Just Cause - 1984 09 - No 01 - New Series

Magazine Overview

Title: JUST CAUSE
Issue: 1 (New Series)
Date: September 1934 (Note: The cover date is 1934, but the content clearly refers to events and publications from 1982-1984, indicating a potential misprint or a historical context not fully explained within the provided pages. The content itself is from the 1980s.)
Publisher: Lawrence Fawcett
Editor: Barry Greenwood
Address: PO Box 218, Coventry Conn. 06238
Subscription: 4 issues - $10 ($15 foreign)

Editorial: Welcome to Just Cause

The editorial welcomes readers to the first issue of 'Just Cause' (New Series), explaining that the authors of 'CLEAR INTENT' have decided to revive this publication due to significant public interest in government UFO involvement. The magazine 'Just Cause' had not been published since January 1902, when it appeared under the title 'UFOrmant'. The editorial highlights the efforts of UFO organizations like MUFON and CUFOS in printing articles about UFO secrecy, but notes that this was insufficient to reach a wide audience.

To address this, the authors began writing 'CLEAR INTENT' in August 1982, aiming to get the facts about UFO secrecy to a broader audience. They sought a major publisher and found one with Prentice-Hall Inc., a development considered encouraging given the difficulty of getting UFO books published. 'CLEAR INTENT' was completed in May 1983 and has been successful, though distribution issues are being corrected. The editorial expresses hope for strong support for 'Just Cause', indicating public interest in the UFO phenomenon.

"Whatzit Dives Into Puget Sound"

This section details an incident reported by the Associated Press on July 28th and 29th, concerning a strange, spark-emitting fireball that splashed into Puget Sound on July 27th, near Lummi Island, Washington, around 3:45 AM. The crew of the fishing vessel 'Steeva 10' reported that the object made two "U" turns before entering the water, suggesting it was under direction. The impact reportedly caused a "tidal wave" 75 to 100 feet high. The Coast Guard facility in Seattle investigated but found nothing.

The article notes that newspaper stories are not always accurate and that the authors pursued the matter through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). An FOIA request filed on August 23, 1984, with the 13th Coast Guard District in Seattle, yielded a 7-page file. The report summarizes the documents, explaining that at 3:45 AM on July 27, 1984, a "large, flaming object" was reported to have fallen into Puget Sound. The 'Steeva 10' reported the object traveled east to west on a horizontal course, then suddenly dove, made a "U" turn upward, and then downward again, creating a significant water impact and leaving air bubbles.

A tugboat, the 'Delores Foss', also reported a flash of light. Weather conditions were clear with scattered low clouds. At 4:47 AM, a Coast Guard vessel rendezvoused with the 'Steeva 10' to pinpoint the object's last known location (48-38.25N, 122-35.54W). Despite a thorough search, nothing was found. However, at 5:05 AM, the Coast Guard vessel reported seeing a large, lighted object moving east, which quickly disappeared.

The article questions the nature of the object, acknowledging that a meteor shower (Perseids) was active, but finding the "U" turns anomalous for a meteor. It leaves open the possibility of a natural phenomenon and invites suggestions.

Goldwater Reinforces Belief in Government UFO Secrecy

This section reports on Senator Barry Goldwater's stance on UFOs. He has previously expressed conviction in their reality. Merlyn Sheehan, a MUFON member from Massachusetts, sent Goldwater a copy of 'CLEAR INTENT'. In a letter dated August 31, 1984, Goldwater stated, "I have been interested in this subject for a long, long time and I do know that whatever the Air Force has on the subject is going to remain highly classified."
The magazine expresses a desire to know more about what Goldwater has heard.

Wild Rumors!

• This section presents unendorsed tidbits:
• The Cash/Landrum UFO of December 24, 1980, may have been seen by the USS Nimitz.
• A huge UFO was seen at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, in March 1967.

Washington Report: C.I.A. Shuts Off Access to Its UFO Files?

By Larry W. Bryant, Director, Washington, D.C. Office, CAUS. This report, dated October 1984, discusses a setback for UFO-oriented citizens' right-to-know. Both houses of Congress have approved legislation allowing the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to shield its "operation files" from routine searches under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). These files, located in the Agency's office of security and directorates of operations and science and technology, are believed to contain significant UFO documentation, including 57 documents the CIA deems too sensitive for public release.

The report suggests that researchers will need to find alternative methods to compel the Agency's release of UFO data, beyond encouraging "leaks" which pose risks. It proposes a strategy of lobbying Congress to amend the FOIA. The proposed amendment would require that in cases of FOIA requests for UFO-related information, no agency should exclude organizational elements that could reasonably house, process, control, or disseminate such information. Furthermore, it suggests that all fees for FOIA records search and reproduction of UFO-related information should be waived, given that the collection and analysis of UFO data pertain to the public interest.

The rationale for this amendment is based on two points:
1. The government's position that reported UFOs pose no threat to U.S. security or technological development.
2. The tendency of agencies like the CIA and the Department of State to levy exorbitant fees for UFO-related FOIA requests and deny fee waivers to UFO-research groups, often citing that the groups do not represent a substantial number of citizens.

The authors intend to publish findings on the success prospects of this strategy.

A Nominal Nomination?

This section reports another development concerning the CIA: the Agency's chief counsel, Stanley Sporkin, has been nominated by President Reagan to be a judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The article questions whether Judge-to-be Sporkin will disqualify himself from hearing any UFO-related FOIA suits in the future, given the court's history of hearing such cases.

A Look Back at a Legal Milestone

This brief note refers to the author's (Larry W. Bryant's) effort in July 1983 to perform a "citizen's dis-arrest" via a "Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus Extraterrestrial." This legal action aimed to free up government information on crash-landed "flying saucers" and their occupants. A "CWR Retrospective Review" of this event is promised for the December 1984 issue of 'Just Cause'.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around government secrecy regarding UFOs, the challenges faced by researchers in obtaining information through official channels like the Freedom of Information Act, and the need for public awareness and pressure on governmental bodies. The editorial stance is clearly in favor of transparency and the public's right to know about UFO phenomena, actively encouraging citizen involvement and lobbying efforts to achieve these goals. The publication positions itself as a platform to disseminate information that the government may be withholding.