Governor Fyfe Symington is well known by UFOlogists for two reasons. First, was his unfortunate (and in retrospect understandable) reaction to the Pheonix Lights incident. Second, is the ongoing campaign he has been championing in order to ensure UFOlogy is taken seriously. And he has not fallen off the radar yet.
In 1997 a series of lights appeared over Phoenix, Arizona. The lights would be seen over the course of several nights without explanation. Terrified witnesses would demand action by the local government, and Governor Fyfe Symington would hold a press conference. After a brief introduction, Symington would declare, “We’ve found those responsible” and a costumed alien would be brought in. The press, abandoning their normal jocund attitude for the UFO phenomenon would not be amused. People would demand Symington take the matter more seriously. And Governor Symington did just that. In the following years his interest of the UFO phenomenon would go above and beyond obligation to the people of Phoenix. He would become personally interested in the subject, and even appear publicly several times to speak on the matter.
He had seen the objects too, and despite many years of observing aerial craft had been unable to identify them as anything known to man. After tireless observation, Symington would come to the conclusion that the objects he had seen were something that warranted further exploration.
Recently, Symington appeared yet again on the Arizona Republic. Symington, now a former governor has declared that the US’ closed minded opinion of a matter of global significance needs to shift toward that of Great Britain, France, and Belgium.
It isn’t merely a matter of national security, but of global interest. If beings from another world are visiting Earth, their presence would have a major effect on all aspects of human life on this planet, and the possibility of human life on others. And if the phenomenon is some natural event, possibly relating to ball lightning or some unknown and highly mysterious phenomenon then that alone would warrant further research as well.
In the end, Symington proves to be yet another member of the vast array of highly credible witnesses with a very real interest in the subject of UFOs. His contributions to the field are not merely through his advocacy but the very fact that he has such an interest in the subject and is of such a respected position. The UFO community largely has accepted his press conference prank as an attempt to diffuse a potentially hysterical situation and bring levity to it, though many say they would have handled it differently. Since that time, Symington has proven indespensable to the cause of disclosure or else further investigation of a phenomenon none of us can truly comprehend.
When will other politicians come forward with the same bravery Symington has on such a volatile and controversial subject? Is this what is required for disclosure to finally happen?
After the 1997 event, in 2007 the lights would make an appearance once again, shocking thousands of witnesses. We can only wait to see if in 2017 a similar scenario will play out again. And then a whole new governor will have to make a decision.