March 1993 95p

1988-1992 D Twenty five years of publi tion

Manhattan Transfer:
John Rimmer on the case that's
tearing American ufology apart

Crashed Saucers
or Grounded
Research:
Christopher Allan
reviews the latest

Peter
Rogerson
�am1nes
•

David
Jacobs'
Secret Life
 �§If§� �@@§�@@�0®
NORTHERN ECHOES

MAGONIA 45 (MUFOB 93)

EDITOR
JOHN RIMMER

EDITORIAL PANEL _:---

John Harney

)
(Founding Editor)

Roger Sandell /

B
OW else could this
Nigel Watson
column start but
CORRESPONDING EDITORS ����
r with a tribute to
Peter Rogerson the two Johns, and their
Michael Goss magnificent effort in produc­
Robert Rankin ing MUFOB and Magonia for
an incredible 25 years without -=·

SUBSCRIPT ION DETAILS any massive staff or elaborate

Magonia is available by ex­ organisation. MUFOB alone among the strangler out into the wide blue yonder
change with other magazines, plethora of small UFO journals started after again"? Can you be sure now that your
or by subscription at the fol­ the great wave of 1967, has survived and is memory isn't playing tricks when you fancy
lowing rates: still going strong - indeed is constantly recalling that strange woman in the room
improving - this at a time when several less filled with the smoke of exotic cheroots
United Kingdom £4.00 venerable journals appear to be in difficul­ [But I didn't inhale of course - Ed.] was

Europe 7 ECU (£5.00) ties. [That's enough embarrassing panegyrics saying that They' had taken her baby. or
United States $10.00 - Ed. Oh, alright then, it is our birthday; that the couple in the beads and bells said
Other countries £5.50 just a few more.] something about being teleported from a
MUFOB/Magonia had its bad pat­ mandala in a Warminster field to the
Q> USA subscriptions must ches, of course, most notably in the early Norfolk Broads. After all, you were too
be paid in dollar bills or UK 70s when interest in the subject reached an busy reading the latest John Keel article to .
funds. We are unable to all-time low, and the mag was sometimes be bothered listening to the obvious nutters.
accept cheques drawn on down to four pages and a single article, and Some fads' pedigrees can be traced:
American banks. the Great Hiatus of 1974-5. Under condit-. modem tales of psychic questing pale into
ions in which most would have given up, banality compared with the extraordinary
Q> French subscribers may John Rimmer took the bold step of Snettisham story, and elements of PQ can
find it easier and cheaper to resurrecting the old Gestetner-duplicated be found in the Scoriton story; to say
send us a 50-franc banknote hobby mag as a semi-professionally pro­ nothing of the saga of the Contactee, the
rather than a money-order. duced journal, which has always kept Moon Rock and the Telephone Box for
We are happy to accept this. abreast of technological change. [OK, that which the world is still not ready; or the
really is enough - Ed.] strange saga of Mr A and the tunnels.
Q> Cheques and money­ Ufology was so full of those stories that
orders should be made pay­ Looking back over 25 years we can see the one never really got to hear of properly,
able to 'John Rimmer', not changing face of fashion and craze: UFO just hints.
'Magonia'. detectors, the Allende Letters, ancient Break for Rant No. 1: Unfortunately,
astronauts, electronic voice phenomenon, psychic questing is in grave danger of
All correspondence. subscript­ metal bending, the Bermuda Triangle, re­ reversing the old adage of things starting in
ions and exchange magazines mote viewing, MIB, the UFO-bigfoot tragedy and ending in farce. While questing
should be sent to the editor: connection, folklore and fairies; right for Queen Cartimandura's golden chamber
through to our modem fads of earthlights, pot might be all good fun, the latest mani­
John Rimmer
MJ12, crashed saucers (the biggest come­ festation of questing in my northern neck
John Dee Cottage
back since Lazarus), abductions, psychic of the woods - taking a grief stricken
5 James Terrace
questing and crop circles. Of course, many mother at the very end of her tether on a
Mortlake Churchyard
supposedly new ideas are not that at all. psychic quest for the body of her murdered
London, SW14 8HB
Are the modem abductees really that daughter, unsuccessfully, of course, and
United Kingdom
different from the old contactees? (In a with all the sensitivity of the Pig and
future Magonia article I will argue no.) Whistle's annual treasure hunt - leaves one
Isn't one of the differences that ufologists speechless - at least under the constraints
@ Magonla Magazine 1993 now will actually listen to the strangest tales, of the laws of libel, obscenity and incite­
Copyright in signed articles rests with the whereas a generation ago they shook their ment to violence, and a with strong desire
authors. heads and said "That's old Mrs Stoat- not only to take out life-membership of
MAOONIA

"The sixties were a manic time

for UFO belief. Flying saucers were so real only the
most bigoted sceptic could deny advanced metallic
piloted machines were flying around - a potential
threat to the security of the world. Everyone felt
something had to be done. Most of all the authorities
should openly admit the reality of the problem."

ng1ng the
-

Part Two of 'What's Up Doe?' by

Martin Kottmeyer

;rt.
. ' OOK titles convey some of the mood of the to justify the belief in� to use the 1 April Life article's •39. CLARK,

'T' . Flying saucers - The Startling Evidence

period: title, a 'Well-Witnessed Invasion by Something'.
Jerome, "UFOs:

