I write to add my small voice to the thousands of scholars who are utterly outraged at the grossly unfair treatment Dr. David Rindos has received at the hands of the University Western Australia. I can not fathom the thinking that resulted in the decision to deny tenure to such an outstanding scholar and a person who was courageous enough to say and do what needed to be done in the matters which triggered the decision (i.e., call attention to the absolutely despicable treatment that students and others were subjected to by a tenured member of the faculty of Archaeology).

I am reminded of the reputed habit of the ostrich. Like the proverbial ostrich, the University of Western Australia has attempted to bury its head in the sand while hoping the world will quit looking. While it is obvious that the UWA's head is actually buried in shame, what is exposed for the world to see is metaphorically apt.

I call upon the University of Western Australia to restore honor to your besmirched corner of academe and to reverse the decision regarding David Rindos. Academic history has a very long memory in such unmitigated breaches of civility.

Stephen L. Black

Harvard University, Ph.D. 1990

Research Archeologist
Texas Archeological Research Laboratory
University of Texas at Austin