Larry King - Are Aliens Watching Us...? 7/19/2008 11:29:58 AM
Last night on Larry King, Larry again interviewed experts, (Stanton Friedman and another couple names I missed cause I came into the show late--and James Fox, producer of the Out of the Blue movies and also an apparently “growing expert” on the phenomena), two or three actual witnesses (one with a Ph.D.), and two scientists (Dr. Seth Shostek, of SETI, and Bill Nye “The Science Guy”), on UFOs. Bill Nye “science guy,” admitted more than once that he hadn’t reviewed data they were actively talking about during the show--yet was more than willing to give a “scientific opinion.” Both Nye and Dr. Shostek displayed an alarmingly cavalier disregard toward the subject. Despite what came out of their mouths, their entirely dismissive body language (in my humble opinion) was not one of scientific curiosity at all (I have a physics degree and know a thing or two about the scientific mindset and method, though am NOT a practicing scientist/physicist). One of the panelists said it well when he voiced that unfortunately there were so many crackpots and debunkers out there that anytime you even mention UFOs and all-things-extraterrestrial, people immediately roll their eyes. Why should that be? If Shostek has such a huge interest in the search for extraterrestrial life (SETI!) than why the attitude? If you go to Nye’s website, he talks about his mission being one of creating scientific literacy in the world. Now I understand his shtick is humor (and he eventually got a bit more serious later in the show), but giving attitude toward people--one of which got, yes PISSED OFF right on Larry King, the witness with the Ph.D., and gave quite the tongue lashing to all the attitude--but you have to know when to get serious and pull your punches.
I admit that just because we see lights in the sky doesn’t necessary mean they’re extraterrestrial craft--they’re UFOs to us at the time (purely UNIDENTIFIED)--but they could very well be governmentally developed and deployed. And, yes, the government DOES have a right to keep such things secret. There is a national security risk involved with divulging secrets that could harm our country by getting into an enemy’s hands. I don’t have any problems with this; the military is ALLOWED to keep secrets. But I do have problems with those claiming to be one thing (scientifically minded) yet behaving like abusive, taunting children in public. Outright bullies. That’s exactly what this is: bullying. If you say you’re scientifically interested in the material, then don’t belittle those who claim to witness sightings. Take them seriously, because many of them are just looking for respect in what they saw (and of course, we all want ANSWERS...).
Another thing Dr. Shostek said was “if they were here, we’d know it.” How careless a statement is that? It’s again a taunting, unscientific statement. I’ll take issue with it just on the following to keep things short:
1) I think the sightings we’re seeing could very well indicate they (or “something”) are “here”; debunkers and constantly taunting bullies continue belittling ANY sighting that may indicate possible extraterrestrial activity, therefore automatically stigmatizing sightings and individuals, rather than INVESTIGATING both.
2) Maybe governments already DO know they “are here”! Ours continually denies it (except for that General Nathan Twining memo back in 1947 that is always, ALWAYS curiously and casually dismissed and conveniently overlooked--and this by a member of our very own military at UFO Ground Zero!), yet outer countries, like France, are more open to discuss what they know--that we KNOW of (there could be disinformation here...). Maybe there’s a reason it isn’t being divulged?
3) Maybe this all the contact extraterrestrials want! Face it, were you an extraterrestrial, would you want to get to know us on a governmental or global level? We can’t even play nice with ourselves! Look at how we handle differences: taunting and violence. Were I an ET, I’d take it extremely measured and only interact with those I sense would benefit from my contact, those not handling themselves as we see everyday in the news. One on one. Quietly. Maybe there’s a reason they stay away and just on the outskirts like they do. Hell, I do NOT blame them one bit.
With all due respect to Dr. Shostek, I find his comments inexcusable as a proclaimed scientific explorer of extraterrestrial life. If he’s the senior astronomer involved on SETI, then what’s the projects REAL mission? I thought SETI had been cancelled, but admittedly haven’t been following it over the last few years.
And, Larry--I love that you give so much air time to the topic, but you need to give a special two-hour version to the subject! You bring a diverse array of panelists to the show and expect them to not try to talk over each other (perhaps this was an intentional “emotional engineering” on the show’s part, hm)? If any topic leant itself to such behavior, as much as each wants to be professional, this does. Stanton Friedman never used to talk over panelists, that I’ve seen, while on your show, but I’m beginning to see the frustration even on his face, especially when such flippantly unthinking statements are summarily tossed out into the airwaves by so-called “experts.” If you’re going to SCIENTIFICALLY comment on the data, you need to REVIEW the data. Period. A[n] [personal] opinion is just that, not a scientifically validated fact.
People generally [want to] believe what you tell them, because that’s all they got (though this my be changing...). Who has the time to research every statement made by every “authority figure”? It’s impossible. But we really have to get more into thinking for ourselves and not being led by the proverbial nose ring. We’re smarter these days, even at younger ages.
Yet there are those who continue to treat us like children.
