Larry E. Matthews wrote:I think it is very irresponsible to suggest that someone should or could be sued for calling someone a "pothunter". Are you going to sue someone for calling you a "spelunker"?
You have made the erroneous assumption that the word "pothunter" is somehow derogatory. That word has been around my entire life and merely refers to someone who is not a professional archaeologist and who digs up Indian artifacts.
This may be one of those cases where the context may be regional in nature. I have never heard anyone called a pothunter in anything but a derogatory manner where I'm at. Amateur archaeologists, or artifact collectors who do so in a responsible manner are called one of those terms, at least in print around here. I also assume that anyone who calls me a spelunker is merely ignorant, but trying to do the right thing, not malicious.