Friday, November 7, 2014

Standing Eight Count for the MJ-12

Work of such researchers as Mark Pilkington has reignited interest in the infamous MJ-12 docs and surrounding circumstances. His book and resulting film, 'Mirage Men', significantly contributed to bringing some events that were dangerously nearing obscurity back to where they belong at the forefront of attention of the UFO community. 

In 2007, scholar and author Dr. Michael Heiser facilitated professional linguistics testing on select MJ-12 docs. The work was conducted by qualified expert Dr. Carol Chaski and resulted in her assessment that the docs examined were almost certainly inauthentic. Chaski demonstrated an extremely high rate of accuracy in her previous evaluations, and it is all explained in depth in Heiser's full reportInterest in the report has been revived of late thanks to sites including Frank Warren's 'The UFO Chronicles', where an ongoing watchful eye is kept on the ever developing MJ-12 story. 

Heiser recently published a post at his blog, 'UFO Religions', providing some resources for those interested in the saga. The post included a recommended video created by Alejandro Rojas of Open Minds:




Rojas' informative presentation included summaries of USAF documents he obtained that are worthy of ample consideration. The presentation also included the results of tracking down what appears to be the first mention of the term "Majestic Twelve" in the UFO community, and suffice it to say its origins were quite dubious. 

Among other points of interest, the question was raised in the video as to why Richard Doty might have been involved in such disinformation operations, given his relative inexperience with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI). George P. Hansen addressed such circumstances in his book, 'The Trickster and the Paranormal'.

Hansen cited the case of Airman Simone Mendez, who was apparently called upon at a very young age and under questionable conditions to file a report on her attendance at a MUFON conference. The circumstances demonstrated official interest in the UFO community and implicated the AFOSI. Moreover, it implied the AFOSI might have targeted Mendez for recruitment - and perhaps individuals such as Doty as well - due to their inexperience and similar extenuating circumstances, not in spite of them. For much more detail, as well as additional information of interest surrounding Doty, please refer to Hansen's work.

Writer/researcher Ryan Dube published a number of posts on the MJ-12 saga and related circumstances, including his 2010 piece, 'John Alexander - Mr. Non-Lethal with Many Hands in Many Pots'. Dube explored the career path and ufology activities of Col. Alexander and other members of the intelligence community. After conducting an interview with Alexander, Dube concluded, "I am now even more suspicious than ever before that John was one of the integral players in the distribution effort of the MJ-12 memes upon the public domain, starting in the 1980's and continuing throughout the next several decades to today."

As recently as last year, Col. Alexander inserted himself once again in the controversial MJ-12 debate when he discussed the legendary group during an interview. Grant Cameron reported that he interpreted the statements of the colonel, which included that Alexander "had someone whisper" to him about MJ-12, could not be over emphasized. Cameron credited Alexander with confirming existence of the MJ-12 yet acknowledged that Alexander doubted the MJ-12 had anything to do with UFOs. Many disagreed with Cameron's take on the importance of the situation, apparently including Alexander, who later informed this writer that his remarks "did not change anything." 

And what to our wondering eyes should appear but yet another chapter in the winding saga of the MJ-12. The latest from Kevin Randle informs us that Tony Bragalia came across a relevant lead on a doc. The two of them ran down provenance and, at least to Randle's satisfaction, have knocked the MJ-12 meme out for the count. It seems they indeed identified an operation that used key code words as described in the legendary Majestic operation, but the actual op in question had nothing to do with alleged UFO retrieval. That, according to Randle, confirms that the MJ-12 story of UFO lore is complete myth because code words are not duplicated in order to minimize risk of compromising the projects of which they are assigned. Not exactly sure why people would be whispering to Col. Alexander about such, instead of just describing it to him in an audible voice, but he could no doubt explain it in unassailable entirety if he ever decides he feels like it. 

In the mean time, perhaps we might consider if the MJ-12 story has not always been floundering on the ropes. Was there ever a time that it drew any particularly credible support? How many of us ever really bought it?

Perhaps more importantly would be why the saga was so persistently propped up and promoted. Questions of origins and purposes become quite relevant, arguably more so than authenticity in some cases.

8 comments:

  1. It's a wonder why anyone would trust former government employees such as Alexander and many other former intelligencia when they are forever tasked with protecting national security. I can imagine it's being a lofty position in their eyes, some of them, but those guys are the last people I would rely on.

    I think Stanton Friedman did posit "some" of the MJ12 documents were real. I never bothered to look into his claims because his career depends on an alien agenda.

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    1. What does Knocker mean when he says Stanton Friedman's "career depends on an alien agenda"?

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    2. Anon,

      I don't speak for Knocker, but I interpret they were expressing an interpretation that Friedman has a vested interest in perpetuating public interest and belief in an alien presence. Some members of the UFO community feel that the extraterrestrial hypothesis (as an explanation for UFOs) is promoted with extreme bias and lack of supporting evidence by those who stand to capitalize on its popularity.

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    3. I myself have found it quite suspicious for ... quite a while now that Stan has been pushing the ETH Roswell thing for ... how long now? ... regardless of the possible other angles ie unconventional post-war Nazi aircraft, or some other more down to earth reason.

      I've had a quick look at the MJ-12 documents, and, of course, they smell ... but there is nothing in there that even remotely speaks to an "alien craft" regardless of what they actually say. I believe that Dr Joseph P. Farrell has come to the same conclusion.

