He saw it too

One of the reasons I love UFOs is that there is something going on, but yet there seems to be no way to scientifically determine anything at all. The phenomenon is non-reproducible. This, contrary to what some might say, does not mean the events are not real -- far from it. I think they're very real. And I have no idea what they signify. I do believe that most of the government responses to UFO sightings are so much nonsense. Symington believes that too.

Eventually the Air Force claimed responsibility stating that they dropped flares. This is indicative of the attitude from official channels. We get explanations that fly in the face of the facts. Explanations like weather balloons, swamp gas and military flares.

I was never happy with the Air Force's silly explanation. There might very well have been military flares in the sky that evening but what I and hundreds of others saw had nothing to do with that.

I now know that I am not alone. There are many high ranking military, aviation and government officials who share my concerns. While on active duty they have either witnessed a UFO incident or have conducted an official investigation into UFO cases relevant to aviation safety and national security.

By speaking out with me, these people are putting their reputations on the line. They have fought in wars, guarded top secret weapons arsenals and protected our nation's skies.

We want the government to stop putting out stories that perpetuate the myth that ALL UFOs can be explained away in down-to-earth conventional terms. Investigations need to be re-opened, documents need to be unsealed and the idea of an open dialogue can no longer be shunned.

You can read Symington's essay over on CNN. On November 12th he will be at the National Press Club with 14 high ranking military and government officials from seven countries. Some of the officials were responsible for investigating UFO incidents. It should make for a lively event.

The politics of UFOs -- how we act and react to things that remind us of how little we know -- continues to fascinate me. I'm sure Symington will have his detractors. I'm also sure that there will be people who believe in little green me that will make a mockery of the seriousness of the event. Somewhere in the middle lies a incredible and amazing conversation that our generation is having. I look forward to seeing it play out further and further each year.