Written by Jim Sherz
I have another very personal interest in Burrows’ Cave, and in where a full analysis of its data might lead. Like Col. Burrows, I have some Native American genes in my ancestry, and thus have a personal reason to help uncover the truth of the history of vanquished Indians – which for various reasons has been suppressed and distorted by the authorities of the victorious White culture. My grandfather, on his deathbed, told me that I was part Indian (a complete surprise to me) and that I should search the family records to uncover the truth of that connection – a tie that his family had almost completely covered up. I found that most of our family records relating to Indians had been burned by prudent family members and that the trail, although still present, is weak and faded. But grandfather’s calculated trick has made it clear to me that not all of the truth is in open form in the white man’s text books, nor in his open archives. Grandfather’s trick further spurred me to search out any data I might find relating to the history of the American Indian. And as an aid in searching\ the distorted and partly hidden records, I have formed rules for the social forces that distort data that would support ideas contrary to the beliefs of those in authority. I see Burrows’ Cave and the activities that have already transpired relating to the Burrows’ Cave rocks as a perfect example to illustrate how these belief-based forces work.
Even if I did not believe that the Burrows’ Cave rock pieces should be documented and preserved, I would view the events that have occurred over the past 10 years as an example of how human nature works to protect cherished belief systems and to destroy and distort data that could undermine these belief systems. The Burrows’ Cave saga illustrates very well how my “rules of ism-ism” work.