Rebuttal to "I just got back from a FEMA Detainment Camp, page 8

Very true! We must. Something I often say to people I know off the internet but I rarely say online is - that if we don't keep people in power 'on their toes' then it will allow corruption to blossum.
A balance has to be made though between keeping people 'on their toes' and just trying so damn hard to always find something corrupt that you will go to extraordinary lengths to try and prove something that is highly unlikely.

This not only damages the reputation of alternative thinkers, but it also clouds any ideas which hold firmer ground.

This particular case is unfortunate though as we had this unique oppurtunity that has never happened before either on this board or in fact on any alternative subject board on the Internet (to my knowledge).

It was an ideal stepping stone in creating a good, interactive relationship between official figures and our community and sadly a few people appear to have blown it for everyone. Not by asking questions but simply in their attitude.
It was a shame that people not only lacked the foresight to look at the present oppurtunity in relation to this specific event, but also the foresight to see how it may influence the future of the board and perhaps encourage more interaction with official figures in the future.
When Ed appeared it excited me that we had this never seen before opportunity to actually interact with the 'other side of the coin' so to speak.
The ability to actually interact with a human being rather than read biased interpretations through various media sources was a first.
It brings back memories of my news story last year on the meteor sightings :

www.abovetopsecret.com...

The article that sparked it off was this:

Thousands of reports tonight across Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Missouri of a big ball of fire with a tail, flying across the northeast sky. Calls began coming into our newsroom a little after 9:30, all with the same story. Witnesses describe something that looked like a meteor or a comet. Authorities across East Texas are looking for answers tonight.

A spokesman for the National Weather Service in Fort Worth said the sightings were not tied to a weather event and were likely a meteor shower.

NORAD has told FEMA today was the first day of heightened meteor showers that could last the rest of the month.

Me and several other members including Valhall contacted various people. The story being propogated on the wire was that NORAD had warned FEMA about the meteors. Anyway I did some emailing and I got thisreply if you recall:

Thanks for your e-mail inquiry about the meteor everyone saw last week. In talking with my staff Meteorologists who were on duty that evening, it is my understanding that they heard from some source (I'm not sure who) that FEMA had talked with NORAD about what everyone saw that night. My Meteorologists passed this along in conversations with the TV weather folks which then reported it on their website. So it sounds like a case of second, third, or fourth hand information.
I later talked with an Officer at NORAD and she informed me that they do not track or report on non-man made objects in the sky. So to answer your question, it is my understanding that NORAD does not issue warnings for meteors.

I hope this helps clear up any confusion or misunderstanding on the subject.

Thanks
Lee Harrison
Meteorologist-in-Charge
NWS Shreveport

The point is, by talking with officials we can get to the heart of the matter, it enables us to quash rumours and to get to the facts. Things a open to mis-interpretation. This was an ideal example in that something that was misunderstood or rumoured after a chinese whisper routine quickly became 'fact'.

This is a responsibility that we have to seriously consider in this case especially. Val's article now carries a huge amount of weight behind it, it has the potential to make headline news and that may not even be necessary.
The accusations being made or implied are not to be taken lightly, this isn't just about impressing or swinging the views of a few peers, as this site grows we have the potential to influence significantly many people's ideas and views on a number of subjects.

Sadly though, it strikes me that some people are more eager to try and prove their point, whatever the means and wherever right or wrong, rather than actually attempt to find the truth.
Which is what I thought the whole community was about.
The thing is though, that what we say is starting to carry more and more weight, and a brash statement or comment may cause incredible damage.
It may also cause good, however, but we must be cautious.

To coin a phrase from a movie..

"With Great Power comes Great Responsibility.."

Think about it.

[edit on 12-9-2005 by AgentSmith]