The UFO Club

I'm coming to realize that there is a sort of Old Boys' Club in the world of UFO journalism. Apparently one must earn the right to be granted permission to live among these jerks, and I just don't care.

There are two things going on right now that are just annoying and ridiculous.

First there's the lying liar who has most likely lied to me and has absolutely, positively lied about me, and cost me a key interview for my J. Allen Hynek book as a result; this person now wants to make it up to me and grant me an interview, but why would I want to quote this person in my book?

Then there's the person who is hosting a weekend retreat for a council of UFO elders this fall (and, yes, the lying liar is one of them) who is kinda sorta willing to let me attend while making it clear that I'm not exactly welcome... If I go, I have to honor this person's boundaries and pretty much remain mute all weekend, so what's the point?

It's like they're the Mean Girls, and I'm Lindsey Lohan. Except we're all old guys.

The question is, do I really need to deal with these people to write my book? The answer is no, I do not. I already have mountains of material to use, and there are plenty of people who do want to talk with me... So if these members of the UFO Club don't want me entering their world, why would I want them entering mine? The absence of quotes from these jokers will not hurt my book in the least.

On the other hand, part of me is really fascinated by the fact that I'm encountering this weirdness, and wants to know why these people are so hostile. Do I threaten them? Are they pissed that I'm the one writing the book about Dr. Hynek and they're not? I think that's possible, but if it's true it's kind of pathetic. Any one of these people could have stepped up and written this book any time they wanted to over the past several decades, and they didn't.

I swear, it's like UFO high school.