67 replies to this topic

[Babe Ruth]

In 1997 the greater Phoenix metro area witnessed and filmed a slow fly by made by a huge UFO.  Many thousands saw it and filmed it, including all major local media.

Soon the government downplayed it, somehow suggesting that it didn't really happen.

Governor Symington, former USAF pilot, downplayed it and suggested it was some sort of prank.

Years later Symington admits that he actually saw the craft with his own eyes, but took the postion that he did because he did not want to alarm the public, even though so many of the public saw it with their own eyes.

Did Governor Symington's actions show a conspiracy between him and others in government to keep the public uninformed?  Or were they simply admitting their inability to explain what it was?

Does this government effort to keep the public uninformed about an obvious event represent a pattern of behavior by government officials?

[Karlis]

Here is a Youtube video of the Phoenx Lights:

UFO - Phoenix Lights, March 13, 1997.

Uploaded by BrutalV on 11 Apr 2008
The number of lights in the boomerang seemed to vary along the path of the object from 5 to 7 according to the witnesses. Some of the witnesses described this formation or object as huge, even up to 1 mile in span. It traveled, according to all witnesses, on a trajectory from Northwest to Southeast. It traveled at slow velocity along most of its course with one exception where it seemed to accelerate quickly. Its altitude was estimated to be below 5,000 feet. We know this is simply an estimate as it is difficult to determine the altitude of a flying object in the night sky. The witnesses agreed they could hear no sound emanating from the boomerang.

In March 2007, former Arizona Governor Fife Symington III said that he had witnessed one of the "crafts of unknown origin" during the 1997 event, but noted that he didn't go public with the information.Shortly after the lights, Symington held a press conference, stating that "they found who was responsible". However, he quickly changed his mind. In an interview with The Daily Courier in Prescott, Symington said:

'I'm a pilot and I know just about every machine that flies. It was bigger than anything that I've ever seen. It remains a great mystery. Other people saw it, responsible people. I don't know why people would ridicule it.'

[Babe Ruth]

Thanks for that Karlis.

I somewhat feel sorry for Fife.  At least he had the courage to admit his wrongdoing and lies.  I've seen his apology and find it sincere.  Thanks for video tape.

The whole thing reflects the bizarre mentality of government.  First, deny and deceive.  That is their fist step at mind control.

In terms of denial, the behavior was kinda like a lynch mob or pack behavior, whichever one likes.

[TheMcGuffin]

All I can do is take him at his word, and he said many times in recent years that he saw the UFO and has no idea what it was.

http://www.ufodigest...whats-out-there

[zoser]

I would love to believe that he was telling the truth and that he actually had witnessed something incredible.

There is one other option however that we need to consider and that is that his tactless publicity stunt with the 'alien' was a a dismal failure and to excuse the pun 'alienated' a large number of people who had witnessed this event and were desperately seeking answers.

What better way to make amends and build an empathy bridge with the Arizona folk than to claim that too shared their experience?

I would like to think I am wrong on this, but it just seems like a coincidence that he happened to be present when it flew by a second time after he had publicly discredited the phenomena.

[Babe Ruth]

He is to be commended for 'coming clean' on the subject.  Better late than never.

But his behavior in 1997 clearly illustrates how government, and the persons who make up government, quickly default to deception when informing the public.

I remember reading about it in 1997, but never realized until just now how huge the object was, and how slowly it passed by.

And I think the NatGeo piece on it claimed that radar data recorded the object.

Even the debunkers cannot make this one go away.

[Rafterman]

Babe Ruth, on 27 May 2012 - 01:41 PM, said:

Even the debunkers cannot make this one go away.

You mean the absolute fact that the lights were flares dropped by a flight of A-10 Warthog aircraft being operated by the Maryland National Guard and how this is backed up by the photographic and video evidence from that night?

Here's Brian Dunning's take:  http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4041 - including the good Governor's pathetic attempt to grab a little more 15 minutes.

[Slave2Fate]

Rafterman, on 27 May 2012 - 06:53 PM, said:

You mean the absolute fact that the lights were flares dropped by a flight of A-10 Warthog aircraft being operated by the Maryland National Guard and how this is backed up by the photographic and video evidence from that night?

Here's Brian Dunning's take:  http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4041 - including the good Governor's pathetic attempt to grab a little more 15 minutes.

I think that the earlier sighting (8 PM) is the one the governor is talking about. The flares were the later event (10 PM). However Mitch Stanley stated that he saw planes for the earlier event using a Dobsonian telescope. I would think that a sighting using a telescope would have more weight than a naked eye observation but maybe that's just me.

