I was looking forward to this one, the paranormal and overall very strange events at the Utah Skinwalker Ranch being one of my favorite Fortean/UFO stories.
But I was disappointed in the recent Tru TV episode of Conspiracy Theory, hosted by Jesse Ventura. Most glaring: the complete absence of George Knapp or Colm Kelleher, authors of Hunt for the Skinwalker, which brought the exceedingly odd events at that place to the public. It's possible they were invited by the producers but for their own reasons turned them down.
On the other hand, I always have to remember that shows like this are made for the television audience, including those who may not know much, if anything, of UFOs and related conspiracies. So in a general sense, at least the program brought the whole Bigelow MUFON relationship to everyone's attention. That is still a very strange thing: remember, UFO reports are now to be reported to Bigelow-MUFON-'BAASS' [Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies ], not the government. (See directive from the Federal Aviation Administration.)
Conspiracy Theory told us that Bigelow now owns the Skinwalker ranch, and weird goings on are still happening. The theory pushed by the show (including researcher and author Preston Dennett, who made a brief appearance) was that aliens are here, and they're bad -- murdering, murderous bad -- and Bigelow knows it. In fact, the aliens are hanging out at the ranch, and woe to anyone who trespasses, for surely the aliens will kill you dead.
The theory not offered, and that I think is far more likely, is one that combines two elements. One, the area is certainly "haunted" -- not necessarily by ghosts, (though that could be a part of it, who knows,) but by generally weird paranormal stuff. Going back hundreds of years, the area has been known to harbor all kinds of supernatural energies. A vortex, a portal, but something in that area that's been present for a very long time; something that can be safely termed paranormal. UFOs are a part of this anomalous history, as Frank Salisbury's 1974 book The Utah UFO Display. As to the Skinwalker ranch, I think it's a reasonable 'conspiracy theory' to assume the Bigelow cartel is aware of these paranormal (and or alien) energies, and is using their own technology to manipulate these energies. Including any ETs that may be afoot.
Like the areas in Ohio and West Virginia -- Mothman country -- the powers that be, those with money and the power to be as covert as they damn well please use those areas for their own agendas. It's not an either or situation; you know, is Mothman real, are there really ETs in Utah? It's not so simplistic as some want us to believe.
Aside from the killing aliens on the Utah ranch, there is Bigelow's on-going space ship project. Big questions the Conspiracy Theory team were asking about a civilian -- Bigelow-- able to put his space-stations up in space. How is it, they asked, that a private citizen can build and launch these things? Never really answered, but the answer is obvious: money and connections. Thinking that Robert Bigelow is simply a really very rich person with a rocket obsession is naive. However, the why of Bigelow's homes in space was answered: to save us, (well, him and his friends, clearly not any of us) from the evil killing aliens.
Another interesting moment in the program: retired Army Colonel John R. Alexander. He was both creepily coy as well as efficacious, giving no real answers, which of course wasn't unexpected -- his legend in UFO Land is a sinister one.
The most blatant and arrogant element in all this: both Alexander and Bigelow remarked that (paraphrasing) the public doesn't have any particular right to know the truth on UFOs. UFO reports, data, research -- not a given that the public should know, or needs to know. Bigelow and Co. are collecting what they can and keeping it to themselves. That attitude -- that a quasi private citizen with enough money is the winner in UFO Land -- is a heinous one. The fact that MUFON supports this is equally disturbing.
It seems that the past few years, the biggest and most unethical of behaviors and practices (i.e., David Jacobs) continue, even after a period of discussion. But after things die down, they're allowed to continue as before. Jacobs is still out there doing his UFO thing, and plenty are actively supporting and following him. There was a flurry of suspicion and discussion around the Bigelow-BAASS-MUFON alliance, but, they're still doing whatever covert thing or things they're doing. Any criticism or investigation into their cloistered activities won't stop them, but maybe that's not the point. (not so much, anyway.) Simply bringing this to everyone's attention is enough, for now.
4 comments:
"That attitude - that a quasi private citizen with enough money is the winner in UFO Land - is a heinous one. The fact that MUFON supports this is equally disturbing.
"It seems that the past few years, the biggest and most unethical of behaviors(i.e., David Jacobs) continue, even after a period of discussion. But after things die down, they're allowed to continue as before. Jacobs is still out there doing his UFO thing, and plenty are actively supporting and following him."
QFT, Regan, QFT.
I might add that funding sources have been called into question. Specifically, Bigelow was accused of having undisclosed financial "sponsors" of whom he was distributing funds on their behalf. Considering the Bigelow bankroll found its way to Jacobs, Hopkins, Moulton Howe, Carpenter and many others in some way, shape or form, we might indeed ask who is actually conducting the UFO Land symphony.
Thank you Jack, good to see you :)
Nice review of that episode, Regan!
I find this season's Conspiracy Theory seems to rely heavily on the two new hipsteresque cast members - Jesse's son - Tyrel and family friend Shane Stone (Oliver Stone's son). They're interesting but at times their contributions have been wasteful. *I do remind myself it's a tv program with commercial sponsors and the producers want infotainment, not necessarily solid answers to questions.*
I think an interview with Colm Kelleher could have been fascinating (as you suggested).
Also, the Sherman (alias Gorman) family - at least the husband, has given a brief interview coming out with his true name/identity and some of the bizarre happenings at the ranch - it can be found on youtube. There's also other youtube videos about the ranch that the producers could have looked into.
I can't imagine Bigelow's space station saving him from any alien apocalypse. He'd be a sitting duck rotating around earth, not truly hiding out anywhere. And I wonder if his grandparents close encounter might be suggestive of a family link to UFOs, thus Bigelow's fascination. Perhaps he's an abductee. But his coveting of the information he's received about UFOs is simply wrong on so many levels.
~ Susan
It seems Bigelow had editorial power over the episode, this leaving the juicest footage on the cutting room floor.
I also feel that 30 years from now Richard Dolan is going to write how Bigelow was instrumental in the death of MUFON, the same way NICAP was destroyed from the inside by the CIA.
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