What A Ride !!!

There are few times I feel compelled, from deep within my soul, to respond to something so ridiculous, I must make a statement and make it as public as possible.

Now that the truth of the Michigan Recordings is out, the "victim" card is being played like a Ferris Wheel out of control. Each seat has a different face, and a different set of complaints. As it spins wildly, new complaints and gripes are yelled, as if begging for absolution.

Funny thing about this round, the yelling is being done by the very people who set the standard they are now complaining about, and brought them to this wild ride.

I read this today on the Bigfoot Discussions forum, written by Pat Barker.

Follow along, wont you.

Pat Barker writes;

Although, I have to admit I'm still pretty self-righteously indignant about the fact that when you've tried to do everything right, tried to share in as forthright a manner as possible, given the fact that you've all signed non-disclosure agreements, none of that matters when you bring a little bit of it to the world wide web. Because the rules are different here. Even though you're trying to protect your witness and can't divulge all, because you can't divulge all, suddenly you're considered to be being hoaxed or are accused of having knowledge of a hoax, or it's suggested that your integrity is in question, or you may even be lying. WTF?

Really? You did everything right? If you and your "group" signed a non-disclosure agreement, then exactly why did you post a "sketch" depicting the area of this secret location? So you could display your awesome art skills Pat?

Why was there no disclosure about a Haunted House?
Why did no one say anything about a suit(s)?
Why did no one say anything about Sierra Sound CD's?
Why did it take someone close to your group to bring out allegations of Audio Looping?
Where is this non-disclosure agreement? You would demand to see it from anyone else.

I could go on Pat, but I think you know my point. It seems as if you and your cohorts with the MRP would like a different set of rules applied to you and your work. The MRP should have disclosed ALL of the above, not waited for this to come out like some bad dream. Yes, your credibility is in question, and it should be.

The MRP brought a "little bit" to the world, but hinted at so much more. Then, when the questions became too tough, every last one of you ran for the safety of your own private conversations where you could lick your wounds.. Question, while you are all hiding from questions, are you thinking about the people who have come before you, and lived through this very same type of treatment, dealt to them by you and the MRP crowd?

If you can't divulge all, then why divulge anything? It would appear the stage was set to really whip everyone into a frenzy. Congrats mission accomplished. Now, finish what you started.

Pat continues;

So it all comes back down to the same conclusion. Do NOT talk about your ongoing research work AT ALL on any website or public forum, because you will deeply regret it. It doesn't matter if you're protecting your witness/landowner. It doesn't matter if your group continues to adhere to their good judgment when assessing an active location. Because no one will believe that you have a brain in your head .... because they weren't there themselves to witness it. They, and I mean every Tom, Dick and Harriett with an opinion and a keyboard under their fingertips, will feel compelled to give their two cents worth whether they know jackshit or not about it. They will also feel compelled to spread rumours, gossip, false information, innuendo and outright lies about you and your group in order to satisfy some lingering hatred they have for you ... or just for the hellovit .... justifying it with claims of "getting at the truth".

I find it interesting how the MRP (and yourself) take no credit for the current need for information. This need for information in any situation like this has been applauded and encouraged by you, and everyone associated with you for a VERY long time. Longer than I have been around. Admit it, the real problem is simply, you did not think anyone had the guts to check the information provided and actually disclose what they discovered. The group you have chosen to align yourself with, Pat (and have been an active participant) probably thought they had spread enough fear, that no one would question them using the same tactics they (and you) had used prior.

When you play the victim card, it is truly lost on me Pat. Remember what you tried to do to me?

It seems to me there has been more truth brought out about this project and your "witness" by people NOT associated with the MRP. How did that happen Pat?

If you can honestly say you would not question me or anyone else just as hard, given the information that has been discovered, you are not just lieing to yourself, but to everyone in this field of research. You and those you associate with in the MRP would gladly fillet anyone who did not disclose the information that has been discovered.

Now, this is the part I really like the most.

Pat goes on to say;

And when your patience gets the better of you, after trying for 40 some odd pages to answer every inane, ridiculous question, until it finally gets completely off the wall ... and a few of you can't hold back but have to address the jerks in the only way they'll understand ... then you get accused by some of being no better than others who have gone before you.

No, I believe we were not called jerks, but "Armchair Researchers".. A term you and your friends with the MRP have despised for a very long time. Or did you forget that? 40 pages of answers? According to PaulUK (the now proud owner of the Bigfoot Forums), YOU lied to him. That thread on the BFF was more like 40 pages of "you don't deserve the truth, so take what we give you and shut up." So, why should anyone believe anything you have to say? You and the MRP answered nothing.. And somehow, created more questions.

This wouldn't be your first lie either Pat, just the one you have been caught in publicly.

You are no better. Why should you and the MRP be treated any differently than Tom Biscardi or William Lett? No one with the MRP believed Biscardi's "information" either, and tried like hell to out him and his financial backer. No one with the MRP (or anyone in the community) cried for William Lett and his family, who only supplied money. Yet, no one beat their chest in agony as his home address was posted on the internet, along with his phone number and business names. Where were you then with your self righteous indignation Pat? Where were the rest of your MRP cohorts? Oh, I remember.. Right in there, looking for any other information on Mr. Lett.