[booNyzarC]

Slave2Fate, on 27 May 2012 - 07:08 PM, said:

I think that the earlier sighting (8 PM) is the one the governor is talking about. The flares were the later event (10 PM). However Mitch Stanley stated that he saw planes for the earlier event using a Dobsonian telescope. I would think that a sighting using a telescope would have more weight than a naked eye observation but maybe that's just me.

Indeed.

You've nailed it here S2F.  

[Darth Tyranus]

Babe Ruth, on 26 May 2012 - 02:02 PM, said:

In 1997 the greater Phoenix metro area witnessed and filmed a slow fly by made by a huge UFO.  Many thousands saw it and filmed it, including all major local media.

Soon the government downplayed it, somehow suggesting that it didn't really happen.

Governor Symington, former USAF pilot, downplayed it and suggested it was some sort of prank.

Years later Symington admits that he actually saw the craft with his own eyes, but took the postion that he did because he did not want to alarm the public, even though so many of the public saw it with their own eyes.

Did Governor Symington's actions show a conspiracy between him and others in government to keep the public uninformed?  Or were they simply admitting their inability to explain what it was?

Does this government effort to keep the public uninformed about an obvious event represent a pattern of behavior by government officials?

I will give Symington credit for having balls and coming forward about what he saw. He actually saw the craft himself and said it was 3 to 4 thousand feet wide. That being said, Symington is just a tool and doesn't know anything. I'm quite confident he called George HW Bush and other military officials and they probably blew him off. He gets pissed & now he's coming forward or came forward. I seriously doubts he knows anything other than what he actually saw.

The most visiable public figures today in government that know about UFOs are George HW Bush, Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld. All of them worked at the CIA and Bush is reported to have told Ronald Reagan when Reagan asked him about what he knew about UFO's, Bush supposedly said "He couldn't confirm or deny it, it was classified".

I think he may have eventually told Reagan about what he knew because Reagan was busting at the seams to tell the public. He was always telling people privately that ETs were real. Odd that he developed Alzheimers disease that wipes the memory out isnt it?

I don't believe all this lizard conspiracy bull but I do believe George HW Bush knows quite a bit about UFOs and contact with them.

Edited by Darth Tyranus, 28 May 2012 - 02:21 AM.

[psyche101]

What this clown??




Balls? Guts? What?? I would say an idiot trying to get re-elected. Yeah, I can see just how serious he is about the event. It was a show to get him noticed again, sheesh!

Look at all the research put in here, the evidences, the explanations, the hypotheses...................ohh wait  



you put your left hand in................ and shake it all about

Big hint people, he is a politician, you know those salt of the earth types?


You guys cannot be serious, surely. How many times can a politician change his mind and still be believed? I guess that depends on the subject. Imagine if this joker came forth the other way around and said "yes it was an ET craft" and then came forward and said "I have seen the reports, I cannot be right, it was not ET" what would everyone be screaming then? COVER UP.


There is no win situation here, it is belief all the way in with Fyfe followers.


I am guessing this is a thread to pretend that the math Boon did in the BE thread regarding this event does not exist?


Is this the best people can find for the Phoenix lights ET musing? A politician told them so? Surely we can do better than this?

Edited by psyche101, 28 May 2012 - 07:46 AM.

[quillius]

<sub>phoenix lights...about that time of year I suppose!

this is quite an interesting link

http://www.oracleoft...angulation.html


hmmm I still feel there is unresolved business here...so shall we start with the 8pm...

back later to discuss why Mitch Stanley's observation amounts to not  very much at all


edit to increase font size</sub>

Edited by quillius, 28 May 2012 - 09:40 AM.

[beale947]

Flares nothing more.

[quillius]

beale947, on 28 May 2012 - 10:43 AM, said:

Flares nothing more.

so the 8pm sightings were flares were they? hmmm Mitch Stanley said planes, plus what kind of Airforce spends over two hours disposing of unused flares? over a populated area?

[TheMcGuffin]

quillius, on 28 May 2012 - 09:40 AM, said:

_{phoenix lights...about that time of year I suppose!}

I have trouble thinking of something new to say that hasn't been said already, including the possible radar detection of teh object by the Air Force and scrambling some jets after it, although those records are not available.  This is one of those cases of a possible attempt by the military to cover its own tests and experimental craft with a UFO story, although on the other hand it could also be a genuine unknown--one of many in that part of the world over the years.


Is there anything new to say about it?

Edited by TheMcGuffin, 28 May 2012 - 12:53 PM.