No Reporting is Necessary?

Greetings. I thoroughly enjoy interacting with people who have a vested interest in the UFO issue. I don't always agree with their points of view, but I always respect their perspectives. It invariably makes for some thoughtful conversations.

Occasionally I receive a comment or question that leaves me downright flabbergasted. One comment I received a couple days ago left me in just such a discombobulated state. The comment in question was, and I quote:

"Why is reporting so essential for investigation?"

Yes, you read it correctly. In my humble opinion, the process of investigation begins with witness testimonials, collected when reported to an investigative organization not named MUFON. If an event transpires, and the witnesses to the event don't bother to report the occurrence, then there is no way for investigators to examine the event, much less know an event took place at all. The reporting of potentially anomalous events is absolutely essential to any investigative effort. Anything less is simply unacceptable.

Would law enforcement authorities be able to investigate crimes without witness testimonials? It would be almost impossible, extremely difficult to say the very least.

Would UFO investigators be able to investigate events without witness testimonials? Again, it would be almost impossible, extremely difficult to say the very least.

In the spirit of this particular blog posting, I have begun to think that the biggest roadblock to the effort to investigate the UFO problem is the reticence of alleged witnesses to report their alleged events. Why is this so? I have no idea, but it holds the entire UFO investigative community back. We have enough trouble attempting to examine events that suggest anomalous phenomena without having to resort to begging witnesses to report their alleged events. It should not be this difficult, but it is.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Comments

Liars, Frauds, and Misrepresenters.

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Greetings. Mr. Richard Dolan is one of the most well-known figures in the UFO subculture. Known as a historian of the UFO topic, Mr. Dolan has commented at length about the UFO problem on various platforms, on broadcast media, during his own show, and on various social media outlets. Mr. Dolan is a highly active participant on the UFO circuit, making appearances at many UFO themed festivals and conferences, actively promoting himself throughout. Now the simple act of promotion is not necessarily a negative course of action, but it is strongly suggestive of a change of course. In UFO circles, the act of self-promotion is a slippery slope, one that many well-known public figures have fallen into, some seemingly by accident, others by choice. Mr. Dolan seems to have chosen his course of action, and is apparently quite comfortable in his new surroundings. Some UFO researchers have lost their professional credibility and integrity in the name of fame, notoriety, and financial gain. It ha

MUFON: Peddling Nonsense or Unknowingly Ignorant?

Greetings. The Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) was once a legitimate investigative organization. Back in the 1970's, the organization worked alongside, but not in cooperation with, the Aerial Phenomena Research Organization (APRO) and the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena (NICAP.) By the 1990's, MUFON was the only game left in town, with APRO and NICAP having passed into UFO history. In recent years, the organization's focus has shifted away from UFO investigations towards the UFO entertainment industry and the nonsensical content it embraces. The organization has experienced several setbacks in recent years, self-inflicted wounds that tended to occur at the upper echelons of the organization, with the names Jan Harzan, John Ventre, and Steve Hudgeons immediately coming to mind. Despite this situation, there are several local chapters that have maintained a level of investigative focus and legitimacy, keeping the chaos of the higher organization at arm's

William G. Pullin

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