These days, virtually everyone has heard of the Men In Black (MIBs), chiefly due to the popular movies featuring Will
Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. Unfortunately, those same movies are pretty much responsible for most people thinking
of the MIB phenomena as being nothing more than Hollywood fiction. But it is much more than fiction. It is a
phenomenon that has been reported by many credible witnesses for many years.
The first known mention of the Men In Black was in the 1956 book, They Knew Too Much About Flying Saucers,
by Gray Barker. Barker was a native of Riffle, West Virginia. Riffle just happens to be located in Braxton County, the
location of the famous UFO encounter that came to be known as the "Flatwoods Monster".
While working as a theatre booker in 1952, Barker became intensely interested in the case of the Braxton county UFO
incident, and began collecting stories about it. It wasn't long before he began to write about the incident, and he
submitted an article to FATE Magazine. Having been baptized into the genre by FATE Magazine, Barker soon began
writing for Space Review, a magazine published by Albert K. Bender.
The 1950's were rife with public interest in UFOs. UFO books, movies, and magazines were being churned out almost
as if by mass production. One would expect that just about any magazine dealing with UFOs back in the 1950's would
have been a very successful endeavor. This would be especially true for a magazine that had the built-in readership of
an organization of people, and Space Review had just that. Space Review was a publication of Albert K. Bender's
organization called the International UFO Bureau.
Astonishingly, Bender suddenly closed down the International UFO Bureau and its publication in 1953. Just about
everyone who was familiar with Bender and his organization, especially those whose familiarity was via Space Review,
was surprised. Space Review had been publishing rather bold articles that were, for that time, leading edge
information on UFOs. But, Bender said that he would no longer write or publish anything about UFOs because he had
"orders from a higher source".
Whether it was due to his distress as a writer having lost a publisher, or due to journalistic curiosity, Gray Barker
pressed Bender for more details. Over a period of time, he apparently got the details he sought, and published his
book, They Knew Too Much About Flying Saucers. In 1956, Barker introduced the world to the phenomena
known as the "Men In Black."
Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. Unfortunately, those same movies are pretty much responsible for most people thinking
of the MIB phenomena as being nothing more than Hollywood fiction. But it is much more than fiction. It is a
phenomenon that has been reported by many credible witnesses for many years.
The first known mention of the Men In Black was in the 1956 book, They Knew Too Much About Flying Saucers,
by Gray Barker. Barker was a native of Riffle, West Virginia. Riffle just happens to be located in Braxton County, the
location of the famous UFO encounter that came to be known as the "Flatwoods Monster".
While working as a theatre booker in 1952, Barker became intensely interested in the case of the Braxton county UFO
incident, and began collecting stories about it. It wasn't long before he began to write about the incident, and he
submitted an article to FATE Magazine. Having been baptized into the genre by FATE Magazine, Barker soon began
writing for Space Review, a magazine published by Albert K. Bender.
The 1950's were rife with public interest in UFOs. UFO books, movies, and magazines were being churned out almost
as if by mass production. One would expect that just about any magazine dealing with UFOs back in the 1950's would
have been a very successful endeavor. This would be especially true for a magazine that had the built-in readership of
an organization of people, and Space Review had just that. Space Review was a publication of Albert K. Bender's
organization called the International UFO Bureau.
Astonishingly, Bender suddenly closed down the International UFO Bureau and its publication in 1953. Just about
everyone who was familiar with Bender and his organization, especially those whose familiarity was via Space Review,
was surprised. Space Review had been publishing rather bold articles that were, for that time, leading edge
information on UFOs. But, Bender said that he would no longer write or publish anything about UFOs because he had
"orders from a higher source".
Whether it was due to his distress as a writer having lost a publisher, or due to journalistic curiosity, Gray Barker
pressed Bender for more details. Over a period of time, he apparently got the details he sought, and published his
book, They Knew Too Much About Flying Saucers. In 1956, Barker introduced the world to the phenomena
known as the "Men In Black."
THE GRAY TRUTH ABOUT MEN-IN-BLACK by Kevin W. Smith
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Barker apparently referred to his books about UFOs as his
"kookie books". If his sister is accurate, he only wrote them
for the money.
Furthermore, Barker thought UFOlogy was just a big joke.
That certainly would seem to cast a dark shadow across the
whole topic of Men In Black.
Or, would it?
Actually, the answer is a resounding "NO."
Barker's own shady character does cast a shadow across his
own writings about Men In Black. In fact, it casts deep, dark
shadows across absolutely everything he wrote. His
penchant for committing hoaxes against other UFOlogists
could easily translate to hoaxes against his readers.
Apparently, he was not the least bit timid about submitting
"kookie books". If his sister is accurate, he only wrote them
for the money.
Furthermore, Barker thought UFOlogy was just a big joke.
That certainly would seem to cast a dark shadow across the
whole topic of Men In Black.
Or, would it?
Actually, the answer is a resounding "NO."
Barker's own shady character does cast a shadow across his
own writings about Men In Black. In fact, it casts deep, dark
shadows across absolutely everything he wrote. His
penchant for committing hoaxes against other UFOlogists
could easily translate to hoaxes against his readers.
