clears it up.

BTW, thank you for the responses. I find questions like this a fascinating look into the human mindset. To me this is as close on the internet to people watching without the spycam as you can get.

[tongueriver]

A very few years back, on this forum, I went into a conniption fit telling everyone how I despise China and the American entrepreneurs who sold us out. A moderator did not ban me, but deleted all my posts. Guess what; I still feel the same way, passionately, and you can fill in the blanks, knife-wise. I think America is in DEEP trouble globally/economically/industrially. Unfortunately, I am forced to buy some common consumer items from China; they no longer exist as American products. I look for some American products at garage sales/flea markets, etc., and go without in some cases.