I think a lot of what I mean has been gone over before, in greater depth and in better English than mine , first with the discovery of the Titanic wreckage and then again in 1999 when the body of George Mallory was found high on Everest. Quite a few artifacts were salvaged from the Titanic and some were sold later on with considerable profit (I think a similar scheme may be what Oskar Erich Haberlandt has in mind?). In Mallory's case, the body was photographed, his personal effects were gone over, and DNA and clothing samples were taken. In both instances, some of those things later went on exhibition tours in all parts of the world, and some reservations were expressed about the way things were handled, both by relatives and by the public. Mallory's relatives especially turned out not to be terribly happy about the photograph of the body being on newspaper and magazine covers the world over; they’ d been asked to consent beforehand and did, but seem to have been overwhelmed by the kind of attention the photograph generated nonetheless. In the case of the Titanic, the dead were “protected” by their being so many, and public attention focused on the ship and the way of life it epitomizes.
However, I think these examples make it very clear that it is problematical to make dead people, and the circumstances under which they died, the object of commercial exploitation. People shouldn't be objects even when they're dead; and the circumstances in which someone dies are something very intimate and generally not fit for public consumption in a manner that often borders on the voyeuristic. On the other hand, if we stay entirely away from anything like that, it makes scientific insight into what happened impossible. Both the Titanic and the Mallory artefacts were handled in a responsible manner and the dignity of the dead wasn’t compromised. Still, I think it’s important to be aware of the dangers inherent in something like that.
In Amelia Earhart's and Fred Noonan's case, there are no bodies (and it doesn't look good for the bones being found). There may be parts of the Electra. There are also the artefacts from the Seven Site and Betty's notebook. Pieces of the Electra, preferably with a part number on them, are the only thing that will prove satisfactorily that AE/FN really landed on Nikumaroro; anything else provides circumstantial evidence at best. However, the hypothesis consists of these three factors, and it only really makes sense as a whole. IF the Electra is on Nikumaroro then the Seven Site castaway is almost certainly AE and it doesn't really make sense for Betty to have heard anyone else. The story that emerges then is horrific in the original sense of the word. It might also sell horrifically well.
By asking sponsors to "invest" in the search, TIGHAR would essentially not only relinquish what little control you have over how this story is told, - whether it's a story about what scientific thinking and research can achieve or just another sensational piece about how some celebrity met her end -, you'd be more or less inviting “investors”, who after all want a return on their investment, to capitalize on the way AE (and FN, although not many seem to care about him) possibly died. Suffering unfortunately sells very well. (To emphasize it again, I’m perfectly aware that this is in no way about to happen!)
AE certainly knew how to exploit her public persona (which shouldn’t be confused with the real person behind that, which hasn’t really been brought to light – most of what’s been written about her borders on hagiography and critical but sympathetic voices seem to be almost entirely missing). However, my point is that this is different. She isn’t around to give a “spin” to the way her death is perceived and written about any more and thus, vulnerable to exploitation in a way she certainly wasn’t when she was alive. So is FN.
In short, I don’t think the end (finding the plane) justifies each and every means.
I also think that TIGHAR has handled this very well and is well aware of the dangers and pitfalls. I’m sure you’ll continue to handle this responsibly. I want to emphasize yet again that what I write about commercial exploitation is entirely hypothetical and doesn’t refer to anything TIGHAR did or is about to do.
It certainly doesn’t do the Republic of Kiribati and the I Kiribati justice to become known as the place where AE possibly wound up and died. But they’re essentially about to become victims of global warming and don’t seem to have much of a choice. I’d be happy if this generates some income for them and makes them better known in the world.
