MIG - Missouri Investigators Group


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                                                  MUFON's Black Hole


Many people know that MUFON acquired all of Len Stringfileds papers after he died. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonard_H._Stringfield)

2012: Stringfield's papers donated to MUFON

On August 3, 2012, at the Mutual UFO Network's (MUFON) annual symposium, it was announced by Executive Director David MacDonald that sixty volumes of Stringfield's “meticulous UFO research over 30 years” had been donated to MUFON. MUFON Pennsylvania State Director John Ventre told Examiner.com reporter Roger Marsh that MacDonald also claimed that:


“In those 60 volumes we have government interference, the FBI and CIA stopping the ufologists at any cost,” Ventre said. “He names Donald_Rumsfeld and President Ford as being briefed on UFOs by J. Allen Hynek. He talks about UFO investigators being beaten or receiving death threats. He names heads of state that knew. He even has actor Jackie Gleason’s contact information in there. There is a lot of explosive information in there.”

Ventre also said MUFON planned to digitize Stringfield's collection and make it more widely available to researchers in the future. [2][3] Stringfield guarded the identity of most of his sources promising to eventually make them available to other researchers.

Those of us familiar with MUFON just sighed and knew that the Stringfield papers that we all had waited years to read were now falling into MUFON's Black Hole.

The new Director of MUFON, "El Capitan" Dave MacDonald issued the following in his January 2013 Directors message. (Only the paragraphs relevant to the posting are included. Underline mine. BB)

"Another one of the year's highlights was the acquisition of The Leonard Stringfield papers. I am thrilled to announce that the digitization of these files is complete and a protocol has been developed to set the terms and conditions under which these files can be researched.

A copy of this Access Protocol can be requested by serious researchers by contacting MUFON Headquarters. Researchers meeting the criteria may then apply for access to the files.Please note that researchers who are MUFON members in good standing have priority for the first year."


Here is the Protocol:

Leonard Stringfield Files

Access Protocol

APPROVED ACCESS

For the first year after roll out, access will be limited to MUFON members in good standing and holding a position on the CMS. However, non-members or members not on the CMS who are approved by the Board, and can offer “special benefits” to MUFON, may be granted access on a case by case basis. After the first year access may be granted, on a case by case basis, to all serious researchers who apply. (What does "not on the CMS" mean? Does this limit the people who can see it to Section Directors and above, not the regular membership? BB)

ACCESS LOCATION

The files can ONLY be viewed at Headquarters and only with an appointment. Access will be limited to supervised viewing of the digitized files, one volume at a time. Under no circumstances will files in any form be allowed to leave Headquarters. Access to the original source material shall be absolutely restricted pending a separate, case by case approval. A separate, secure computer will be set up having no internet connection and no access to ports to eliminate the use of flash drives or copying devices. (This limits who will be able to see them. And what about taking notes? Is this prohibited also? BB.)

VIEWABLE MATERIAL

It is MUFON’s intention to respect Leonard Stringfield’s wishes to keep confident all names of witnesses who requested anonymity notwithstanding however, persons already in the public eye, public domain, Heads of State, Public/Government Officials and celebrities. MUFON will make no attempt to censor or redact any of the material available and most certainly will not alter, in any way, the source documents. (Investigators always remove or assign a number to witnesses who wish to remain anonymous. So why all secrecy? BB)

FEES AND CHARGES

As to persons working preapproved and for the benefit of MUFON notwithstanding, a onetime charge of $55.00 (membership dues) shall be required of all non-members and shall be good for one year. Membership is included. Since headquarters will be burdened with the supervision of researchers, which will put a financial drain on the organization, an hourly charge of $20.00 needs to be imposed to cover the cost of required personnel. (The required personnel will probably be volunteers. BB)

This protocol basically insures that very few people have access to this information. I guess Ventre mispoke when he said at the Symposium, "MUFON planned to digitize Stringfield's collection and make it more widely available to researchers in the future". Maybe he should have said select researchers or some researchers in the future.

Where has all the money gone? MUFON: A look at the Organization


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