131 lines
8.9 KiB
Plaintext
131 lines
8.9 KiB
Plaintext
THE UFO: FORTY YEARS ON
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by
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John D. Aultman
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Kenneth Arnold's UFO sighting in 1947 began the modern era of the UFO
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phenomenon. Since Arnold's sighting the UFO has been the subject of num-
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erous books, articles, debates, and controversy. We have seen stories of
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trips to Mars and beyond, claims of messages from the aliens, and claims
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that the UFO is nonexistent. Yet, the UFO has survived for four decades,
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and we still see the whole gamut of claims associated with it. As a layman
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who has observed the UFO phenomenon for over fourteen years, and who has
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studied its history, a number of thoughts have come to mind. Many of them
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may meet with mixed response from the UFO community, and some have been
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stated before. However, as the UFO and civilian UFO investigation enter
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their fifth decade, it is time that some serious attention is given to
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where both stand and what direction the future holds.
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Just where does the UFO phenomenon and the UFO community stand? Over forty
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years a large number of unexplained cases have been collected. That the
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cases defy explanation can be seen in two lights. First, some probably
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have some known cause which is unforeseen because of lack of sufficient
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data due to insufficient observation or investigation. Second, some defy
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explanation because they either exceed our level of scientific development
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to explain, or they have an explanation within our comprehension, but
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which science is reluctant to accept. In a sizable portion of the unex-
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plained cases which have a sufficient amount of data the logical conclu-
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sion is the latter: either they defy explanation or science is unwilling
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to accept the possible explanations that can be offered. The majority of
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witnesses to UFOs are Joe Average, having given no attention to the sub-
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ject, or having scoffed at it at best. They have seen or experienced some-
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thing which they can not explain or comprehend, and which science either
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cannot explain or is unwilling to. Most witnesses seek no personal gain
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from their experience, although some have chosen to do so.
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From the unexplained cases with sufficient data, one can extract a fair
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amount of theoretical data about the UFO and its possible characteristics.
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We know that it can outperform any man-made aircraft, and perform maneu-
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vers which are beyond our level of technology. They can be detected by
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radar, and some cases indicate an ability to elude radar. We know this is
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possible by recent developments in our own technology, although whether
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ours is the same as the theoretical UFO cannot be said. We also know that
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they may have left physical traces, such as burned circles, radiation, and
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landing gear imprints, as well as possible physical effects on witnesses.
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Additional, but less reliable, speculation can be made in such areas as
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human abductions, cattle mutilations, and appearance of occupants. All
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such speculation is interesting, and some of it may, in time, prove to be
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on the right track, or one that is close to being correct. However, it is
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still only speculation, none can be proven conclusively.
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The UFO has left, in forty years, a sizable number of eyewitnesses, and
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some interesting, but unconfirmed, circumstantial evidence. All of it adds
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up to a case which can be very convincing of the reality of the UFO phenom-
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enon, if not the UFO itself. The analogy has been used, with some validi-
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ty, that if an attorney were preparing a case from comparable evidence,
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that they would be assured of winning their case. The evidence collected
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so far is convincing, and is enough so that the case for the reality of
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the UFO phenomenon would be likely to be won. However, a number of things
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must be held in mind. First, even though the evidence for the validity of
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the phenomenon is convincing, none of it, to date, is convincing enough to
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support any theory that would explain the phenomenon. Second, although sci-
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ence and law work on similar rules, science differs in how it approaches
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problems, especially those which would challenge accepted concepts of the
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universe and how it works. And the reality of the UFO phenomenon, and the
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implications of that reality. Offer too much that would defy a number of
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aspects of the current scientific model of the universe. While civilian
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UFO research has produced much in the way of eyewitness and circumstantial
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evidence, it has failed to produce the one thing needed to force scientif-
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ic acceptance of the UFO phenomenon: hard evidence. The burden of proof of
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the UFO phenomenon today rests totally in the hands of civilian research.
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As the UFO phenomenon has changed, so has civilian investigation. Groups
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and individuals have come and gone, with purposes as diverse as their
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claims. Some told of fabulous trips to Mars and beyond, while others spoke
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of all important messages from the aliens. Others sought personal gain
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and/or attention. Many just wanted to find out what was going on. Although
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most major groups in existence today are of a more serious nature, the
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crackpot and those out for personal gain still exist. But even serious
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minded research has faced many of the same problems through the years.
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Although many in the field present themselves as reputable investigators,
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they are anything but. Many show total disregard for even common sense
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investigative procedure; one has to go no further than to scan the number
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of blatant oversights readily evident in many public reports, articles,
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and books put out by these investigators. Oftimes, known facts are ig-
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nored, leads aren't followed up, and viable explanations ignored so that a
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'valid' case can be built. Often, personal theories, reputations, and
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pride override the stated purpose of the investigator. Add to this the
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fact that infighting, feuds, and personal attacks are too often present.
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It is sad but true that the biggest stumbling block to civilian UFO re-
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search has been itself.
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More important than where are we, is where are we going? Where will UFO
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research be ten years from now? Will it have provided a valid case for the
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UFO phenomenon. and be working with science toward a solution? Or will it
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still be fighting an uphill battle? If civilian UFO research is to make
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any progress, then it is going to have to take several strong steps toward
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solidifying itself. It is going to have to get its act together totally. I
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can not make absolute statements as what has to be done, but I can provide
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what I consider to be valid recommendations. First, civilian research has
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to take steps toward unity. I don't mean one organization, but rather, to-
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tal cooperation among existing organizations and individuals; the sharing
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of information being not the least of considerations. Second, a standard-
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ized procedure for investigators, which would include a standard ratings
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system, perhaps similar to the Hynek system used by ParaNet. Third, an ac-
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creditation procedure for investigators to certify their competency, and a
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standard of ethics. Fourth, disassociation of any investigator who fails
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to live up to the code of ethics, fails to achieve accreditation, or fails
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to adhere to standard investigative procedure (beyond a preset limit).
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Fifth, the establishment of an information sharing network. A series of
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computer based bulletin boards would be ideal for this purpose, since they
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would allow access by all but would limit access according to security
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clearance on the BBS.
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Above all, even if none of the above is done, UFO investigation has to be-
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come more reliable. Infighting must come to an end, and those seeking only
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to feather their own nest must be ousted from the ranks of reputable in-
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vestigators. The carelessness of the past and present only plays into the
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hands of debunkers who wish to portray the civilian UFO effort as an at-
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tempt to mislead the American public. Civilian UFO investigation has
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gained the level of respect it has due to the efforts of APRO, NICAP,
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MUFON, CAUS, and many reputable individuals who gave, and are giving, many
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hours of work to the purpose of proving the case for the phenomenon. If
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those in UFO investigation today would devote some of their time and ef-
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fort toward rectifying the weaknesses which exist, and making certain that
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the mistakes of the past don't reoccur, then the day of proving the valid-
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ity of the phenomenon will be that much closer.
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------------------------------------------John Aultman is ParaNet's Mississippi correspondent and a member of MUFON. Thisarticle was origin
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ally submitted to the MUFON UFO Journal.
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