From Bill Heft
Well, here is another problem that I can relate to you folks here at UFO Magazine. When I took over APRO back in 1988, it was smooth sailing for almost a year, until, that is, word got out that APRO did not die. Then the vicious ones began their attack--as you have stated--for no apparent reason other than to steal thunder. The attacks against uswent on for a long time, even reaching a point when certain individuals, such as those who are attacking you two, demanded that I surrender APRO to them because I didn't really have control of the organization.
When they saw that we would not give in, and we would not debate them, the attacks kept coming. Finally, they died away, but not until they persisted for many, many years, creating a final outcome that made many people even reluctant to mention the name of APRO. Many did so for fear they too would come under attack. Others hesitated because after so long a time of being discredited, didn't believe APRO had any creditability. So those individuals did accomplish some of what they were after, that being to destroy that which they didn't own, but wanted to, and felt justified in attempting to destroy those organizations that they could not gain control of.
End result is that whether we like it or not, we find ourselves in the same camp because we are being attacked by the same people. APRO is not trying to steal anyone's thunder; (not yours , Bill and Nancy) our position is that we do have a standing along side of others UFO investigators and other UFO organizations, and because of our past, we still have a voice that will not be silenced, even if it means going it alone.
To our reading audience, I know exactly what Bill and Nancy are going through, because we have tread that same path, and for us, it isn't necessarily over yet.
Lesley
4 Comments
Reader Comments (4)
I just posted a short piece on my own blog prior to reading your comments,and I was struck by what UFO Hunters accomplished versus what it did not, which is to bring science back into the fold, whether this was done in a praiseworthy or blameworthy manner is missing the central focus of the matter. Your comments on the varying "attacks" again brings to mind the evidence versus opinion.Proof and truth are not often exchangeable commodities in frontier science. Skeptics would have us "believe", ironically enough, from a retroactive logic that the discoveries of science proceeded the reality of what was yet to be determined.This is more a matter of psychology than science, more philosophy in the place of the evidence.Its a belief system rather than the objectivity required to be self skeptical while remaining open minded.
Bill and Bruce,
Talk about synchronicity: I suggest you look at recent postings on this blog from Regan (Battles, UFOs and the Folk), Nancy's FAQ ATTACK and then postings on the forum (Evidence vs. Proof) that are about this same subject.
The thought police are out there. They utilize their small ideas about a small universe to castigate others for refusing to join them in their small enterprise. You would think the denizens of a "study" that has never received an ounce of acceptance would appreciate that living under the unjustified oppression of small minded attacks is counterproductive and just plain frustrating.
Thanks Bruce for a thoughtful posting and to Bill for standing tough in the face of a stiff gale instigated by a bunch of small minded, anal retentive, bloviating windbags. Mental constipation is a terminal disease if left to fester unchecked. The only cure for it is to open one's mind.
It is an infinite universe out there. If we skew to the limiting belief that the universe must conform to our limited assumptions about it, then we are guilty of truncating our knowledge and our understanding of what is. To quote good old Bill Shakespeare: "There are more things in Heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophies."
In an infinite universe, we are all bumbling Horatios grasping for understanding. We do not get that by limiting the scope of our grasp....
From what I have noticed these attacks normally stem from jealousy and/or lack of self esteem on the part of the attacker.
I don't mind so much when debunkers (people who have no belief in UFOs) do it, but I do mind when it is people that claim to believe there are strange things flying around. So many times I have read or heard things like "he may have done some good research, but this is where I disagree." Really the same thing as saying -- let me explain why I am smarter.
Sadly, this type of attitude is common and getting very boring and annoying. It is to the point where you are attacked because you dare to investigate something outside of mainstream. Just for investigating it you are attacked, let alone having any type of theory that is considered outside the norm.
I have pretty much stopped linking to these types of blog posts at my news blog. The same thing over and over. Never just disagreeing, but attacking and for no real purpose except that it apparently builds the attacker's ego.
Also, let me say that I am sick of hearing about the lack of scientific investigation from people that wouldn't know science if it jumped up and bit them in the ass!
There are consequences to making others pay for ones own inability to come to grips with issues, persecuting failure of others to reflexively validate preferred views, or crediting ones own prideful arrogance and egocentricity as a condition of continued discussion; behaving like _any_ fundamentalist in other words.
As ever they are the problem, not the solution.
You can't credit a system refusing to be forthcoming about issues shaking the money trees or inconveniencing a few who hold sway... besides, we get closer to disclosure with every funeral, regardless, eh? Be that as it may these pander knowingly or unknowingly to a status quo that does not respect _them_... much less the rest of us. Don't expect us to be nice about that, am I right?