_ - - of the Invasion from Outer Space; Flying

Mystery or
Throughout the first half of the decade Key­ Movement', F/yin9
Saucers, August
Saucers are Hostile; Flying Saucer Invasion - Target hoe's NICAP pressed for Congressional hearings on 1965, 17-20.
LOR ENZEN, Coral,
Earth; Flying Saucers - Serious Business; The Real UFO the UFO problem by such tactics as letter-writing
UFOs over the
Invasion; The Terror Above Us. Wilkins' Flying Saucers campaigns. The Air Force warned congressmen that Americas, Signet,
1968, 217.
on the Attack is reprinted with a teaser asking: 'Are they such hearings would only dignify the problem and
Friendly Visitors from Outer Space or INVADERS cause more publicity, thus adding to the problem. At
Planning Conquestr The teaser on Flying Saucers one point, NICAP published a book called The UFO
Uncensored asks: 'Is there a cosmic battle plan - aimed Evidence and sent copies to congressmen to demonstr­
at Earthr 'Exclusive! First News of America's Most ate their case that UFOs were in fact real and posed a
Terrifying UFO Invasion!' was promised by The Official danger to the fabric of society. The danger included an
Guide to UFOs. The actual content was often less unprepared public being caught up in a widespread
dramatic than advertised, but that hardly mattered. The panic if an external danger was suddenly imposed. A
conviction of urgency transcended the material gathered sudden confrontation with extraterrestrials could have
 MAGONIA

