The death of Dr James Mcdonald.

[karl 12]

Dr James McDonald was the Senior physicist at the Institute for Atmospheric Physics and professor in the Department of Meteorology at the University of Arizona -he made some very interesting comments about the UFO/OVNI subject and actively petitioned the U.S. Congress to hold serious investigations into the subject.
He died in mysterious circumstances leading some people to beleive he was murdered -here are some of more intriguing quotes:

"My own present opinion, based on two years of careful study, is that UFOs are probably extraterrestrial devices engaged in something that might very tentatively be termed 'surveillance'".
Before the U.S. Congress in 1968

"UFOs are entirely real and we do not know what they are, because we have laughed them out of court. The possibility that these are extraterrestrial devices, that we are dealing with surveillance from some advanced technology, is a possibility I take very seriously".

"The scope of the present statement precludes anything approaching an exhaustive listing of categories of UFO phenomena: much of what might be made clear at great length will have to be compressed into my remark that the scientific world at large is in for a shock when it becomes aware of the astonishing nature of the UFO phenomenon and its bewildering complextiy. I make that terse comment well aware that it invites easy ridicule; but intellectual honesty demands that I make clear that my two years' study convinces me that in the UFO problem lie scientific and technological questions that will challenge the ability of the world's outstanding scientists to explain - as soon as they start examining the facts".

"I have become convinced that the scientific community has been casually ignoring as nonsense a matter of extraordinary scientific importance".

"My study of past official Air Force investigations (Project Blue Book) leads me to describe them as completely superficial. Officially released 'explanations' of important UFO sightings have been almost absurdly erroneous."
James McDonald, speech to American Meteorological Society 1966[/

http://forum.theparacast.com/the-ufo-forum-f8/credible-ufo-quotes-by-prominent-individuals-t4386/

Firestorm Biography:

James McDonald did not accept the conclusions of the Condon Report because 30% of the cases studied in the report remained unexplained, which is staggering. The evidence provided in the final report could have substantiated the opposite conclusion (that UFOs warranted much more scientific study) rather than the official conclusion, which was to recommend no further study. Firestorm, a biography of McDonald by UFO researcher Ann Druffel, gives a detailed account of McDonald's tireless efforts promoting scientific UFO research.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_E._McDonald[/url]

Death:

Dr. James McDonald tried to convince Congress to look into the UFO situation. He died after shooting himself a short while later

Dr. James McDonald, senior physicast, Institute of Atmospheric Physics and also professor in the Department of Meteorology at the University of Arizona, died in 1971 purportedly of a gunshot wound to the head. There is no one who had worked harder in the 60s than McDonald to convince Congress to hold serious, substantial subcommittee meetings to explore the UFO reality of which he was thoroughly convinced. He was definitely a thorn in the side of those who maintained the official coverup and, needless to say, his passing to them would be a blessing.
McDonald, allegedly depressed, shot himself in the head. But, alas, he didn't die. He was wheelchair-ridden but somehow, several months after his first attempt, he allegedly got in an automobile, drove to a pawnshop, purchased another pistol from his wheelchair, drove to the desert and did himself in. How convenient, one might say, for his adversaries. And McDonald, there can be no doubt, had made enemies. The question is: How much did these enemies aid and abet the demise of this most worthy and influential campaigner?

http://www.metatech.org/ufo_research_magazine_evidence.html[/url]

Tribute:

Four of McDonald's peers from the University of Arizona wrote a reminiscence of their colleague, calling him "A man of great integrity and great courage. He was loved and admired by a great many people ... he made a lasting impact on many facets of atmospheric sciences ... and he will be missed much more than we now realize".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_E._McDonald[/url]

 

[Gareth]

Thanks for that. I think most of us are pretty familiar with McDonald from reading Dolans book.

I do want to read Ann Drufels book. I heard her on BOA a couple months ago and she sounds like a pretty credible researcher. I really like her POV on the abduction phenomenon.

Hopefully she gets a slot on the Paracast some day.

 

[Paul Kimball]

Nobody with any credibility who knows anything about McDonald or his death thinks he died in "mysterious circumstances". Richard Dolan's "thoughts" on this point in his first book is one of its most egregious flaws, as I pointed out at: http://redstarfilms.blogspot.com/2005/05/richard-dolan-ufologys-alan-bullock-or.html

McDonald had already attempted suicide once, his marriage had fallen apart, and his career had been irrevocably damaged due in no small part to his involvement in UFO research. He killed himself, pure and simple.

Of course, this doesn't stop people with fertile imaginations from making stuff up (it doesn't even qualify as speculating) to suit their own agendas, or whatever, but it does a disservice to the truth of the matter, and to McDonald's memory, which should be taken for what it was, warts and all.

 

[Gareth]

Nobody with any credibility who knows anything about McDonald or his death thinks he died in "mysterious circumstances". Richard Dolan's "thoughts" on this point in his first book is one of its most egregious flaws, as I pointed out at: http://redstarfilms.blogspot.com/2005/05/richard-dolan-ufologys-alan-bullock-or.html

McDonald had already attempted suicide once, his marriage had fallen apart, and his career had been irrevocably damaged due in no small part to his involvement in UFO research. He killed himself, pure and simple.

Of course, this doesn't stop people with fertile imaginations from making stuff up (it doesn't even qualify as speculating) to suit their own agendas, or whatever, but it does a disservice to the truth of the matter, and to McDonald's memory, which should be taken for what it was, warts and all.

yes I remember reading that in your response to Dolans book. Was one of the things that impressed me about your article and sowed the first seeds of doubt in my mind.

 

[Paul Kimball]

yes I remember reading that in your response to Dolans book. Was one of the things that impressed me about your article and sowed the first seeds of doubt in my mind.

What annoys me the most about stuff like this is that it pushes McDonald into the fringes of the UFO subculture, where he becomes just another prop in their conspiracy mongering, and thus easier to dismiss by everyone else. What people should be focused on is not his death, but the good and important work that he did in his life.

 

[Gareth]

What annoys me the most about stuff like this is that it pushes McDonald into the fringes of the UFO subculture, where he becomes just another prop in their conspiracy mongering, and thus easier to dismiss by everyone else. What people should be focused on is not his death, but the good and important work that he did in his life.

And to be fair Dolan does include a fair amount of that in his book too. (If I remember correctly).