SIGHTINGS



The Columbus Effect -
Columbus, Cortez,
& The NSA
By Jim Hickman (jhickman@itlnet.net)
From "The Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus"
1-4-99

"1492 AD, October 11, 10:00 PM: Christopher Columbus and Pedro Gutierrez while on the deck of the Santa Maria, observed, "a light glimmering at a great distance." It vanished and reappeared several times during the night, moving up and down, "in sudden and passing gleams." It was sighted 4 hours before land was sighted, and taken by Columbus as a sign they would soon come to land."
 
Shortly thereafter, the entire native populations of the America's were basically wiped out by disease, war and inter-tribal rivalries. This is what I call the "Columbus Effect" and we are the natives when it comes to UFO's landing here on Earth. I'm not the only one who thinks so.
 
Take for example the Aztec's who lived in modern day Mexico, they had a "encounter" with a advanced civilization. It only took a few years and their civilization was history, literally. I have a letter from an eyewitness to this close encounter. I thought it might help shed some light on our modern predicament.
 
From: The Broken Spears: The Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico (Boston: Beacon Press, 1962), pp. 64-66
 
"When Montezuma had given necklaces to each one, Cortis asked him: "Are you Montezuma? Are you the king? Is it true that you are the king Montezuma?" And the king said: "Yes, I am Montezuma." Then he stood up to welcome Cortis; he came forward, bowed his head low and addressed him in these words: "Our lord, you are weary. The journey has tired you, but now you have arrived on the earth."
 
"You have come to your city, Mexico. You have come here to sit on your throne, to sit under its canopy. "The kings who have gone before, your representatives, guarded it and preserved it for your coming. The kings Itzcoatl, Montezuma the Elder, Axayacatl, Tizoc and Ahuitzol ruled for you in the City of Mexico. The people were protected by their swords and sheltered by their shields. "Do the kings know the destiny of those they left behind, their posterity? If only they are watching! If only they can see what I see!" "No, it is not a dream. I am not walking in my sleep. I am not seeing you in my dreams.... I have seen you at last! I have met you face to face! I was in agony for five days, for ten days, with my eyes fixed on the Region of the Mystery. And now you have come out of the clouds and mists to sit on your throne again." "This was foretold by the kings who governed your city, and now it has taken place. You have come back to us; you have come down from the sky. Rest now, and take possession of your royal houses. Welcome to your land, my lords! "
 
When Montezuma had finished, La Malinche translated his address into Spanish so that the Captain could understand it. Cortis replied in his strange and savage tongue, speaking first to La Malinche: "Tell Montezuma that we are his friends. There is nothing to fear. We have wanted to see him for a long time, and now we have seen his face and heard his words. Tell him that we love him well and that our hearts are contented."
 
Then he said to Montezuma: "We have come to your house in Mexico as friends. There is nothing to fear." La Malinche translated this speech and the Spaniards grasped Montezuma hands and patted his back to show their affection for him....
 
Note: by 1590 there was little left of the Aztecs and their civilization, so much for "There is nothing to fear."
 
Another view of the same phenomena comes from of all places, the U.S. National Security Agency, in their report "UFO Hypothesis and Survival Questions" formerly classified "Secret" states: "This hypothesis has a number of far reaching human survival implications:
 
If they discover you, it is an old but hardly invalid rule of thumb, "they" are your technological superiors. Human history has shown us time and again the tragic results of a confrontation between a technologically superior civilization and a technologically inferior people. The "inferior" is usually subject to physical conquest.
 
Often in the past, a technologically superior people are also possessors of a more virile or aggressive culture. In a confrontation between two peoples of significantly different cultural levels, those having the inferior or less virile culture most often suffer a tragic loss of identity and are usually absorbed by the other people.
 
Some peoples who were technologically and/or culturally inferior to other nations have survived- have maintained their identity- have equalized the differences between them and their adversaries. The Japanese people have given us an excellent example of the methods required to achieve such a survival:
 
It continues: (1) Full and honest acceptance of the nature of the inferiorities separating you from the advantages of the other peoples,
 
(2) Complete national solidarity in all positions taken with the other culture,
 
(3) Highly controlled and limited intercourse with the other side doing only those actions advantageous to the foreigner, which you are absolutely forced to do by circumstances,
 
(4) A correct but friendly attitude toward the other people,
 
(5) A national eagerness to learn everything possible about the other culture- its technological and cultural strengths and weakness'. This often involves sending selected groups and individuals to the other's country to become one of his kind, or even to help him in his wars against other adversaries.
 