disastrous results� they warned. Among them, 'catastro- integrity, lacked consistency of form and behaviour, and·
phic results to morale'. (40) While NICAP found some seemed irrational and impervious to an analysis of
support · for their position in Congress, nothing intelligible motives. Why should a craft that blazes with
happened till the infamous swamp gas fiasco caused a megawatt brilliance in case 10 be in the same theoretical
loss of credibility in the Air Force's handling of the picture with a craft that presents a trapezoid of dim red
UFO problem. On 5 April 1966 Congress held open lights as in case 31 or a craft overtaking a commercial
hearings. This led to the creation of the Condon plane in case 21, which is completely invisible except to
committee to undertake a new investigation - in essence, radar? Among those cases that are officially unexplained:
to get a second opinion of the Air Force's diagnosis. case 44 which involves -a medical student evidencing
Keyhoe rejoiced, calling it 'the most significant develop- emotional disturbance predating his sighting and for
ment in the history of UFO investigation'. (41) Condon which he was considering psychiatric help; case 43
confirmed the Air Force's diagnosis: which involved teenagers driving to a cemetery to
'Our general conclusion is that nothing has come frighten themselves; case 33 which involved two girls
from the study of UFOs in the past 21 years that has whose testing revealed one was suggestible and the
added to scientific knowledge. Careful consideration of other showed tendencies toward borderline hallucin­
the record as it is available to us leads us to conclude atory distortion; and the Herb Schirmer case. Of the
that further extensive study of UFOs probably can not Schirmer case, it should be noted that though it is
be justified in the expectation that science will be perhaps unexplained, investigators had no confidence
advanced thereby.' (42) his experiences were physically real since there was no
'We know of no reason to question the finding of corroborative physical evidence. I think it is suspicious
the Air Force that the whole class so far considered does that the aliens borrowed their attire from Mars Needs
not pose a defense problem.' (43) Women.
The subject of UFOs has been widely misrep- The UFO literature of the sixties is voluminous
resented to the public by a small number of individuals and so fantastic it is hard to know how best to start
who have given sensationalized presentations in writings chronicling it all. The writings of the Lorenzens make
and public lectures. So far as we can judge, not many as good a starting place as any, I suppose. They were
people have been misled by such irresponsible behaviour, required reading and perhaps still should be. Flying
but whatever effect there has been has been bad' (44) Saucers: The Startling Evidence of the Invasion from
Even before the report was published, ufologists Outer Space adopts as its major premise the Keyhoe
were up in arms when they realised Condon was making thesis that UFOs are engaged in reconnaissance. They
jokes of the nutty people he was running into. He had are painstakingly mapping the geographical features of
to some extent pre-judged the problem and admitted he our country and testing our defence capabilities. The
knew what the fmal outcome would probably be. One 1952 D.C. incidents are regarded as accidental, uninten­
thing he failed to take into account in his prognostic- ded revealings of the aliens because they mistook the
ation was 'the extent of the emotional commitment of Capitol and the White House for military installations.
the UFO believers and the extremes of conduct to They ex P<:ct they will be setting up bases since the
which their faith can lead'. Had he known, he confessed, taking of plants, boulders and soil samples probably
'I certainly would never have undertaken the study'. (45) means they are testing what sort of agriculture they
Condon admits up front that the study focused should establish. The Ubatuba explosion is regarded as
its attention on the physical science aspects of the self-destruction to prevent superior technology from
problem and ignored the psychiatric aspects. Condon getting into our hands and revealing its secrets. There is
avers this was partly due to a failure to find as much a bare possibility, say the Lorenzens, it was an atomic
psychopathology as might be presumed. Condon was explosion given other evidence that 'UFOs are powerful
presumably regarding psychopathology in a restricted radioactive sources'. The dangers posed by UFOs extend
sense of severely diminished mental competence and was to the possibility that our next war could involve 'all
ignorant of broader usages of the term that include nations fighting as brothers against a common foe from
pervasive stereotypical irrationalities. Otherwise he could outer space'. They showcase the ideas of Dr Olavo
•40. H ALL, Richard hardly have failed to realise that the extreme emotional Fontes that UFOs possessed weapons such as heat rays
(ed .), The UFO
Evidence, N I CAP,
commitment and conduct he encountered would be and a device which inhibited the function of petrol
1964, 179. regarded by some as a sign that a psychiatric approach engines. They claim priority, however, that observations
•41. JACOBS, David,
The UFO would likely be the best line of enquiry. Ultimately this UFOs made of cars and planes in the early years of the
Controversy in
mattered only slightly since the approach taken did flying saucer mystery were done in order to devise these
America, Signet,
1976, 186. manage to demonstrate the illusory character of the devices to disable propulsion systems. A pattern of re­
•42. GILLMOR,
Daniel S . (ed.),
majority of cases. Ufologists disparaged the Condon connaissance is seen which suggests to them that aliens
Scientific Study of report for its failure to find conclusive explanations for plan to release sleeping drugs into strategic reservoirs
Unidentife
i d Flying
Objects, Bantam, a minority of the cases investigated. This is true, but and water tanks as a means of bringing the world to its
1969, 1.
more true than ufologists understand. Extraterrestrial knees in a matter of hours. They are concerned that
•43. Ibid., 5.
•44. Ibid. vehicles do not form a convincing explanation of this there are too many blackouts on our power grids. There
•45. Ibid., 548.
remainder. The unexplained cases lacked corroborative are also people disappearing. Is this the procuring of
specimens? Add to this the case of The population of the world
a woman with medical problems is falling victim to a particularly
they interpret as radiation effects. insidious and apparently contagi­
No person of conscience can ous mental disease which gener­
ignore the UFO problem in the ates hallucinations involving
light of all this. The UFO problem specific types of airships and
has to be taken out of the hands humanoids. This disease seems to
of the military who are lulling us be spreading.
into a false sense of security and 'Who will be next to contract
given to an International Commis­ the malady?
sion which will handle this red­ 'You?' (49)
hot political problem. 'We are in The choice of metaphor is
urgent need of the acquisition and interesting and was itself infect­
objective analysis of basic data' ious. It turns up in the writings
We are facing potential danger. of Hynek for one. In an article
Maybe they aren't hostile, but for Playboy he asserts that if an
'there is no indication of friendli­ intensive investigation were car­
ness either... The existence of a ried out for a year and yielded
species of superior beings in the nothing we could then shrug off
universe could cause the civilis­ the UFO problem with, There
ation of Earth to topple.' This must have been a virus going
urgency 'defies expression'. We Alme Mlchel also around'. (50) In The UFO
must be 'anxious to re-learn the utilised the disease Experience, Hynek asks:
bitter lessons of history: Billy metaphor in 'Are then, all of these report­
Mitchell - Maginot - Pearl Harbor ers of UFOs truly sick? If so,
suggesting the aliens
- and so on.' (46) what is the sickness? Arc these
The hypochondriac themes •dominate us only to people all affected by some
in this summary are multiform and the degree that the strange "virus" that does not •46. LOR ENZEN,
Coral E . , Flying
collective equivalents of motifs microbe dominates us attack "sensible" people? What a Saucers: The
Startling EvidencB
commonly encountered in psych­ strange sickness this must be,
when we are 111• of the Invasion from
otic fantasy. The call for indep­ attacking people in all walks of Outer Space, Signet,
1966, 40, 55, 133,
endent verification of the reality of life, regardless of training or 199, 151, 153, 261,
273, 276, 278.
their beliefs via the international vocation, and making them, for a
•47. R OT H OVIUS,
commission is, as we'll see, almost a universally shared very limited period of time - only minutes sometimes - Andrew, ·Analogies
of the Propagation
concern in this period. The concern over sleeping drugs behave in a strange way and see things that are belied Waves of the Great
being secretly put into the water supply is an obvious by the reliable and stable manner and actions they Fear in France 1789
and the Ai�hip Flap
variant of the poisoning fantasies found in individual exhibit in the rest of their lives..Js there a in Ohio 1897',
Pursuit, Winter 1978.
paranoids. The talk about war and the toppling of philosopher in the house?' (51)
B ROOKESMITH,
civilisation fits solidly into the category of world Gordon Creighton offered the longest exposit­ Peter, The Alien
World, B lack Cat,
destruction fantasies so common in paranoia Invasion ion of this metaphor in The Humanoids (1969): 1988, 54-60.
fears have numerous precedents in history; most notably 'One thing at least is certain. These stories of •48. STABLEFORD,
Brian, Scientific
the Great Fear rumour and panic in 1789 France and the alleged meetings with denizens of other worlds or Romance in Britain