Pat goes on some more;

Hogwash, I say. Stand in our shoes for 3 months and see how it feels to be attacked from all quarters when you don't deserve it. We've done nothing wrong. On the other hand, there have been many many people who HAVE behaved in a deplorable manner .... as Jay said, many of whom had to go plan another Texas conference, and were "overjoyed" to see another thread opened about the recordings, so they could jump on for another feeding frenzy. Ah yes, all very professional. Because there's such a spirit of sharing in this "community".

I really need an emoticon on this blog of a cricket playing a violin. 3 months huh? Oh, you poor baby. How many others have been bashed and ridiculed by you and your friends with the MRP for years, for doing the very same thing the MRP has done now??? Self-righteous indignation does not describe your words. I believe the word is Hypocrite.

Yes, you have done wrong. You have done many things wrong, starting with the non-disclosure of information pertinent to an investigation you asked members of this community to assess. I don't care if you were asking for an opinion on the color of the witnesses grass. You asked for the help and opinions of this community, yet did not feel it necessary to disclose things like haunted houses, gorilla suit(s) and many, many other things.

The disclosure of this information would have made you all appear much more professional than you do right now. That is the fault of the MRP as a whole, not those who searched out the information that brought us all to this point.

Pat continues to go on;

We've done nothing wrong .... except offer some new recordings to the bigfooting community that are interesting. We never made any grandiose claims about them. You can be assured that we did and always will keep a skeptical eye open at all times while on the property. But the way we've been treated, it's like suddenly no one knows us anymore. Somehow everyone seems to have forgotten that we're actually smart, capable, skeptical and always suspicious of what's going on around us. It's why we work so well as a team.

The history of past statements by you, and those in the MRP prove that is a lie. You did do many things wrong. The worst of which was knowingly withholding vital information about "evidence" the MRP wanted assessed. If the MRP eyes are so skeptical, then why no release of the information that has been discovered so easily by others (and not even people within this community). There are many unanswered questions. Video that has been discussed, yet there are no answers. What else is there, that has not been disclosed?

Finally Pat finishes with;

Ah who cares anyway. We do, and that's all that matters.

And that is the very attitude that spawned this whole ordeal. The MRP earned the nickname they proudly display "Meanieheads" for a reason. Because this is the very attitude that has brought you all to this point. Until now, everyone has answered to the angry comments and questions from the MRP and associates, to deny them answers would have been equal to blasphemy within your ranks, and by those who associate with the MRP. Those you associate with would be screaming for the banning (from every bigfoot message board) of the person who put out shoddy work like this, and did not disclose the information that has been discovered. Now, you are all getting a good understanding of what you have done to others.

Don't like the ride? Want off? Then start telling the truth. Not your version of events, but the whole truth. Exactly what you expected of others for countless years now -- and rightly so. No one is immune from the truth, not even you and your friends in the MRP.

I am not saying you, and your MRP friends, have been wrong for demanding the truth and all valid information. I am saying you and your friends are wrong, for not responding to valid questions and complaints. The MRP has taken full advantage of the shielding from the BFF, and now that the truth is coming out, you are crying "victim". Too bad. Answer the questions or shut up, but your pitty party is pathetic and truly unjustified.

You can, of course, choose to continue feeling sorry for yourselves, and I will be happy to watch as you all spin on this out of control ride. I did not cause this issue, nor did anyone else. You and your friends within the MPR did.

You only have yourselves to blame.

Oh.. Here is a reminder of what your leader Jim Flowers had to say about comments like yours. Read and take notes Pat, and anyone else who feels sympathy for her.

Originally Posted by JimF at BFF

It doesn't work for the people simply looking for a good bedtime story...It does however, work pretty well for people that investigate reports, research, and have been around for long enough to recognize the signs of a "just a story"type report for what it is.

Kinda generalized, but a few of the "classic" signs are :

1. Remain anonymous, and state a semi-valid reason for it.

2. Force question asking instead of providing the details yourself in the initial report.

3. Name drop people ' known' in the BF world.

4. No location details for various reasons.

5. Wait for the "defenders of the faith" to come to your defense.

6. Claim skepticism as a start ala .. " I never believed until...."

7. Claim, military,clergy,police or other respected profession to add credibility.

8. Have a few not easily noticeable contradictions in the report.

9. Bring up similar reports that are somewhat linked to show a "history"

10. Make it interesting enough, as questions are asked and details get added to keep people reading.

11. Wait for a skeptical person to call you on it based on their opinion or experience in the past regarding the details.

12. Make sure the report fits in a time frame old enough that any investigator going to the site ( see # 4 for one of the problems with that) to absolutely ensure no way of verification due to time/expense/age of alleged encounter and topographical and access to area changes.

13. Add several details that have come up as recent topics or are 'known" factors in many reports true or not.

14. Conveniently forget that a forum , is NOT an investigative body of any sort. Easier to post it on one than to actually report it.

15. Play the ridicule and laughter card, i.e " everyone knowns bigfooters are crazy"

Those are your "red flags" for a start, since the question was asked and not answered. Along with a bit generalized perspective on the BF filed because I just felt like it. Funny , but if your that involved in an endeavor then you should be unafraid of the consequences by the general public or anyone or what they think of you.