The greatest obstacle to official transparency of the UFO phenomenon
Some senior and highly influential officials in the U.S. military and Intelligence Community resist greater transparency regarding military UFO encounters. A powerful drive to their resistance is fear and shame. Human psychology is the greatest obstacle to the truth of the UFO phenomenon. But there is a way to circumvent the obstacle.
This article will outline what I believe is the greatest obstacle to official transparency of the UFO phenomenon (or Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, UAP). I will also suggest a reasonable solution to circumvent the obstacle.
The obstacle
What is the greatest obstacle to official transparency regarding the UFO issue? My claim is that it is human psychology: the fear and shame in the minds of some high-ranking officials in the Pentagon and the Intelligence Community (IC). My solution is to moderate that fear and shame — I will return to “how” further down.
In the following, let us use common sense and introductory human psychology. First, what is behind these high-ranking officials’ fear? If you are familiar with UFO history, you know that the documented evidence of denial and ridicule of the significance of UFOs/UAP by the U.S. government (USG) is abundant and clear. The reason for the high-ranking officials´ fear and shame is that the official stance of denial and ridicule, held over many decades, will become known to the public.
Now, put yourself in the shoes of the current officials in the Pentagon and IC who do not want more transparency of the UFO phenomenon. What would you think and feel in a situation when your employer’s dirty secrets are about to be exposed to the entire world? (The problem is more complicated than that, but my crude generalisation will do for now). As a current official in the Pentagon or IC, even if you are not directly or willingly involved in the UFO cover-up, the public will not know that. In your mind, you expect an avalanche of blame or worse from an outrageous citizenry if the UFO cover-up is exposed to the public. (How the public actually would react is hard to predict).
With those expectations (regardless of valid or invalid), would you willingly put all the cards on the table if you worked in the Pentagon or IC with the UFO issue? Remember, I refer to officials who are hesitating or opposing greater transparency on what the USG knows or does not know about UFOs/UAP. We know that a faction of officials in the Pentagon and IC support what Luis Elizondo, Chris Mellon, and others are trying to accomplish. And according to Elizondo, that faction seems to be in the majority.
What does that tell us?
It tells that the small pocket opposing more transparency comprises very senior and highly influential individuals.
These influential individuals have the most to lose in a “full” disclosure scenario (whatever that is and would look like) and, therefore, are the ones who most fear and resist it.
My point so far is that it’s easy to imagine why some high-ranking officials keep resisting greater transparency of the UFO phenomenon. However, their fear is not an excuse for continued manipulation of the public’s perception of the UFO issue and, specifically, the quality and quantity of the evidence. (Evidence shows some UFOs/UAP are unlikely man-made; for example, the “Tic Tac” in the USS Nimitz 2004 case).
Back to the question, would you put all the cards on the table? Again, let’s use some common sense. If you did something morally wrong — even bordering illegal — would you feel inclined to tell it to someone? You might have an urge to tell and know that by speaking, you would feel relieved. Keeping a secret can take a toll. But fear of blame, judgement, and possibly something worse would likely keep you from saying anything. Fear and shame (shame is a social feeling whereas guilt is more directed toward oneself) are powerful feelings. Their function is to increase our survival by avoiding threatening situations and adapting to a group’s social rules (10 000 years ago, a rejection from a group in most cases meant death for an individual).
We cannot underestimate human psychology in the ongoing disclosure process (or war) of the truth behind the UFO issue: we cannot minimise what some high-ranking officials expect to occur with their position, reputation, families, and so on in a disclosure scenario.
To be fair, I believe that at least some of them genuinely worry about how the public’s trust in the USG would be affected, potential societal panic, and the consequences for their loved ones. So, self-interest undoubtedly motivates those high-ranking officials. But also, their concerns regarding the consequences to society of more public knowledge on the UFO issue.
Again, I’m simplifying the situation. There are most likely other factors involved in the resistance from some pockets in the Pentagon and IC to give straight answers to what they know or do not know about UFOs/UAP. For example, there are complex geopolitical issues: what are the consequences of the world knowing about advanced technology (a potential arms-race?)? Another reason is that the U.S. Air Force (USAF) is not cooperating with the (current) UAP Task Force for obvious reasons; historically, it is the USAF who has been behind the denial and ridicule of the validity of UFOs/UAP.