(6) Adopting as many of the advantages of the opposing people as you can, and doing it as fast as possible- while still protecting your own identity by molding each new knowledge increment into your own cultural cast.
 
NSA concludes with this statement: "It would seem a little more of this survival attitude is called for in dealing with the UFO problem".
 
Next, a look back just 50 years ago to the "Cargo Cults" of World War 2, and our connection to them. Some have speculated that our entire modern history and civilization is one giant Cargo Cult, read this, and make up your own mind.
 
From: What is a Cargo Cult? http://members.tripod.com/cargocult/info.html
 
A Cargo Cult is an attempt to explain the unfathomable wealth of western material goods, referred to as "cargo" in the islands of Melanesia. Having no knowledge about factories or technology, the people of these islands believed "cargo" is created by magic, and originates from a mystical place called "America".
 
During World War II, the presence of thousands of American soldiers in the South Pacific deeply affected the native Melanesians. The sight seemingly inexhaustible supplies and equipment was unfathomable. Having little knowledge about technology, the natives of these islands believed cargo was created by magic, and originated from a mystical place called America.
 
Cargo cults sprang up where the Americans had been stationed. Followers believe that it is only a matter of time before they receive their rightful share of western cargo. They worship an American G.I. named Jon Frum (pidgin for John From America). The Red Cross seen on supply crates during the war, is the symbol of the cult.
 
Patiently, the islanders wait for the day when American will return. Followers mimic the ways of the GI's. Their resolve does not waver with the passing of time. One-day ships, planes and parachutes will arrive. Until then, they wait and watch the skies.
 
Interesting, "they wait and watch the skies" sound familiar? So do we as Ufologists. We have our own "cargo cults" today, and they will have to make many adjustments when and if we make contact with an alien culture. If we can't adjust to our new reality, we will perish. It's as simple as that.
 
I have a theory of why we haven't been told the "truth", Of course the easy answer is that we can't handle the truth. I think some of us can, others wouldn't make the transition and others would require extensive retraining.
 
You might have noticed the increasing media ads lately. Almost every brand name you can imagine has some sort of connection to UFO's or Aliens. Look at the new TV shows, "Roswell" or the X-Files, for example. We are being conditioned for the release of the truth. If we hear it enough, and see it enough, it's not "scary" anymore.
 
The movie "Contact" is another example of conditioning on a mass scale. I know the X-Files TV show used actual UFO reports, (from the Skywatch mailing list) in their production more than once. This helps them blend reality and fiction in a way that the masses can consume.
 
A whole other point is the religious aspect of ufology. A recent poll taken in England states that - More young Britons believe in the existence of aliens and ghosts than believe in God. A poll of 1,000 young people aged 15-24 showed that 70 percent had "some belief" in ghosts and 61 percent in aliens. Only 39 percent had any belief in Christianity.
 
What if the Pope does knows the real truth about UFO's? Monsignor Corrado Balducci, a Vatican theologian "close to the pope", who has been charged with studying reports of UFOs sent in from Vatican embassies around the world. This quote comes from one of Father Balducci's many recent appearances on Italian television. "We can no longer think... is it true? Is it not true? Are they truths or are they lies--if we believe or if we don't believe--no! There are already numerous considerations which make the existence of these beings into a certainty we cannot doubt."
 
Some researchers say the last secret of Fatima is that were not alone in the universe. Others have said that the Pope wants the truth out at the start of the millennium. The year 2000 would be a perfect time for the release of the "truth" as it would be helped by the "new era" feeling we surely will have in the 21st century.
 
One has to wonder what the heads of the world's governments and religions would do and think on that day when we are "discovered". Would our civilization fall like the Aztecs or the Mayans? Or would we be strong enough- psychology wise to handle the "Truth"?
 
Our little planet is very small and it's far from the beaten path, but we are all we have. Our job as Ufologists is to get the word out to the public through the media that it's all going to be ok, we have had visits from our alien friends for years. We should be the people who lead the way into this new world.
 
One day after our first encounter as a civilization I'm sure someone will as me about the days before ET, and I would have to say. "I knew it all the time, I'm a Ufologist!" let's make sure were Columbus and not the natives when that day comes. Let's make a plan for post-encounter times. It's not too far out an idea to be thinking about.
 
_____
 
THE HICKMAN REPORT Jim Hickman (jhickman@itlnet.net) http://www.itlnet.net/users/jhickman/hickman_report.htm


SIGHTINGS HOMEPAGE

This Site Served by TheHostPros