AN OPEN LETTER FROM WILLIAM L. MOORE

                     WILLIAM L. MOORE PUBLICATIONS & RESEARCH

            ANTARES PUBLICATIONS; THE FAIR WITNESS PROJECT, INC.; "FOCUS"

           SPECIALIZING IN UFOS, NEW AGE, METAPHYSICAL AND OCCULT RESEARCH

              4219 WEST OLIVE AVE., SUITE #247, BURBANK, CA  91505

    

                      PHONE (213) 463-0542   (10 AM - 6 PM)

    

                                                            10 December 1988

    

    

    

    I had hoped that it would never be necessary for me to write a

    letter like this; however, in light of numerous allegations, rumors

    and accusations presently being circulated about me and my work, and

    in direct response to a vicious guilt-by-innuendo article on the

    MJ-12 matter which I am reliably informed is currently being

    prepared by CSICOP spokesman Kendrick Fr[a]zier in close concert

    with Phil Klass, it seems appropriate to make some sort of statement

    which will clear the air.

    

    First of all, let me begin by stating for the record that I am not a

    "forger", a "hoaxer", a "fabricator" or a "counterfeiter"; nor, to

    the best of my knowledge, have I ever participated in any illegal or

    un-American activity in connection with my more than eight-year

    involvement with the MJ-12 controversy. Furthermore, to the best of

    my knowledge and belief, none of my colleagues and associates has

    participated in any such activities either.

    

    Rumors circulating to the effect that I am some sort of government

    agent or "disinformation" expert are totally false. In spite of

    pronouncements made principally by John Lear and others associated

    with him, I am not on the US Government's (or any other

    government's) payroll. Nor did I enjoy any sort of "control

    position" with respect to the recent "UFO Cover-up?...Live!"

    television documentary.

    

    Whether the MJ-12 and associated documents are authentic, and

    indeed, whether the entire MJ-12 story has any truth to it at all

    remains an entirely open question. I and my colleagues have

    conducted our investigation into this matter in our own way and

    essentially outside of the UFO-community at large. The information

    which we have made available concerning this process has been

    entirely in keeping with our own methods and objectives. What has

    been withheld has been withheld for good reason. It is no secret

    that many of you who read this letter have voiced strong objections

    to the way things have been done. Some, having raised valid

    questions which remain unanswered, have wrongly assumed that there

    are no answers and have seen fit to vent their frustrations by

    pointing an accusing finger. Others, perhaps seeing the controversy

    surrounding MJ-12 as some sort of threat to their own stature as

    self-styled "UFO experts", or "skeptics", have chosen the

    convenience of dismissing the entire matter out-of-hand rather than

    the prudence of withholding judgement until all of the facts are in.

    To individuals in both of these rush-to-judgement groups, my advice

    is simply be calm and be patient. We have every intention of getting

    to the bottom of this matter, and we have every intention of making

    a full and complete disclosure once this process is complete. Until

    that time, I and my colleagues are going to continue to follow our

    own counsel and to do things in our own way -- preferably with the

    support of the UFO community, but if necessary without it. Once the

    entire story comes out, it is our firm conviction that all of the

    dark spots in this very strange picture puzzle will become clear and

    we will all have answers to many of the questions which now exist

    about the true nature of our government's involvement with the UFO

    phenomenon.

    

    Meanwhile, it seems completely inappropriate at this time for

    members of the UFO community and skeptics alike to continue to

    assail my methods or to cast aspersions upon my integrity and

    honesty through grape-vine gossip and the typically half-baked,

    poorly researched journalism of the Skeptical Inquirer. Equally

    inappropriate is the continuing high level of sheer speculation

    concerning the true identities of the two sources who appeared on

    the "UFO Cover-up?...Live" show under the codenames "Falcon" and

    "Condor".  In the eight weeks since the airing of this show, the

    controversy has grown to such outrageous proportions that, to date,

    "Flacon" has been "reliably identified" as no less than three

    different people and "Condor" as five!  For obvious reasons, my

    position continues to be one of "no comment" with respect to who ANY

    of my sources might be.

    

    Indeed, the identity of any or all of the TEN "inside" contacts I

    and my colleagues have developed is ultimately of FAR LESS

    IMPORTANCE than the fact that, to date, FOUR of them have agreed to

    tell their story before members of Congress!  As of this writing,

    commitments are currently being sought from the others, and

    negotiations are under way with two members of Congress who have

    expressed an interest in the matter.  If we are successful in these

    efforts, then the entire matter of the credibility of sources and

    the authenticity of documents will have been placed in a forum

    entirely out of our hands, and the question of Bill Moore's, or

    Jaime Shandera's, or Stan Friedman's motives, methods and

    credibility will no longer be an issue.  It is toward such an end

    that we actively seek the unity and support of the entire UFO

    community.

    

    At the Washington, D.C. MUFON UFO Symposium in June of 1987, when we

    first brought the essence of this matter to the attention of the UFO

    community and the public, I asked for assistance and support from

    anyone interested in helping us get to the bottom of it.  Some of

    you joined that effort-- most did not.  Many of you remained

    properly skeptical, and in so doing put the lie to oft repeated

    charges of a few hard-line UFO-bashers that most UFOlogists are much

    too gullible or credulous for their own good.  Others, who disagreed

    with our way of doing things and apparently saw us as some sort of

    threat to the well-being of UFOlogy in general and themselves in

    particular, saw fit to throw as many rocks in our direction as they

    possibly could.

    

    It is now time to put those emotions aside and pull together in an

    effort to bring this matter to a conclusion.  As Jerry Clark noted

    in an International UFO Reporter editorial over a year ago, the

    MJ-12 affair, unlike most other aspects of UFOlogy, is one where it

    is possible to obtain answers-- one way or the other.  If this

    information is real and the sources providing it are bona fide, then

    we have a major story on our hands.  If, on the other hand, it turns

    out to be some sort of eight-year-long, elaborate disinformation

    scheme, or even an outright hoax, then we have an equally important

    story of another type.  In either case, the truth will ultimately be

    made known and, once that happens, UFOlogy will go on.  Petty

    bickering and emotional tirades have no place in this search for the

    truth, and they are unbecoming to a field of study which is well on

    its way to becoming a recognized area of scientific and journalistic

    endeavor.  We have every intention of seeing our work through to its

    conclusion, what your role will be in that process is entirely up to

    you.

    

    This letter, then, is intended as an olive branch from me and my

    associates to you-- UFOlogist, skeptic and UFO-basher alike.  Our

    goal, like yours, is to ultimately get to the bottom of this very

    important matter.  It is our belief that progress towards this end

    will be better served by a united effort than by continued

    animosity.  If you agree, please let me hear from you in the near

    future.

    

    Yours very truly,

    

    {signed}

    

    William L. Moore