      Therefore, one has to look at Stan, and his own (possible) agenda(s) for harping on the same point ie "Cosmic Watergate"(tm, Stan) for so long.

      One also has to question why did a guy who had a terrific career (presumably, well paid) working on exotic propulsion technology ie nuclear engines etc ... leave to work solely on the whole UFO thing.

      May be these questions have been answered already, I don't know.

      It is due time to start questioning the motives of people like Stan. It should have been done a long time ago, in my opinion. I feel a lot of answers why the UFO field has gone nowhere in particular are found within.

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    4. Thanks for your comments, HJPrice. Putting Mr. Friedman's activities aside for a moment, I agree with your implications that ufology and its researchers can't (with integrity, anyway) play the 'we want mainstream acceptance' card only when it suits their agendas. I'll expand a bit on that, please.

      Ufologists often operate as hobby researchers on shoestring budgets. In so doing, there seems to be an unwritten rule to not ask about funding sources, various opinions of the tough questions and even such critical factors as how certain people, such as multiple witnesses and investigators, initially came to know one another. It often seems to be considered rude or prying to pose such questions and present such issues for consideration, relevant as they may potentially prove to be.

      In contrast, it is standard practice within the professional research community to clarify amounts of funding, sources, when funds were received and what was expected in return for those funds. Also, reports are presented that clearly document chains of custody of evidence, contact with witnesses and similar details.

      So what I'm getting at here is that ufologists tend to want to blame academia for unjustly rejecting their work, when the fact of the matter is the work is often extremely substandard. It also frequently fails to even remotely answer the most basic and relevant of questions. Then, ufology seems to be collectively afraid to ask those questions on its own, all while questionably claiming to want more widespread acceptance.

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  2. Copies of documents obtained by Alejandro Rojas from the USAF and described in the video may be viewed at:

    http://alejandrotrojas.com/files/DOTY-FOIA-ATR.pdf

    Kevin Randle provided Frank Warren copies of the documents discovered by Tony Bragalia and Randle that reference Majestic and deconstruct the MJ-12 meme. Warren published the docs along with Randle's post at:

    http://www.theufochronicles.com/2014/11/majestic-found.html

    Kevin Randle has now published another blog post in which he reports that Ryan Wood had the Majestic docs under discussion already published for quite some time at his site, majesticdocuments.com. Wood finds them less consequential than Randle, but I interpret a primary point of Randle's post to be to acknowledge Wood had found the docs before Bragalia. Randle's post:

    http://kevinrandle.blogspot.com/2014/11/ryan-wood-and-majestic-documents.html

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  3. Real interesting stuff, good reading well appreciated. Among micro-angles of MJ-12, one my attention is drawn to more over time - is a particularly tactic, as targeted and staged.

    I refer to the Mysterious Package Ploy, as I might call it. The Package, in this ploy, contains Tantalizing Goods - like xeroxed official documents - of intense interest to a particular 'independent' i.e. self-tasked researcher, apparently chosen as recipient (or - mark?) by parties unknown.

    The vaunted MJ12 documents must be the first instance I read about of this type operation. But, seemed the identical pattern repeated - with the 'Guardian' case (rolls eyeballs). Probably others I could think of. Nothing succeeds like success as they say.

    To see what unfolds, from such beginnings, is especially intriguing. One recalls Vallee's observations about some of the skullduggery. Especially since the effect or fallout might one call it, logically, could relate to intent, i.e. Motive, on the part of whoever's sending that stuff, in these capers. I assume they know, or figure, it will get a big reception, from whoever they've picked out, tagged "It."

    The same ploy may be coming into application, in another 'special interest community' as of recent years, by signs. I recently read of an audio recording purportedly decades old, sent to a writer-reporter of pop psychedelia.

    According to his account, voices on the tape divulge 'shocking implications' etc, about an unsolved, magic mushroom related murder from the late 1970s. The recipient author's story, as told - recounts written story that accompanied the tape. He reports that it purports to identify parties speaking on the tape, and asserts the anonymous writer has expertise in voice analysis - and thus is able to 'vouch' for the 'authenticity' etc. of the recording, and assess veracity etc. It seems a layer cake, or whole stratigraphy of claim to back up claim to back up claim. Like turtles all the way down, as it were.

    It just seems real interesting, what goes on, how its done - as relates. The more examples of capers involving such art and craft, the more I feel unsure what goes on. (PS, the 'magic mushroom murder' example, of what appears suspiciously like an exercise in this type operation - I caught scent of it from an article in Harpers a few years ago, 'Blood Spore' by H. Morris, 'recipient' or target of mailed package.

    One thing that comes through, is an inescapable consideration. To me it seems a 'target' could give benefit of the doubt to such 'goods' rec'd. Or less excitedly more dubiously, they could withhold benefit of the doubt on suspicion - perhaps not willing to be fooled, not wanting to be anybody's patsy (if that's what's going on, cat and mouse). But could they do both? I don't see how.

    Keep up the good work Jack, I enjoy your blog - real interesting stuff.

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    1. Thanks, Brian! Your support is appreciated very much.

      Very interesting events you describe. Thanks for sharing them. It might lead one to wonder how many 'packages' have been received over the years and abruptly tossed in a closet!

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