| Have extraterrestrials contacted us yet? Have | | | | of self- annihilation, whether it be through |
| only certain people been contacted, and are these | | | | thermonuclear warfare, poisoning our atmosphere |
| secret contacts? | | | | and oceans with countless toxins, biochemical |
| Obviously they have not contacted the general | | | | methods, the creation and spread of new viruses, |
| public yet, or else we'd be hearing all about it on | | | | and so forth. I doubt these intelligent aliens really |
| TV and radio, or seeing huge saucers hovering all | | | | want to greet us with open arms. I doubt if they |
| over our skies. | | | | feel we're anywhere close to being ready to join |
| Is it possible they have contacted certain | | | | the Galactic Community of Extraterrestrial Worlds |
| governments in various nations across the world, | | | | (if it exists). I'm sure they're just watching us |
| that is, a secret contact? Or are these just crazy | | | | from afar, because if they get too close, we |
| rumors that we read about in the tabloids, or | | | | could infect them with some horrible virus, or we |
| hear from conspiracy theorists with over-active | | | | might capture one of them, or start a war with |
| imaginations? We have heard and read that there | | | | them. |
| have been numerous alien abductions, countless | | | | They may even abandon their Galactic Watch |
| UFO sightings, even extraterrestrial telepathic | | | | program with Earth soon, and perhaps return in |
| communications with individuals, or even aliens | | | | several centuries, to see if we've grown up yet. |
| visiting certain individuals physically, and other such | | | | Or are the ETs here to help us? Can they save |
| rumors. But these are separate contacts that | | | | us form ourselves? But if they have a Prime |
| cannot be proven as to their authenticity. | | | | Directive (as suggested in the Star Trek TV |
| What has been deemed as "First Contact," as | | | | shows) then they can't tamper with our |
| suggested in science-fiction novels, movies, and | | | | backwards culture; they can only observe us, |
| TV shows, is indeed a glorious and grand idea. But | | | | whether we advance further and develop global |
| will it ever take place upon our world the way we | | | | unity and peace, or completely destroy ourselves |
| may imagine it? Or instead, will the tragedy of | | | | first. |
| alien invasion actually take place? Ever since H. G. | | | | On the other hand, perhaps they have orders |
| Wells' devastating science-fiction novel, The War | | | | from the Mother ship to blow this hopeless planet |
| of the Worlds, our world-view has changed in | | | | to smithereens before we stumble upon |
| regards to alien life, because we must ask | | | | warp-drive capability so we can spread our |
| whether or not it may be benign or malignant. In | | | | insanity to other worlds. |
| 1938, Orson Welles reproduced this devastating | | | | But give us a few centuries, see if we can get |
| story in a horrifying radio broadcast that wreaked | | | | our collective act together first. |
| havoc to millions of listeners. For a short while | | | | Now, if we applied our imagination, what would |
| radio listeners actually believed the Earth was | | | | actual first contact be like? Will they land on the |
| being invaded by aliens from Mars. It | | | | White House lawn, ask some random passerby to |
| demonstrates just how gullible people can be. This | | | | "Take us to your leader," and then shake hands |
| is one of the reasons our government is trying to | | | | with the President? Perhaps they'll ignore the |
| keep the lid on the UFO phenomenon; they think | | | | arrogant, greedy politicians and meet the |
| we're not ready, that we'll go nuts if aliens | | | | scientists first, the astrophysicists, the |
| revealed themselves. But after several decades | | | | astronomers, the biologists, some metaphysicians, |
| of exposure via various and sundry ways, I think | | | | etc. Or they might feel drawn to botanists, |
| we've become desensitized and prepared enough. | | | | gardeners, environmentalists, zoologists, |
| After many years of the public hearing about | | | | oceanographers, or people who are in touch with |
| sightings and abductions, including all the books and | | | | the Earth. Perhaps they will offer to cure all |
| magazines and movies and talk shows and so | | | | diseases, create peace between all humans, and |
| forth regarding ETs, it has become a normal topic | | | | deliver us out of a Dark Age we didn't realize we |
| in today's society. | | | | were in. Or, they may perceive dolphins as the |
| Perhaps the notion of alien invasion is more | | | | superior intelligent life on Earth and contact them |
| fascinating and captivating in science fiction than a | | | | instead of us! Who knows! |
| peaceful, benevolent manner of first contact. But | | | | We don't really know, but we can dream, or write |
| in the real world, I know we would prefer the | | | | silly science fiction stories about it. But if they |
| latter. I wonder if the first movie version of The | | | | open their arms to the welcoming public in |
| War of the Worlds in 1953 continued our | | | | friendship, will we return the favor, or will paranoid |
| extraterrestrial paranoia, and any other alien | | | | war-mongers spoil it and attack them for intruding |
| invasion movies, especially the two remakes that | | | | our airspace? Will the paranoid savage humans |
| came out just a few short years ago, and let's | | | | cause a war with our could-have-been new |
| not forget Independence Day. That's all we need | | | | friends? |
| -- more fear and paranoia. Perhaps the real ETs | | | | For this reason, which they can easily foresee, |
| are simply observing us, yes, we the insane | | | | they may remain hidden. |
| savage humans that live here, too dangerous to | | | | No, I don't think we're ready yet. I think we have |
| confront, who seem to be on an inevitable path | | | | some serious growing up to do. |