1913 Scareship wave. (47) H.G. Wells's War of the Worlds realms or levels of existence constitute a fascinating 1890-1950, St.
Martin's, 1985, 30-4.
had earthbound ancestry in a sizable literature which social, psychological - and possibly also a parapsycho- SANDELL, Roger,
'The Ai�hip and
ruminated about the threat of invasion and war in the logical enigma. And surely an enigma of some urgency, Other Panics',
near-future tense. (48) The concern over blackouts has for if the growing numbers of people all over our MUFOB, NS 12,
Autumn 1978, 12-13.
its parallel in the loss-of-life-energy fantasies that some- planet who claim these experiences are indeed •49. LORENZEN,
Coral and Jim,
times develop around the depression and fatigue aspects hallucinated, or, as we are confidently told, suffering
Flying Seucer
of some cases of schizophrenia The urgency of from the stresses and strains of the Nuclear Age, then Occupants, Signet,

plain as a pikestaff that they are in grave need

1967, 207.
approaching death is everywhere apparent. it is as
•50. H Y N E K, J.
Flying Saucer Occupants (1967) is less suffused of psychological study and medical attention. If a Alien, 'The UFO
Gap', Playboy,
with fear than this earlier book. It is primarily a survey brand new psychosis is loose amongst us, then, instead December 1967, 144-
6, 267-71.
of a collection of non-contactee ufonaut reports. As of wasting so much time on why we hate our fathers
•51. H YNEK, J.
such it is a mixed bag open to a variety of interpret- and love our mothers, our mental experts and Alien, The UFO
Experience,
ations from 'conquerors from space' and 'members of a psychologists ought to have been in there right from Ballantine,1974, 159-
military organisation' to 'a breeding experiment', or the start, studying and combatting this new plague 61.
•52. BOWEN,
simply 'visitors'. While they prefer to simply assert the since its outbreak nearly twenty years ago! Valuable Charles, The
Humanoids, H .
reality of these entities, they admit in the final paragraph time has been lost. By now, they might have come to
Regnery, 1969, 84-5.
an alternative theory: important conclusions, or even licked the malady!' (52)
 E�n rendered in facetious It is fascinating to note that nearly ·
terms the imperati� quality of the a decade later, Allan Hendry en­
UFO problem is retained in the countered a UFO witness who still
o�rwrought choice of words like had this warning not to stand
plague and grave need. Aime under UFOs posted in his memory.
Michel also utilised the disease (56) Edwards does affirm inside the
metaphor in suggesting the aliens reality of cases involving 'eye dam­
'dominate us only to the degree age, burns, radioactivity, partial or
that the microbe dominates us temporary paralysis, and various
when we are ill'. (53) types of physiological disturbances'.
UFOs Over the Americas He talks of heat waves and stun
(1968) is more suffused with confu­ rays, and the relationship between
sion than fear. They note a new UFOs and blackouts is explored at
phase of UFO activity involving length. They have shown the
car chases. A new observation is ability - and sometimes the appar­
forwarded that UFOs show a pro­ ent inclination to interfere with or
clivity to be sighted near cemeteries. prevent the functioning of our
They speculate this is just their way electrical and electronic systems.'
to get to the bottom of what funer­ Despite these hints of malevolence,
al processions are. They criticise Frank Edwards' Edwards proclaims near the end of
the scientific community for hold­ flying saucer health the book that contact will be 'the
ing the position that UFOs show greatest experience of the human
warning epitomises
'no intelligent pattern of behaviour; race'. (57)
they zip hither and yon but don't the hypochondriacal The sequel Flying Saucers -
seem to be going anywhere'. Yet spirit of the sixties Here and Now was spawned by the
elsewhere they obse� the extrater­ incredible increase of saucer sight­
restrials' motivations and o�rall ings and saucer interest in the
purpose are so well-concealed as to suggest a deliberate middle of the decade. Writings that, in cooler times,
attempt to confuse'. They call for a UN sponsored would have stimulated half a dozen letters, now filled
agency to look into the matter. Why isn't clear since bags at magazine offices. Besides chronicling the rush of
they predict elsewhere that UFOs would manifest so events unfolding, the book includes James McDonald's
constantly that 'it should be evident before the end of call for a full-scale Congressional investigation. Edwards
1968 just what UFOs are'. (54) maintains UFOs are not hostile, but warns contact will
Alas, the 1969 volume UFOs - The Whole Story have tremendous impact theologically, psychologically,

•53. Ibid., 250.