Apparently, he was not the least bit timid about submitting
articles containing trumped up information just to get the readers excited.
One such hoax was an article in which Barker was a collaborator that was sent to Ray Palmer's Flying Saucer
magazine. The fictitious name signed to the article was Dr. Richard H. Pratt. The article claimed that Pratt had been
ordered by the MIBs to keep quiet after he had learned that UFOs were actually time traveling vehicles. The article was
published as fact.
On another occasion, Barker faked a letter regarding UFOs, employing a U.S. Department of State letterhead and
sent it on with a forged signature.
Of course, had the details of this hoax come to light while Barker lived, he would likely have been subject to
prosecution. It is illegal to use the letterhead, emblems, etc. of a government agency unless one is authorized to do
so. Writing a letter using U.S. Department of State letterhead-unauthorized-and sending it to another person would
also involved the use of the U.S. Postal Service and would involved the Postal Inspectors and possibly the FBI. The
FBI would possibly be involved due to the fact that the fraudulent letter crossed state lines.
So Barker's apparent love for hoaxing UFOlogists did spill over into his writings. His writings can be discounted
wholesale as the bogus scribblings of a bent soul. But, that does not mean the topics about which he wrote were
fake.
For example, imagine that Barker had written an article about Abraham Lincoln in which he alleged that Lincoln had
actually been an agent of the British Government. Let us also imagine that this article claimed that everything he did
was on orders of the Queen, and that he had purposely caused the Civil War. Let us also imagine that the article
quoted from some secret document that Barker claimed to have uncovered, but which he had actually manufactured
himself.
Such an article, if published as truth, would certainly set off shockwaves. It would cause all kinds of historians and
researchers to go to work. There would be many articles written by them, some in support of Barker's claims, and
some against his claims.
Now remember, in this example, the entire article was based upon fictional information, but was presented as if it
were fact. Once we discovered the hoax, should we then assume that Abraham Lincoln did not really exist?
No, of course not.
However, when we view what Barker did with UFOs and the paranormal, there are many who want to throw out the
baby with the bath water. Knowing Barker was insincere and a hoaxer, many skeptics laugh at the whole idea of MIBs.
They are fond of pointing out that Barker was the first to publish anything about MIBs, and he was a scoundrel.
Therefore, they say, we can have no confidence at all in the existence of MIBs.
That makes just about as much sense as saying we should have no confidence in the existence of Abraham Lincoln if
Barker had written about him!
The fact is many fictional and salacious articles were written about Abraham Lincoln. He was, at the same time, one of
the most loved and respected men ever to be President of the U.S., and one of the most despised. There was no
middle ground. People either loved him, or they hated him.
All the published lies notwithstanding, we have complete confidence in the existence of Abraham Lincoln. Why?
Because there are literally thousands of documents, articles, books, and speeches that were either written by him, or
that reference him. In other words, we have the testimonies of thousands of eyewitnesses. People saw him. They
heard him. They spoke with him. No question about it. He exists. There is also no question that there is a lot of
fiction about him still floating around. Yet, we have a generally clear understanding of what is the truth about Lincoln.
Why?
Again, it is because of the thousands of witness testimonies.
Men In Black fall into that same framework. There is a lot of fiction floating around about them. Barker seems to be
the first to introduce them in print, and he was an exceptionally flawed individual. However, Barker is not the only
source of information about MIBs. He is but one. There are testimonies of thousands of people who say they have
encountered these mysterious "men".
Do we discount Lincoln's existence because someone lied about him? No. Should we toss out the existence of Men in
Black because someone lied about them? No. It makes no logical sense at all to disallow the reality of Men In Black on
the basis of the indisputable fact that some writers have embellished, if not lied, about them.
We do not know, and we cannot know, just how much truth there was in Barker's statements about Men In Black
being involved with Albert K. Bender's dissolution of the International UFO Bureau, and the closing of its magazine. In
fact, there is no way to know for sure what Bender told Barker about it. Further, we have no way to know whether
Bender himself was being truthful in what he told Barker.
What we do have, however, are thousands of other witness testimonies. These are testimonies of people whose
personal credentials are in good order. People whose lives have been lived without deception and with integrity, and
who have the affirmation of their friends, acquaintances, and colleagues, that they are truthful and upright.
Discount Gray Barker? Yes. No problem with that. Discount Men In Black because of Gray Barker? Out of the question.
We do not know, and we cannot know, just how much truth there was in Barker's statements about Men In Black
being involved with Albert K. Bender's dissolution of the International UFO Bureau, and the closing of its magazine. In
fact, there is no way to know for sure what Bender told Barker about it. Further, we have no way to know whether
Bender himself was being truthful in what he told Barker.
What we do have, however, are testimonies of people whose personal credentials are in good order. People whose
lives have been lived without deception and with integrity, and who have the affirmation of their friends,
acquaintances, and colleagues, that they are truthful and upright.
Should we discount Gray Barker? Yes… I have no problem with that; but discount Men In Black because of Gray
Barker?