Still, I believe that fear and shame are definitely at the root of the problem. Again, take the USAF as an example: How would you feel about telling the public that you are not in control of U.S. airspace? In other words, to admit that you cannot do your job of protecting your nation and its citizens (at least against the technologically superior “Tic Tacs” and whatnot). It is easy to imagine what goes through the minds of the USAF leadership when thinking about more public knowledge about the UFO issue (or cover up)…
The question, then, becomes, how can we change the fear and shame of some high-ranking officials?
A possible solution
Is there any solution to the problem of fear and shame (or human psychology)? There are probably many solutions, depending on the scale and depth of the cover-up of the UFO phenomenon. Regardless of the scale and depth, the first step should be to change the fear and shame in the minds of some senior military and intelligence officials. Those officials have to feel secure in, so to speak, spilling the beans.
How do you make those high-ranking officials feel comfortable enough to offer what the USG knows about UFOs?
You give them something in return. For example, you can provide them with a guarantee that they will not go to jail, lose their stars and pension, etc. Let’s call this solution “amnesty” (or “immunity”, the reader can look up the difference). Is that a fair deal, considering what we know from UFO history (lies, denial, ridicule, silencing of people and possibly worse measures)? No, it’s not fair to victims of the official cover-up of the truth of UFOs/UAP.
Nonetheless, the problem with a demand that justice has to be served is maintaining the status quo. Disclosure has made progress and currently has strong momentum. However, if the public demands justice at any cost and specific individuals to blame, I believe the speed will slow down and probably come to a halt. And who knows if an opportunity like the one we have at the moment to learn more about the UFO issue will ever turn up again?
Furthermore, we have to consider the current political atmosphere in the U.S. As I understand it as an outsider, the U.S. is a divided nation, and people’s trust in institutions is low. Now, that is not the most appealing circumstances for government officials to announce that the USG has lied about UFOs for seven decades. (The lie would probably be revealed progressively during weeks of public Congressional hearings.)
Therefore, I believe that amnesty for the Pentagon and IC officials who have access to the most valid and reliable evidence of the UFO phenomenon could facilitate the next necessary step for disclosure: Congressional hearings.
Note that I am not saying that I like this solution. But I am saying that I believe it to be the most effective way to circumvent a significant obstacle: the fear and shame in the minds of some senior and very influential officials.
Whether one likes the idea of amnesty (or immunity), it is crucial to at least explore and compare it to other alternatives. One can, for example, think through what disclosure (I use “disclosure” as a synonym for “greater official transparency”) is all about: Why is disclosure essential, and for who? What are the implications of greater official transparency? Or what do we want the implications to be and for who?
I believe most people familiar with the UFO topic would answer that greater transparency is for everyone. Because of, for example, the energy sources of UFOs and their potential to help with environmental issues. Greater transparency of the UFO issue is crucial not only for presently living individuals but also for future generations.
What are the positive and negative implications if the world got to know the truth about what some UFOs/UAP are?
Well, that is a tricky question for anyone to answer. I am not sure anyone can imagine all implications for life on Earth or predict all the possible outcomes, but here is the crucial fact:
The positive and negative implications are there regardless of the technology and energy source behind the “Tic Tac” being man made or not.
Should we risk all the opportunities that disclosure probably would create in exchange for justice and vengeance? No, I think that would be short-sighted and selfish. It would be like neglecting your child’s need for care and protection for your personal need for vindication. If that is the path we choose, I do not think humanity is neither ready nor deserves greater official transparency of the UFO issue.
Thus, we have to provide the high-ranking officials with the means to do the right thing:
We have to change their expectations of what will happen if they tell the truth or declassify (within reasonable limits) the evidence that some UFOs/UAP are not man made. In return for that evidence and official confirmation of its validity and reliability, we give them amnesty.
As always, think for yourself and make up your own mind. Here, I think moral values, what is right or wrong to do, what a good life/society is and for whom are at the centre of the UFO issue and the fight for greater transparency.