did not proclaim what that evident identity was The
. and sociologically. And that contact is described as
•54. LOR E N ZEN, concern about invasion gives way to the assumption of imminen\. (58)
Jim and Coral,
UFOs Over the aloofness. The stoppage of vehicles is downgraded from George Fawcett, in a February 1965 article,
Americas, Signet,
weapons-testing activity to a means of studying humans surveyed UFO cases for repetitive features. Among his
1968, 161-2, 199, 86,
200, 216. at a leisurely pace. For the Lorenzens, the hypochondri- catalogue of commonalities was the phenomenon of
•55. LORENZEN,
Coral, UFOs - The
acal themes begin to vanish in favour of discussions of pursuit, cases of increased background radiation, cases
Whole Story, Signet, UFO politics and ufonauts being time-travellers. (55) of electrical shock, burns, dimming of vision, blackouts,
1969, 164-5.
•56. EI>WARDS, The writings of Frank Edwards were probably temporary paralysis, and hostile acts. (59) In an April
Frank, Flyin9
the best-selling books of the sixties. Edwards is some- 1968 article, Fawcett cites dozens of UFO chases, a half­
Saucers: Serious
Business, Bantam, times dismissed as a journalist and not a ufologist, in dozen deaths attributed to close encounters, and
part because of his obvious errors. The substance of the
1967. H E N DRY,
Allan, The UFO
numerous instances of electromagnetic interference with
Handbook, books, however, is heavily indebted to Keyhoe and machinery. He laments that it 'may already be too late'
Doubleday, 1979,
104-5. NICAP. The flyleaf of Flying Saucers - Seriow Bwiness for our government to act on the UFO problem. Their
•57. EI>WARDS, op.
is highly notable for the flying saucer health warning crossing of international boundaries, at the simplest
cit.
•58. EDWARDS, presented on it. For me, it epitomises the hypochondri­ level of concern, could result in 'an accidental World
Frank, Flyift9
Saucers: Here and
acal spirit of the times. War Ill by mistake'. He adds his voice to the chorus of
Now, Bantam, 1968, those calling for verification of UFO reality:
WARNING!
148, 159.
•59. FAWCETT, Near approaches of Unidentified Aying Objects can be 'The growing UFO problem worldwide must be
Geor'9e, 'UFO harmful to human beings. Do not stand under a UFO that is hovering at solved in 1968 or the explosive situation of UFOs may
low altitude. Do not touch or attempt to touch a UFO that has landed.
Repetitions', Flyin9
Saucers, February easily get out of our control and reap a ·real· disaster
1965. In either case, the safe thing to do is get iNRJ1 from there
•60. FAWCETT,
beyond all imagination. A worldwide probe of this
quickly and let the military take over. There is a possibility of radiation
George, ' Fling problem is long overdue and it should be handled by
Saucers: Explosive danger, and there are known cases in which persons have been burned
by rays emanating from UFOs. Details on these cases are included in this
Situation for 1968', the world nations through the United Nations.' (60)
Flyin9 Saucers,
book. The works of Jacques Vallee are a must in every
April 1968, 22-3.
DON'T TAKE CHANCES WITH UFOs ufologist's library. His first book Anatomy of a
MAGONIA

Phenomenon: The Detailed and Unbiased Report on the Betty Hill case which is notably involved in
UFOs remains one of the most dispassionate ovcrviews themes of fear of radiation poisoning, abduction, and
of the UFO mystery attempted and is virtually beyond nightmarish medical intrusions like inserting a needle
reproach. The conclusion of his study verges on the into the navel without prior anaesthesia. v•>
poetic: One of the more interesting examples of the
Through UFO activity, although no physical evidence motif to emerge appeared in an article by J. Alien
has yet been foun� some of us believe the contours of Hynek not long after his conversion in the wake of
an amazingly complex, intelligent life beyond the earth the humiliating swamp gas affair. H}tnek expressed the
can already be discerned. The wakening spirit of man, fear that the Russians might solve the UFO mystery
and the horrified reaction of his too-scrupulous theories: with results that would 'shake America so hard that
what do they matter? Our minds now wander on planets the launching of Sputnik in 1957 would appear in
our fathers ignored. Our senses, our dreams have retrospect as important as a Russian announcement of
•61. VALLEE,
reached across the night at last, and touched other a particularly large wheat crop'. Hynek felt a Russian
Jacques, Anatomy
universes. The sky will never be the same.' (61) colleague slipped up when he revealed Russian scien- of a Phenomenon,
Ace, 1965, 244-5.
Accepted in a non-literal fashion, even a sceptic tists were not permitted to discuss UFOs. This
Compare last line of
can enjoy the numinous quality of sentiments of this suggested that official denials of their reality were a quote to ' I f it's true
the stars will never
nature. Challenge to &ience: The UFO Enigma repre- cover. They may have been 'studying with dispassion­ again seem the
same' which
sents a drift into the hypochondriacal mindset. There is ate thoroughness for years'. (75)
appears in Keyhoe's
the call for verification by means of the creation of an Hynek goes on to discuss the strangeness and The Flyiny Saucers
are Real (Fawcett,
international scientific commission to separate out those credibility problems of UFO reports and admits that 1950, 66). Such
elements that are the work of the imagination from 'psychotic and paranoid signals are many'. He warns sentiments might be
tenned 'trema', the
those that constitute the physical nature of the UFO that the slightest hint from the UFO reporter that he delusional mood
that something
phenomenon. The challenges they pose are 'unwelcome' is the subject of imaginary persecution is enough to
strange is going on
and 'disturbing', but must be addressed because 'our own mean one might as well drop the case. He tells of that appears in
what Arthur M.
existence will be dependent upon the sincerity with occasions when he encountered what seemed to be a
Freman tenns the
which we conduct this · research'. It is problematic straightforward story when the witness confided his premonition stage of
paranoia in
whether this constitutes a world destruction fantasy in phone was being tapped or he was being watched 'Persecutory
Delusions: A
the strictest sense, but the intimation of death approach- regularly by the government or occupants of the craft.
Cybernetic Model'
ing is undeniable. (62) This flirtation with fear is One repeater with a persecution complex frequently (American Journal
of �ychiatry, 132,
abandoned in Passport to Magonia: From Folklore to wrote to Project Blue Book from a mental institution 10 October 1975,
Flying Saucers (1969). Entity behaviour is dismissed as exhorting them to do something about UFOs which 1038-44).
•62. VALLEE,
consistently absurd and their messages are written off as visited him regularly and interfered with his sexual Jacques, Chal/enye

