Heiser-The-Facade - Sparkling Eyes

"Still doesn't prove they're extraterrestrial," Brian noted."And again, Doctor, you miss the point," Major Lindsay retorted."So what is the point then?""That the public never saw the Twining letter or the Hoover memo. What I'mtrying to establish—and will, barring lengthy interruptionis that within the governmentflying saucers were a serious matter.""What about more public inquiries?" asked Father Benedict. "You alluded amoment ago that they weren't serious—isn't that an overstatement?""In terms of spending tax dollars and creating a diversion, yes. In terms ofadmitting any concern over the phenomenon or objectively studying it, no. Every publicinquiry—and I mean every—was an orchestrated, deliberate debunking campaign, andreached conclusions that were totally at odds with internal concerns and opinions. Wepracticed absolute, premeditated duplicity. Flip to the next page and you'll see a memo tothen CIA Director, Walter Bedell, from his Deputy Director, H. Marshal Chadwell—which plainly says at point 3 that `flying saucers pose two elements of danger which havenational security implications. The first involves mass psychological considerations andthe second concerns the vulnerability of the United States by air attack.' You see,contrary to public statements, the U.S. government has always been concerned withUFOs, and has always known they are a potential threat to national security. Publicly, thegovernment carried out a premeditated cover-up of the whole subject. We fed only themost obvious cases of fakery to our public studies for easy debunking; we intimidatedwitnesses; and we ridiculed the phenomenon in the major media. Projects SAUCER andSIGN were part of this effort.""But I still don't understand the goal—why?" Melissa demanded."Fear . . . the overturning of social and religious order .. . People just couldn'thandle it, especially during the Cold War era. You're too young to remember the Sixtiesand how that era rocked the country, with its overturning of traditional morals and values.Just imagine what the reaction would have been if we'd told people that man isn't thehighest being in the universein fact, we're virtual technological morons; and we're beingvisited at will by superior beings who can dispense with us if they choose. Peoplecomplain now about the loss of religion and spiritual direction in the country! What wesee now would have been welcomed compared to the chaos such revelations would haveengendered.""I have to agree with you," said Brian. "And what you're saying is consistent withthe Brookings Report—the government study of all this, which Neil mentioned earlier.""I for one am intrigued as to what you'll say about Brookings when you presentyour research, Dr. Scott," the Colonel responded. "Its conclusions have been the guidingrationale for most of the cover-up activity in which we've engaged. When the Cold War`ended' in 1989, those who had been advocating greater disclosure began arguing foreven bolder efforts . . . but most of us, including myself and Major Lindsay, thought thatwould be a mistake.""Why have you changed your mind?" asked Melissa."The present threat easily outweighs the fears of Brookings," the major explained,"as well as the need for secrecy. We're going through all this to convince you of that, andhave Dr. Scott and Father Benedict specifically in mind. Your belief that the crisis meritsdisclosure is essential to the project's success."143