So, six months after the fact, we get an hate email from someone about debunking the Aliens Over Denver broadcast on Fox 31 News. Here is the email and my response to it:
Hi,
I'm amused by your "debunking" of the FOX News UFO sighting. Usually, paranormal research and UFO research are pretty related fields. If you want to be respected for having an opinion in a field of research, I suggest not having an obvious personal bias. Clearly you are against the entire UFO research field entirely, being that all you have done is "debunk" which any skeptic knows is an obvious nod to an apposing fixed belief. (The "crossed out alien" logo isn't helping!) It's truly laughable, being that the Paranormal research field yields a fraction of the evidence that the UFO field does and yet you spend countless money, effort and belief investigating that. Perhaps if you put your belief aside and spent the same energy and open mind on investigating the UFO phenomenon, then you would understand how silly it is to conduct attacks on the field in general. Finally, your attempts to disprove the video in question were futile. They did nothing to disprove the initial footage. Just because it 'could be a bug', does not mean that it for sure is, just as it is unknown from any other angle.
lol
Hi back,
Thank you so much for your input about our methods. You have shown us a great deal of insight about how people view us and that is very important to us. You have opened our eyes to where we have failed on several points but I will only address a few of them here.
First off, you have shown us that we did not take the time to define "debunk" with you. To debunk something is only to illustrate where it fails to show iron-clad evidence of whatever it is claiming to be. It is not an end-all-be-all defining statement. We were only showing that bugs are more likely a solution and would need to be definitively ruled out before jumping to other more unlikely conclusions.
Second, we failed to personally inform you that we are not "believers" of ghosts and "haters" of the UFO research field. We research claims of paranormal (outside normal) activity. This area includes ghosts, demons, cryptozoology, UFOs, aliens, alternative medicine, psychics, and other supernatural subjects.
Third, we oppose all fixed beliefs to some extent because that precludes an open mind. We actually approach our investigations with an open mind.
Forth, understand that we have no interest in convincing those that make the claims and the people with their own fixed beliefs about the claims. All we try to do is give a wider perspective to those on the sideline. It is not fair when people come forth with less than convincing evidence and proclaim it to be the smoking gun. We all need a bit more critical thought. Many people in the UFO field only reserve skepticism for our government, which quickly turns into fixed beliefs as well.
Understand also that we take all claims on their own merits. The crossed out alien logo was designed for a specific case that we worked on and does not apply to all aliens. I, myself, am married to an alien and would never want her crossed out.
Again, thank you. Your email demonstrated that the typical person that takes the time to write a hate email over six months after the subject was even news, shows that we need to be more aware and charitable to those with no ability to discern between magic land and reality.