systematically misleading. The search for answers may be functions. (76) Would present-day ufologists take this to Science,
Ballantine, 1974, 210,
futile for they may only constitute a dream that never guy seriously? 220-4.
•63. VALLEE,
existed in reality. (63) Jerome Clark offered one of the more Jacques, Passport
Brad Steiger's books in this period are rich paradoxical reactions to Hynek's swamp gas statement. to Mayonia, Henry
Regnery, 1969, 161,
sources of hypochondriacal themes. The call for verific- He took issue with his comment that a dismal swamp 163.
•66. STEI G E R , Brad,
ation appears in Strangers from the Skies (1966) with a is a most unlikely place for a visit from outer space.
Stranyers from the
recommendation for 'an objective and respected panel' to Clark avers, contrarily, it is a most likely place since Skies, Award, 1966,
143.
appraise the situation. (66) UFOs have the ability to they could go there without being seen. They go to •67. Ibid. , 132.
create blackouts and that ability to scramble power fantastic lengths to prevent us from knowing what •68. STEIGER, Brad,
Flyiny Saucers are
plants would, in his view, make national defence 'a bad they are doing. This included killing a village full of Hostile, Award,
1967, 10-11.
joke'. (6n The Lorenzen notion that UFOs may beam people in one incident and the erasing of people's
•69. Ibid. , 17-19.
down hYPnotic drugs into our drinking water is repeated. memories in other cases. He berates the idea that •70. S T E I G E R ,
Stranyers, 43.
(68) My favourite fear-of-death example involves a UFO injuries were caused by self-defence as inane. •71. STEI G E R ,
suggestion that one incident involves galactic experi- Noting that we have never tried to force UFOs down, Hostile, 159.
•72. FULLER, John
ments in cremation. (69) It seemed that UFOs were he remarks that we have been treating them with G . , Incident at
Exeter, G. P .
ready to invade the US on a full scale. (70) 'We must be more respect than they deserve. The change of
Putnam, 1966, 251.
prepared to establish peaceful communication or be attitude from the fifties when UFOs possessed savoir­ •73. FULLER, John
G . • Aliens in the
prepared to accept annihilation. (71) These are just faire is nowhere more evident than here. (77) Skies, Putnam, 1969,
highlights. Much more could be cited. The call for verification of UFO reality turns 38, 88, 187-8.
•74. FULLER, John
John . Fuller's writings are equally rich to the up yet again as the subject of a resolution drafted G . , Interrupted
Journey. Del l , 1966.
point of tedium. The familiar themes of blackouts, during a 1967 gathering of UFO buffs and submitted
•75. HYNEK,
physiological reactions, and mechanical interference tates and proclaims that unidentified flying objects - Playboy, op. cit.
•76. 1bid.
recur as does the call for verification by means of a UFOs - are identified vehicles from outer space, and •77. CLA R K,
'scientific investigation on a major scale'. (72) This is that this is a question of a vital problem concerning Jerome, 'Why UFOs
are Hostile', Flyiny
'urgently' needed because of the 'startling, alarming, and the whole world. Saucer Review, 13,
'All nations must unite in mutual research and
#6, Nov-Dec 1967,
dangerous material' surfacing, not to mention its
18-20.
'mounting seriousness'. (73) He devotes a whole book to scientific co-operation to investigate and solve this
 MAGONIA
for the common cause and mutual advancement of our Arizona Residents to be Affiicted with Strange Malady -
peaceful relationship in outer space.' (78) Why does Press Not Report Epidemic of Electronic
This theme turns up in several variations during Poisoning'. {85) The significance of these items is prob­
the Roush Congressional hearings on 29 July 1968. ably historically slight, but they add interesting flou-
James McDonald wanted a pluralistic approach employ- rishes to the portrait of the times.
ing NAS� NS� ONR and even the Federal Power It is, of course, true ufologists are a hetero­
Commission - the last to take up the subject of blackouts. geneous bunch and not everyone displayed hypochon­
J. Alien Hynek wanted Congress to establish a UFO driacal themes or shared the same degree of concern.
Scientific Board of Inquiry. James A. Harder wanted a Charles Bowen i.n The Humanoids (1969) speaks of the
multiple-faceted approach, preferably at several institut- pointlessness of humanoid behaviour and thinks of it all
ions simultaneously. Robert M. Baker wanted a well- as 'diversionary play to give people a giggle'. In this
funded programme with the highest possible standards. same volume Donald Hanlon surveys the range of
Donald Menzel, ever the sceptic, thought the time and occupant behaviour and concludes that even with
money would be completely wasted in such studies. (79) allowance made for their use of immobilisation weapons
Towards the end of 1968 the Rand Document recom- like knockout vapour, they do comparatively little harm.
mended a central collection agency with analysis given Gordon Creighton's 'vast surreal nightmare' wasn't
over to specialists. {80) The last significant expression of apparent to all. {86) The issue of hostility was complic­
