MUFON Minnesota Journal - No 047

Magazine Overview

This issue of the MINNESOTA MUFON Newsletter, dated May/June 1994, focuses on UFO-related phenomena, with a significant portion dedicated to the controversial claims of Bob Lazar and the ongoing investigation into Area 51. The newsletter also covers UFO sightings in Michigan, the topic of alien abductions, and updates on MUFON meetings and related events.

From the State Director: Bob Lazar and Area 51

The State Director, Richard Moss, summarizes George Knapp's presentation on Bob Lazar. Knapp detailed Lazar's claims: earning degrees from MIT and Cal Tech, working at Los Alamos on secret propulsion systems at Papoose Lake (S-4) from late 1988 to April 1989, and having hands-on experience with alien technology. Lazar allegedly worked on back-engineering alien craft powered by an anti-matter reactor fueled by element 115, and witnessed test flights of discs. He also reported unbearable base security, including hypnosis, intimidation, and drugs. Lazar and friends attempted to videotape a test flight, were caught, and he faced threats from Naval Intelligence, leading him to leave the program.

Knapp criticized Lazar for being lax about documentation and uncooperative with ufologists, noting that while many aspects don't make sense, enough does to warrant dismissal. The key to Lazar's story, for Knapp, rested with Los Alamos. Initially, Los Alamos denied any knowledge of Lazar. After being confronted with a phone book listing and a newspaper reference, they admitted having an ID number for Lazar, stating he worked for Kirk-Mayer, a "scientific headhunter company." Kirk-Mayer was uncooperative, and Los Alamos claimed to only keep records for a few years.

However, Knapp found three physicists at Los Alamos who remembered Lazar working on classified projects. His first wife also worked there. The lack of records at MIT or Cal Tech was noted, with only a junior college in California on record for one electronics course. A significant issue raised is Lazar's inability to remember names of classmates or teachers.

The article also touches upon Lazar's alleged involvement in a prostitution ring, which led to a pandering charge and a potential 60-year prison sentence. The Probation Department recommended he serve time unless he could prove his story was false, which he maintained he could not. Lazar's controversial W-2 form, received from the Department of Naval Intelligence (though the correct entity is the Office of Naval Intelligence), was accepted as legitimate by the court. Attempts to track the employer ID number on the W-2 were unsuccessful, with the Treasury Department stating it was not in current use.

The article concludes that discrediting Lazar would cast doubt on other UFO-related ideas like crashed discs and MJ-12, and could deter others from speaking about secret programs. Knapp called for a concerted effort to bring out information on Area 51, similar to the Roswell crash, believing that serious people in powerful positions are interested and willing to protect those with legitimate information.

MINNESOTA MUFON Meetings

Announcements for upcoming meetings on Saturday, May 14, and Saturday, June 11, at The Irish Well in St. Paul, with social time at 1:00 p.m. and meetings at 1:30 p.m. Tom Tulien was noted as a potential speaker.

UFOs over Michigan skies

This section reports on UFO sightings in Michigan, with sources Chuck Miller and Jeannette Silverman providing copies of reports from Detroit newspapers. The National Weather Service's Muskegon radar reportedly picked up evidence of UFOs in the Muskegon-Grand Rapids area. Residents reported large, dark shapes hovering at low altitudes with whirring sounds and multi-colored lights. A weather service tracker observed objects moving rapidly, with one witness describing a "big blob" on radar that looked like a "triangle on my scope."

Dean Gulezian, the weather service's area manager, noted that while radar showed echoes, eyewitnesses described objects at tree-top level, whereas radar echoes were from 10,000 feet or higher. The objects were also located over South Haven, more than 25 miles away. Gulezian suggested possible explanations like chaff or an airplane. William Scott of Aviation Week and Space Magazine suggested the possibility of top-secret military aircraft, such as the "concept" aircraft family. Steve Douglass, a hobbyist who monitors radio transmissions, also believes in the possibility of "black budget" aircraft like Aurora, TR3A, or Honey Dripper.

Bill Sweetman, a journalist specializing in aviation, suggested the descriptions might fit blimps due to large, slow-moving objects. A legal assistant and her husband reported seeing a huge shape flying slowly about 100 feet over woods, emitting a soft, whirring noise. A police officer from Holland investigated reports of lights in the sky, noting their color and movement.

Abductions in Michigan

This section features an in-depth report from The Detroit Free Press Magazine of April 17, 1994, focusing on abductees in Michigan. Editor Brian Dickerson's "Upfront" column poses the question: "I hope they're out there, really I do." He questions what leads people to believe they have been abducted by aliens, suggesting that anxieties dating back to infancy might be a factor.

Staff writer Sheryl James spent time with Michiganders who believe they and their families have been abducted. She points out that new phenomena are often ridiculed, comparing it to Copernicus. James describes an abductee, Janice, who is convinced she and her children have been abducted and experimented upon. Janice insists she had no prior interest in UFOs and had never heard of the phenomenon before her experiences.

