Date:   Sun Aug 08 1993  11:06:00
From:   SHEPPARD GORDON
To:     ALL
Subj:   About Knapp
UFO                            -------------------------------

Our readers respond
07/16/93
THE LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Real evidence

To the editor:
George Knapp's recent diatribe (July 11, letters) against
Review-Journal columnist Rafael Tammariello's "semi-annual anti-UFO
column" deserves further comment. Knapp complains that
Tammariello's "oft-recycled vitriol" is getting old, while Knapp
continues to rehash the same old so-called "evidence" during his TV
sweeps-week UFO specials, which also usually occur semi-annually.
While I'm sure Tammariello does not need me to defend him, he
probably won't answer Knapp until George's next UFO expose, so I'll
take the time to do it for him. Knapp goes on to compare the
American public's fascination with UFOs with the fact that NASA
spends $10 million a year searching for extraterrestrial
intelligence. This is like comparing kumquats with oranges.
SETI, the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, is a
scientific search using sophisticated listening devices to search
for signs of life in the universe. This does not mean and cannot in
any way be construed to mean that we are being visited by UFOs and
that the government is covering up "what it knows." Carl Sagan, a
major proponent of SETI, believes there has been no scientifically
verifiable evidence of alien visitation. These positions are in no
way inconsistent.
Knapp then cites as evidence for UFOs the fact that the
government has refused his requests for information. Would Knapp
admit that it is possible that the government just doesn't have
anything more to give? It's also just possible that he is being
ignored, not refused. Why is it more likely that we are being
visited by space aliens than the chance that there's no new
information?
More "evidence" cited by Knapp for UFO existence is that major
universities are studying the topic. This, of course, does not
prove anything. Using that logic, I could contend that because
someone is a university professor, he or she must be sane. But I've
been to college and had professors that without tenure would be
holding signs on street corners reading, "Need Government Grant for
Food."
Finally, Knapp's last piece of "evidence" is that because we
can't find out what is going on at Area 51, it must therefore be a
UFO graveyard. I'll admit that Area 51 is a somewhat mysterious
place but Knapp continues to tie it to UFOs.
Remember, UFO means Unidentified Flying Object. Not alien
spaceship. I, too, have seen a UFO but I don't believe it came from
Pleiades or Andromeda. And I believe there is other life in the
universe, but until real, verifiable proof is presented, I will not
waste time listening to testimonials from UFO abductees and their
financially motivated shills.
George Knapp can go on uncovering the big government conspiracy
and no one will stop him. Local TV stations should be ashamed
presenting his "evidence" as news. It's not news, it's hearsay. And
until he presents some real evidence, Knapp and his ilk will be
responded to by those of us who do not just take the word of others
regarding claims of the paranormal.
ART CHEVALIER Las Vegas