this motif appears in 1973 in James M. McCampbell's ated by a paradoxically simple observation. Why didn't
book Ufology. He recommended setting up a two-phased they simply wipe us out years ago? Otto Binder, Cleary­
research effort. Phase l, price-tagged at $4 million, Baker, Mervyn Paul, among others rejected it on that
would 'confirm absolutely the existence of UFOs in account. {87) John Keel's Operation Trojan Horse
scientific terms and identify any advanced technologies'. contains a call for an independent, objective investigat­
Phase 2 would define the new technology and its applic- ion but indicates it should be unhampered by the petty
ations and was price tagged in the $75 million to $100 UFO cultists and laments no suitable psychiatric
million range. And to think, some people complained programme had been instituted to take care of those
the Condon commission wasted half a million. (80) who are going insane or attempting suicide. The
•78. LOFTI N , The concern over invasion spawned some spect­ ufonauts don't care about us and mischievously confuse
Robert, Identified
Flying Object3,
acular notions in Raymond A. Palmer's The Real UFO us with behaviours ranging from complete hostility to
Mc Kay, 1968, 144. Invasion (1967). Palmer offers evidence that the US was the rescuing of lives. {88) Such differences as these that
•79. FULLE R , Skies,
op. cit. , 84, 88, 56, preparing for war with weapons so titanic they couldn't existed fail to even hint at their being any problems in
167, 205.
have been intended for a mere international war. That characterising this period as overwhelmingly dominated
•80. McCAMPB ELL,
James M., Ufology, war wasn't in the future either. Palmer points to nuclear by the mindset of hypochondria.
Celestial Arts, 1S76,
162-65.
blasts in Project Argus as being against a satellite not By the time of the release of the Condon report
•81. PALMER, made by earthmen. (81) in January 1969 the UFO mania of the mid-sixties had
Raymond A . , The
Real UFO Invasion, Gordon Lore's Strange Effects from UFOs: A cooled already of its own accord. Some felt it repre­
Greenleaf Classics,
1967, 38, 43, 49, 59.
Special NICAP Report (1969), Robert Loftin's Identified sented �e end of the saucer era, but it was just a pause.
•82. GADDIS, Flying Saucers (1968) and Otto Binder's What We If it satisfied any ufologist enough to drop out, they left
Vincent H.,
Mys terious Lights
Really Know About Flying Saucers (1967) deserve brief no record of their concession. Even before it was
and Fires, Dell, 1968, mention for their treatments of physiological effects finished, Condon was vilified. As texts on hypochondria
233.
•83. LOF T I N , op. cit. from saucers: eye injuries, radiation bums, paralyses, observe, doctors are trained to deal in uncovering the
f vi . cases of shock, and mysterious blows to the body. A physical causes of complaints and are ill-equipped to
•84. BI N DE R , Otto,
'Liquidation of the particularly odd and problematic case could be made for handle cases rooted in emotional difficulties. After the
UFO Investigators!',
Saga 's Special UFO
including Vincent Gaddis's Mysterious Lights and Fires initial enthusiasm gives way to bitter recriminations and
Report, Volume 11, (1967) since it makes an effort to link UFOs to spont- scapegoating at the negative findings, the doctor will be
1971, 12-15, 69-72.
Beyond, 1, •3. aneous human combustion. Unforgettable is Gaddis's left demoralised at the paradoxical reaction. There's
November 1968.
question, 'Are We Walking Atom Bombs?' (82) nothing there to worry about, shouldn't they be
•B5. Beyond, 2, #8,
April 1969, 22-34. Passing references should perhaps be given to relieved? The hYJ>OChondriac is often in search of a
•86. BOWEN,
Humanoids, op. cit. ,
John Keel's expression of alarm over the 1966 Wave and special relationship with the doctor. (89) It has been
248, 185, 88. Robert Loftin's speaking of the UFO threat as something claimed that James McDonald first tried to cultivate a
•87.
S H U T TLEWOOD, we better get the truth to 'before it is too late'. (83) I relationship with Condon at the beginning of the
Arthur, The
also can't resist recalling a number of unusual articles project, but actively orchestrated the campaign of
Wanninster Mystery,
Tandem, 1976, B3, from the period like Otto Binder's which fretted over publicity around the 'trick' memorandum penned by
54.
•BB. KEEL, John,
the number of deaths that had taken place in the UFO Low. (90)
Why UFOs, Manor, field and Timothy Green Beckley's article for Beyond David Saunders was fired over this affair, ostens­
1976, 2B4-6, 205.
•89. BAU E R , Susan, which acclaimed 'UFOs Use High -Tension Lines for Re- ibly for alleged 'incompetence', though nobody believes
Hypochondria:
Charging'. {84) Beyond was a haven for weird articles that was the real reason. He wrote a book about the
Woeful Imaginations,
University of about aliens which probe brains, paralyse observers, and Condon committee telling his side of things. He presents
California Press,
1990.
destroy dogs in ghastly manners. One relevant here was the results -of a factor analysis of some questionnaires
James Welling's 'Does UFO Radiation cause Phoenix, •• Continued on Page 19 »
 MAGONIA