Janice recounted seeing a luminous craft and experiencing flash backs of lying on a table with beings and seeing a child, half-human, for whom she feels a maternal connection. Another case involves Steve and Sharon, who saw a huge, saucer-shaped UFO hovering over woods in the mid-'60s. The craft emitted a humming sound, and their car's radio shorted when Steve drove in a circle around it. The sighting ended with two jets appearing and the UFO ascending rapidly.

James attended a conference in Ann Arbor for mental health professionals, where she met Budd Hopkins, David Jacobs, and Michael Swords. Swords, a professor and editor of the Journal for UFO Studies, explained that while most experts doubt the reality of alien abductions, the sincerity and terror of those who report them are established. Philip Klass, a UFO debunker, refers to such people as part of a "dangerous cult" and calls the phenomenon "New Age witchcraft."

Holly Cogan, a reporter in Irish Hills, has spoken with people who discuss their UFO experiences. She notes that these are regular, Midwestern residents. Cogan has also observed numerous helicopters, more than usual, around the times of reported extraterrestrial encounters, but was told by the Michigan National Guard that training is done in smaller groups and not late at night.

Shirley Coyne, director of Michigan MUFON and a certified hypnotherapist, has worked with 300 abductees from various professions. She shared her own experiences, including an abduction at a young age and a more recent one involving an alien and a military person. Coyne also reported seeing black helicopters near her house with no identifying numbers.

James states she does not laugh at abduction stories and is intrigued by reports of UFO sightings, scars, and gynecological procedures. She mentioned to some abductees, "Tell the aliens I'm ready," though she admits this makes her nervous.

The Solution...

Psychologist Gary Stollak from Michigan State University suggests that UFO sightings are products of "overripe imaginations," where individuals interpret things based on their needs. He describes a "contagion" effect, where people become excited in crowds, similar to a mob perception, and may "rush out to the water tower."

On the other hand...

In Holland, Michigan, UFO sightings have led some to speculate about the end of the world or angelic warfare. A Christian rock station program manager stated that these sightings make people aware of inexplicable phenomena. Rev. Esler Shuart believes there is nothing in the Bible to cause worry about UFOs. Some ministers cautioned against applying supernatural interpretations. Residents of Holland do not dismiss witnesses as wacky, believing they have seen something.

John E. Mack Meets Minnesota

Pulitzer Prize-winning psychiatrist and Harvard professor John E. Mack appeared at Barnes & Noble for a book signing. Mack gave a brief summary of how he became interested in the abduction phenomenon, stating it forces a reexamination of human identity from a cosmic perspective. "Julia," an abduction experiencer traveling with him, shared her experiences and those of her children. Mack autographed copies of his book "Abduction," and attendees shared varied reactions, from belief to uncertainty.

A TIME article by freelance reporter Donna Bassett is discussed, detailing her "boaxed hypnosis" sessions with Mack. Bassett accused Mack of "strip-mining" them and not offering follow-up support. She recounted fabricated stories of meeting John F. Kennedy and Nikita Krushchev on a spaceship. Mack became excited by these stories, causing the bed to collapse. Bassett claims Mack asked leading questions and was against anyone who spoke negatively about aliens.

When confronted by TIME about Bassett's faked experience, Mack declined to discuss the case but hinted at doubts about her reliability. However, TIME reported that the tapes of her sessions suggested Mack took her seriously. Mack defended hypnosis, stating that attacks on it began when it revealed information the culture didn't want to hear. He expressed a belief that people have lost the ability to know other realities and that he acts as a bridge between worlds.

High livin' on the sly

This section describes the lifestyle of civilian and military personnel at Groom Lake, referred to as "Sam's Place." The club had amenities like pool tables, a big screen TV, an 8-lane bowling alley, a heated indoor pool, racquetball courts, saunas, a golf course, and a softball field. Extravagant tastes were noted, such as grapefruits flown in from Israel and prime rib and New York steaks served for lunch. The source compared the lifestyle to high rollers in Las Vegas, at the government's expense.

Meetings! Meetings! Meetings!

Updates on various groups: The Paranormal Study Group has no meetings until September. The Theosophical Society has no meetings until further notice, but study classes are continuing. The International Tesla Society has meetings on May 21 and June 18 at the Pavek Wireless Museum. An Electronics Fair is scheduled for July 15-16 at Aldrich Arena in St. Paul.

Books, Books, Books

Recommendations include "Visitors From Within" by Priest & Royal and "From out of the Blue" by Jennie Rendel. Information is provided for ARCTURUS BOOKS INC., a source for UFO catalogs.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the investigation into alleged government cover-ups and secret programs (Area 51, Bob Lazar), the exploration of UFO sightings and potential extraterrestrial encounters, and the psychological and sociological aspects of belief in phenomena like alien abductions. The newsletter appears to present a range of perspectives, from those who actively investigate and believe in these phenomena (MUFON, Knapp, Mack) to those who offer skeptical or psychological explanations (Stollak, some ministers). The editorial stance seems to be one of open inquiry, presenting information and allowing readers to draw their own conclusions, while also acknowledging the controversial nature of the topics discussed. There is a clear interest in documenting eyewitness accounts and exploring the implications of these experiences on our understanding of reality and human identity.