SUBJECT: H SUB 1 = PROJECT FIDO FILE: UFO3155 =========================================================================== Date: 09-10-93 From: RICH BOYLAN Subj: H sub 1 = PROJECT FIDO --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The following HYPOTHESIS is offered in the interest of stimulating inquiry into a developing phenomenon on this Echo: the slow, gradual evolution of this Echo from a UFO informational exchange into a debunkers Echo combat zone.What might be a reasonable explasnation for this shift? In search of such an explanation, the following hypothesis is proposed, along with supporting arguments. Hypothesis 1: The change in the overall tone and content of FIDO's UFO Echo towards combative debunking attacks on UFO information sharers is of purposeful design. Historical background of the hypothesis: In earlier days the FIDO UFO Echo was a place for unfettered informational exchange on topics of UFO's and their extraterrestrial personnel by persons interested in sharing and exchanging such information. Gradually, there has developed an increase in the number of persons whose main focus on the Echo is to attack (not rationally, respectfully criticize) others who seek to present UFO-related information. Furthermore, such attacks are not random. They are focussed at the UFO-related information which is most likely to undo the government cover-up. Furthermore, the debunking attackers have steadily escalated their intensity, rudeness, and nastiness of attacks over time. The above hypothesis would suggest that this is not accidental or random. Arguments in support of the above Hypothesis: 1.) Nature of FIDO's UFO Echo. The UFO Echo represents one of the few uncensored links between UFO information enthusiasts on a nationwide, and even international scale. The American press, which has been reported to now be owned by 26 large corporations, treats UFO topics with the humorous disdain which has been the cornerstone of the "official" Government policy of dealing with the UFO subject since the Robertson report. The electronic media (radio, television networks) for the most part follow the same party line of silence or humorous, patronizing "coverage". Thus, a link like FIDO-UFO represents a rare resource for getting information about UFO's (and the Government Cover-Up) shared widely, and networking people who want theis information out in the public domain. Thus, FIDO-UFO represents a clear threat to the Intelligence agenda of perpetuating the Cover-Up and party-line that there is no evidence of UFO's or extraterrestrial visitation. Given that clear and present danger that FIDO-UFO represents to the Intelligence mission of Cover-Up, it would be unthinkable that the Intelligence agencies would idly sit by and do nothing while this uncensored networking goes on. Thus, it seems overwhelmingly likely that a plan to disrupt and reduce the effectiveness of the Echo would have been developed and put into action. For convenience, let's assume a name for the plan, "Project FIDO". What would be some of the elements of Project Fido? 2.) Argument from COINTELPRO. Rather than idly specualate, we have evidence gained via Congressional investigations into the abuses that the FBI committed during the Sixties and Seventies, when FBI conducted undercover snooping, infiltration and disruption of activist organizations, including blatantly illegal acts, under a domestic surveiullance and action program known as COINTELPRO (for Counter-Intelligence Program). The FBI argued they were doing counter-intelligence because the activist groups were doing "intelligence", i.e., unearthing information about secret Government involvement overseas and at home. (Does this start to feel familiar?) COINTELPRO used various techniques to infiltrate and disrupt or eliminate targeted groups. These techniques included sending in "operatives" to groups who acted like part of the group, but whose actual purpose was to gather intelligence, create internal dissension, provoke acts which could then be used as a pretext to shut down the group, create divisions within the group, divert the groups attention away from its original purpose, and create such tensions and a climate of intimidation that many members of the group would leave in disgust, thus causing the group to fall apart. The infiltrators-provocateurs did even more heinous acts. But the point is established as to the general style and agenda of this questionable domestic "counter-intelligence". The Hypothesis support continues on the next message. - Rich Boylan When one examines the shift in tone and focus of the communication content of a substantial portion of FIDO-UFO over the past year, one cannot help but notice an increase in the hostile, combative approach of some of the participants. Futher, these attacks are not random. The professional debunkers have not chosen to go log on to the Skeptics Echo, but have instead intervened in the UFO Echo. Their attacks are seldom, if ever, directed at the occasional hapless soul who logs on here and presents a pedestrian UFO sighting, or even extraterrestrial contact narrative, unless that person brings persuasive evidence along with their story! Persuasive evidence is the key. Persuasive evidence is what Project FIDO and its handlers want to keep off the Echo, and failing that, they would be prepared to take this Echo out, by internal subversion or external means. 3. Argument from PSY-OPS. A number of participants on this Echo have noticed a "chilling" and intimidating climate has settled in, which inhibits them from feeling like sharing their accounts of sightings or contact or sensitive information, because they fear being "jumped" by certain professional debunkers. Is this climate accidental? The Hypothesis would suggest not. That is not to say that every sorehead, excuse me, debunker on this Echo is an operative of a concerted effort to disrupt FIDO-UFO. Nor is it to suggest that the failure of measured, respectful discourse on this Echo by some is anything other than a reflection of personal defects of character which God has not removed. However, there is a pattern to the style with which certain attacks, disguised as "reasonable objections", are conducted which suggests an agenda other than the calm, reasoned search for truth. The attack style achieves several agenda at the same time: it might shut up the person seeking to share UFO information. It certainly will serve to intimidate not only that person, but others who might be considering posting their information on this echo, but now will think twice before doing so. And the attacks are designed to provoke a responsive attack from the information-sharer, thus reducing that person's estimate in the eyes of the other participants on this Echo. Further, the disruptors would tend to form a faction, and characterize others as another "faction", so as to create polarization within the Echo and thus achieve the Project FIDO objective of eliminating the effectiveness of this Echo as a safe place to exchange information. 4.) Argument from band-width: Another PSY-OPS/COINTELPRO technique is to smother the information stream of the targeted group by introducing quantities of irrelevant data, or outright disinformation, so as to fatigue and daze the group by the shear volume of "information" introduced into the group's informational pool. Could this be said to be happening on this Echo? 5.) Argument from multiple operatives. It would be unlikely for the Intelligence group tasked to Project FIDO to have only one "asset" infiltrated into the Echo. The old tag-team wrestling strategy is to send one person out, and when they have become too prominient, or gone too far, or just to vary the source of disruption so it seems to be coming from the membership generally, to have the person pull back for a while and let another "asset" become more active. Reprise: It is acknowledge that the above does not constitute overwhelming concrete evidence that Project FIDO exists and is in action here. However, the points raised above do strongly suggest to this member that we should give more careful consideration to the possibility that the Cover-Up operatives of the shadow government have not been ignoring the rather remarkable exchange of highly sensitive, and generally not available information on this echo. And past history has shown that they do not sit idly by while that happens. they intervene, as sophisticatedly or as strenuously as necessary, to achieve their objective of choking off the flow of "unauthorized" information on UFO's and related topics, "in the interest of National Security", of course). While I encourage the discussion of this hypothesis here, I also encourage members to notice who attacks it and how they attack it. the other side always leaves (unintended) clues. - Rich Boylan ********************************************************************* * -------->>> THE U.F.O. BBS - http://www.ufobbs.com/ufo <<<------- * *********************************************************************