One such hoax was an article in which Barker was a collaborator that was sent to Ray Palmer's Flying Saucer
magazine. The fictitious name signed to the article was Dr. Richard H. Pratt. The article claimed that Pratt had been
ordered by the MIBs to keep quiet after he had learned that UFOs were actually time traveling vehicles. The article was
published as fact.
On another occasion, Barker faked a letter regarding UFOs, employing a U.S. Department of State letterhead and
sent it on with a forged signature.
Of course, had the details of this hoax come to light while Barker lived, he would likely have been subject to
prosecution. It is illegal to use the letterhead, emblems, etc. of a government agency unless one is authorized to do
so. Writing a letter using U.S. Department of State letterhead-unauthorized-and sending it to another person would
also involved the use of the U.S. Postal Service and would involved the Postal Inspectors and possibly the FBI. The
FBI would possibly be involved due to the fact that the fraudulent letter crossed state lines.
So Barker's apparent love for hoaxing UFOlogists did spill over into his writings. His writings can be discounted
wholesale as the bogus scribblings of a bent soul. But, that does not mean the topics about which he wrote were
fake.
For example, imagine that Barker had written an article about Abraham Lincoln in which he alleged that Lincoln had
actually been an agent of the British Government. Let us also imagine that this article claimed that everything he did
was on orders of the Queen, and that he had purposely caused the Civil War. Let us also imagine that the article
quoted from some secret document that Barker claimed to have uncovered, but which he had actually manufactured
himself.
Such an article, if published as truth, would certainly set off shockwaves. It would cause all kinds of historians and
researchers to go to work. There would be many articles written by them, some in support of Barker's claims, and
some against his claims.
Now remember, in this example, the entire article was based upon fictional information, but was presented as if it
were fact. Once we discovered the hoax, should we then assume that Abraham Lincoln did not really exist?
No, of course not.
However, when we view what Barker did with UFOs and the paranormal, there are many who want to throw out the
baby with the bath water. Knowing Barker was insincere and a hoaxer, many skeptics laugh at the whole idea of MIBs.
They are fond of pointing out that Barker was the first to publish anything about MIBs, and he was a scoundrel.
Therefore, they say, we can have no confidence at all in the existence of MIBs.
That makes just about as much sense as saying we should have no confidence in the existence of Abraham Lincoln if
Barker had written about him!
The fact is many fictional and salacious articles were written about Abraham Lincoln. He was, at the same time, one of
the most loved and respected men ever to be President of the U.S., and one of the most despised. There was no
middle ground. People either loved him, or they hated him.
All the published lies notwithstanding, we have complete confidence in the existence of Abraham Lincoln. Why?
Because there are literally thousands of documents, articles, books, and speeches that were either written by him, or
that reference him. In other words, we have the testimonies of thousands of eyewitnesses. People saw him. They
heard him. They spoke with him. No question about it. He exists. There is also no question that there is a lot of
fiction about him still floating around. Yet, we have a generally clear understanding of what is the truth about Lincoln.
Why?
Again, it is because of the thousands of witness testimonies.
Men In Black fall into that same framework. There is a lot of fiction floating around about them. Barker seems to be
the first to introduce them in print, and he was an exceptionally flawed individual. However, Barker is not the only
source of information about MIBs. He is but one. There are testimonies of thousands of people who say they have
encountered these mysterious "men".
Do we discount Lincoln's existence because someone lied about him? No. Should we toss out the existence of Men in
Black because someone lied about them? No. It makes no logical sense at all to disallow the reality of Men In Black on
the basis of the indisputable fact that some writers have embellished, if not lied, about them.
We do not know, and we cannot know, just how much truth there was in Barker's statements about Men In Black
being involved with Albert K. Bender's dissolution of the International UFO Bureau, and the closing of its magazine. In
fact, there is no way to know for sure what Bender told Barker about it. Further, we have no way to know whether
Bender himself was being truthful in what he told Barker.
What we do have, however, are thousands of other witness testimonies. These are testimonies of people whose
personal credentials are in good order. People whose lives have been lived without deception and with integrity, and
who have the affirmation of their friends, acquaintances, and colleagues, that they are truthful and upright.
Discount Gray Barker? Yes. No problem with that. Discount Men In Black because of Gray Barker? Out of the question.
We do not know, and we cannot know, just how much truth there was in Barker's statements about Men In Black
being involved with Albert K. Bender's dissolution of the International UFO Bureau, and the closing of its magazine. In
fact, there is no way to know for sure what Bender told Barker about it. Further, we have no way to know whether
Bender himself was being truthful in what he told Barker.
What we do have, however, are testimonies of people whose personal credentials are in good order. People whose
lives have been lived without deception and with integrity, and who have the affirmation of their friends,
acquaintances, and colleagues, that they are truthful and upright.
Should we discount Gray Barker? Yes… I have no problem with that; but discount Men In Black because of Gray
Barker?
| TODAY IS |
| (Copyright 2009, Kevin W. Smith - All Rights Reserved) Reprinted from UFO Digest at www.ufodigest.com/news/1009/gray-truth.php |