Aliens and UFOs Continued

Just about everyone has heard of the Roswell landing, at least in passing, whether they are UFO aficionados or know nothing of extraterrestrials. The story of Roswell is one fraught with conspiracies, most revolving around the idea of a government attempt to cover up a true crash-landing of an alien spacecraft. This is because in the summer of 1947 something crashed down on a ranch not far from Roswell Army Air Field. The 509th Bomb Group from RAAF were called in to inspect the debris and on July 8 1947 Walter Haut public information officer of the RAAF issued a press release stating that the 509th had found  "flying disk" that had crashed on the ranch. Of course this release sparked quite a lot of media intrigue. But the very next day the press reported Roger M. Ramey, Commanding General of the Eighth Air Force as having stated that in fact the debris found was from a radar-tracking balloon and NOT a flying disk. In later years it was announced that the balloon was an experimental high-altitude surveillance balloon from a project called Mogul. The fact that a second press release was issued, this time showing pieces of the debris (which did indeed seem to support the weather balloon theory), does not deter aficionados, however. In fact many feel that this second press release was meant as a cover up. They are sure that the first press release was right, after all, why say it was a "flying disk" if it was only a weather balloon. Skeptics will tell you that the first announcement was a mistake on the part of an overly eager public information officer, nothing more. Believers are convinced that the statement about a weather balloon was used to prevent the general public from a) fearing alien invasion or visitors, or b) knowing that the American government had gotten their hands on technology not of this world. The events of Roswell were followed by a series of other UFO sightings all over the country. Personally I don't know what to believe, the debris could have come from a balloon, and the first press release could have been the result of an over-eager P. I. officer. Or the debris could have come from a UFO and the second release merely a cover up.

While I am sure there is life out there in the universe somewhere, I cannot be sure about extraterrestrial visitation to Earth. I find it equally easy to believe in e.t. visitation as it is to disbelieve. Skeptics usually appear very credible, and quite a few believers and those who claim to have experienced extraterrestrial phenomena seem very much less so. On the other hand one cannot assume that because the human race has not achieved travel beyond our solar system, no other race out there has either. The way I see it there could easily be civilizations out there advanced enough to have the technology to reach our home from theirs.

Either way there have been many stories of UFO sightings and alien encounters since the late 1940s, all over the world. Skeptics will continue to be skeptical until undeniable evidence is finally found and proves them wrong. Meanwhile the Ufologists and the like will not stop looking until they find that proof.

TBC...