Considering the well documented chain of events that took place between Jacobs and his former research subject Emma Woods, the outrage is quite understandable. For further details about his confirmed abuse and extremely questionable actions that took place, see UFO Magazine, Paratopia and Emma's website, among any number of such places.
A Word About the Mutual UFO Network
We should all take notice of a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation, claiming to be dedicated to the scientific study of UFOs, that repeatedly conducts activities that directly contradict scientific methods and critical thinking. MUFON has a direct responsibility to present the public with scientific and credible information, at least according to its mission statement, yet repeatedly and blatantly shirks such responsibility. The shirking of responsibility is demonstrated in Filer's foolish files, any given symposium speaker line up and, most recently, providing Jacobs a platform to pedal his unsubstantiated and grossly premature conclusions.
Certain MUFON leaders making a laughing stock of the scientific process and contradicting objective investigation is nothing new to the ufology landscape, whatever the reasons may ultimately be for such occurrences. Such occurrences leave each of us within the UFO community a choice, however; a choice that challenges us to inventory our own qualities, and decide our own extents of integrity, objectivity and sincere desire to know the truth.
Dr. Tyler Kokjohn
Dr. Tyler Kokjohn is a professor of microbiology and author of the article, "Tainted, Toxic and Taboo: A Scientist's Assessment of Alien Abduction Research". He is an active participant in Project Core, an initiative designed to produce accurate and objective data about reported paranormal experiences, and he recently created the short film clip, "Alien Abductions in Black and White", which I will provide below.
Dr. Kokjohn is well experienced and professionally qualified to provide relevant questions as contained within the video. He challenges us, the UFO community, to demand accountability of our leaders and speakers.
I agree with his implications that if a self-described researcher desires to present guesses or preferred beliefs, correctly identifying them as such, it is simply up to the audience as to whether or not they might choose to attend and eventually agree. However, if a researcher asserts himself as an authority on a topic such as alleged alien abductions, and attempts to convince an audience that he has conclusive evidence to support his extraordinary claims, the issue arguably becomes if the audience members have the integrity and courage to request professional authentication for the claims.
As Dr. Kokjohn so aptly points out in the video, it is common practice within the professional research community to openly share information such as research methodology and personnel. Disclosing such details as data gathering methods, data analysis and identification of facilities involved are also simply par for the course in professional research protocol. It is entirely reasonable to request such information from those claiming to conduct research, much less claiming to be in a position to provide fantastic conclusions.
Do we have the integrity and courage to hold those accountable for such information that try to sell us their unsupported and premature conclusions? We must each make that choice.
I have no particular desire to suggest people boycott MUFON or the outlandish 'researchers' the corporation so commonly supports. I "do" have a desire, however, to inspire you to make your own choice about what you will do when the time comes to decide if you will ask the right questions. What you choose to do is up to you, and it has a lot to do with whether or not you sincerely want the truth.
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