publish accounts of research and invest­ presented have become , so m�ch more
igation, unfortunately it seems that most gynaecological, the elements of physical
active researchers are already 'under interference so much more exotic, and the which yielded a taxonomy of UFO

contract ' to particular groups or journals, degree of racial engineering so extreme belief. It was his opinion that Condon
or are preparing their own books! There is that his comparisons with relatively con­ must belong to the group he termed

always a danger of any journal which is ventional 'conscious recollection cases' - 'Prejudiced' based on remarks he had

edited by a group of (jairly) similarly­ Villas Boas, Hickson, Walton and so on -

made subsequent to the writing of the

minded friends becoming a house mag­ are no longer valid. report. Digging up the paper showing

azine for a particular viewpoint, and I am I can't help but feel that the boundar­ how this taxonomy was constructed
pleased that Terry does not think that ies between abduction recall and channel­ renders this judgement invalid. If one

Magonia has gone too Jar in this direction. ling are becoming increasingly vague. It is takes a close look at the numbers one

I think we have tried to keep our pages time we insisted on taking seriously only will find the people he termed pre­
open to other viewpoints; and shortage of recorded accounts - preferably on time­ judiced were getting high scores for

'opposition ' material is more a Junction of marked videos - of these supposed investig­ agreeing with the statements 'Some

how little of it is submitted to us than any ations, so we can assess the role of the flying saucers have tried to communi­

desire to promote our own viewpoints to input in shaping the output. In the mean­ cate with us' and 'People have seen

the exclusion of others. All contributions, time an argument based on the content of spaceships that did not come from this
as they say, eagerly awaited. the output alone seems pretty meaningless, planet', and disagreeing with the state­

especially when the •standard' account of ment 'There is no government secrecy

Sir, abduction is so clearly accruing and devel­ about UFOs'. These are manifestly not
I have been intrigued by the BullardEvans- oping relative to the belief threshold of the positions of Condon. The 'Prejud­

Rogerson debate about abductions, the one those who - at the very least - facilitate the iced' unequivocally were believers in

side arguing that the methodology of production of the accounts. All parties to extraterrestrial visitations and govern­

folklore, through pattern and consistency, the debate appear to agree that true folk­ ment secrecy. Saunders termed this
supports the reality and credibility of lore should have its roots firmly in the real group prejudiced because of the high

reports, the other that the Psycho-Social world. there is little evidence to suggest score of agreement with the statement

theory, accepting that the mind and its that recent abduction narratives even 'Science has established that Negro

owner can together get up to almost approach such a status. people are not as intelligent as white

unlimited mischief, can cover almost any Yours people'. (91) This finding brings

claim of perceived experience. Kevin McClure, St Austell, Cornwall Saunders in line with a study of 259
What has surprised me is that the NICAP members by Dr. Leo Sprinkle

argument has proceeded so far on such Dear John that uncovered significantly higher

very peculiar grounds. We are talking here In his review of the second volume of my levels of dogmatism and closed-minded­

about accounts obtained very substantially UFO Encyclopaedia (Magonia 44) Hilary ness among ufologists than a control

by means of regression hYPnosis, often group of psychologists and guidance

Evans complains, legitimately, of its
administered by non-professionals, and ..absurdly high price". I would be grateful counsellors. This also fits in with other

tangled up in the world of support-groups, studies linking prejudice to paranoia

if you would inform your readers that both
and the reinforcement of potential crack­ and superstitious beliefs to closed minds.
it and the previous volume, UFOs in the
pots by those already established in that I98o 's, are available at a special price of (92)

role. $34 each to ufologists. The publisher is • 90. KLASS, Phi lip J . , 'The Condon UFO Study: A
I am unaware of any tradition of Omnigraphics Inc., 2500 Penobscot Build­ Trick or a Cons pira y ? ' , Skeptical Inquirer,
c 10, J4,
Summer 1986, 328-41.
folklore deriving from people who are ing, Detroit, Michigan 48226, USA. Incid­ a 91. SAUNDERS, David R . and H AR K I NS , R . Roger,
UFOs ? Yes!, Signet, 1968, 221-2, 225. SAUNDERS,
actually unconscious. Even less so of entally. Choice, a journal published by the
D. R . , 'Factor Analysis of UFO-related Attitudes',
folklore recorded by operators who have American Library Association, recently Perceptual and Motor Skills, 27, 1968, 1207-18.
SAUNDERS, D.R. and VAN A R S DALE, Peter, 'Points
much to gain by compiling narratives of named Emergence one of the Outstanding of View about UFOs: A Multidimensional Scaling
specific form and content perhaps best Academic Books of 1992. Surely a first for Study', Perceptual and Motor Skills, 27, 1968, 1219-
38.
described as 'marketable'. a UFO book. • 92. ALLPORT, Gordon W., The Nature of
Pre udice, Anchor,
j 1958. ROKEACH , Milton, The
Thomas E. Bullard is undoubtedly Cordially,
Open and Closed Mind, Basic, 1960.
one of the world's key UFO researchers, Jerome Clark, Canby, Minnesota.
and I can imagine him referring to his

STRA N G E
detailed analysis of abduction narratives Part Three of Martin
obtained with and without hypnosis, feat­ Kottmeyer' article,
ured in JUFOS, vol.l, 1989. He the
MAGAZ I N E covering the period
concluded that there was little significant America's leading Fortean magazine. from 1974 to the present day will
UK Subscriptions £13.50 for four issues.
difference between the results produced appear in the next issue of Magonia.
Sterling cheques payable to 'Mark Chorvinsky'
from each, but there have been important to Strange Magazine, PO Box 2246
Rockvi lle, MD 20847, U S A .
changes since. Particularly the narratives

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