| When Jimmy Carter was elected in 1976, he | | | | secrecy in this city," said Obama. "The old rules |
| promised that he would see the public learned the | | | | said that if there was a defensible argument for |
| truth about UFOs. He was convinced he had seen | | | | not disclosing something to the American people, |
| an unidentified flying object, but never confirmed | | | | then it should not be disclosed. That era is now |
| whether he thought it was an alien spacecraft. | | | | over. Starting today, every agency and |
| UFOlogists call the particular sighting "The Jimmy | | | | department should know that this administration |
| Carter UFO incident." It happened one evening in | | | | stands on the side not of those who seek to |
| 1969, two years before he became the governor | | | | withhold information, but those who seek to |
| of Georgia. He was giving a speech at the Lion's | | | | make it known." |
| club when a guest called his attention to an object | | | | Obama's memorandum directs US government |
| in the sky. The object was reported to be 30 | | | | agencies to respond favorably to Freedom of |
| degrees above the horizon and Carter described it | | | | Information Act requests unless there are |
| as being "bright white" and being as bright as the | | | | compelling reasons not to. This could be of great |
| moon. It was said to have appeared to have | | | | assistance to journalists and citizen researchers, |
| closed in on where he was standing but to have | | | | including those investigating the government's |
| stopped beyond a stand of pine trees some | | | | involvement in the UFO phenomenon. |
| distance from him. The object is then said to | | | | Whether Obama plans a proactive release of UFO |
| have changed color, first to blue, then to red, | | | | secrets is unknown, but there is citizen pressure |
| then back to white, before appearing to recede | | | | on him to do so, as reflected in comments made |
| into the distance. | | | | to his transition team's website. Comments |
| One of the things President Obama did on Day | | | | promoting UFO disclosure finished among the top |
| One is open up the Freedom of Information Act. | | | | 100 submissions posted to the Citizen's Briefing |
| He reversed Ashcroft's restrictions on Freedom | | | | Book at Change.gov, which no longer exists it is |
| of Information Act requests as well as changes | | | | now the WhiteHouse.gov |
| to the Presidential Records Act, and adopted | | | | In an "unofficial poll" conducted by Billy Booth's |
| general principles on transparency and open | | | | "Guide to UFOs" he says that In an interview with |
| government. According to Obama's memo, | | | | the late Tim Russert, Obama once remarked that |
| presented by the Electronic Frontier Foundation: | | | | he was more interested in the plight of everyday |
| "All agencies should adopt a presumption in favor | | | | Americans than aliens. That is understandable, |
| of disclosure, in order to renew their commitment | | | | considering the economic and social problems we |
| to the principles embodied in FOIA, and to usher in | | | | are experiencing at this time. However, that does |
| a new era of open Government. The presumption | | | | not necessarily mean he won't try to release |
| of disclosure should be applied to all decisions | | | | information on UFOs, as long as there is a |
| involving FOIA." | | | | concerted effort among Americans to make their |
| This week Fate Magazine, a magazine that has | | | | desires known. |
| been around since the 1940s and reports on true | | | | Ufologist are hopeful mainly because with the |
| incidents of UFO events and other areas of the | | | | Freedom of Information Act being more open to |
| paranormal, released the following press release. | | | | the public than in the past 8 years and because |
| In one of his first official acts as president, Barack | | | | of the President's insistence to have government |
| Obama issued a memorandum that could lead to | | | | transparency, then this could be the time when |
| the disclosure of previously unknown UFO secrets. | | | | everyone finally learns the TRUTH about UFOs. |
| "For a long time now there's been too much | | | | The truth is out there. |