A Little Slap And Tickle

I want to express my thanks for the support I've received regarding the kooky, yet entertaining attempt at an assassination piece (UFO Mag Columnist is an Insult To Readers) written by David P. Kuhlman in UFO Digest. Extra-special thanks go out to Lesley Gunter for her write-up on The Debris Field, and of course, Regan Lee for her hilariously wonderful article "Brazen Hussies Invade Earth! Serious UFO Research Attacked!" (with the delicious subtitle: "CIGARETTE SMOKING WOMAN SINGLE-HANDEDLY BRINGS DOWN UFO RESEARCH! IN HER SLIP, NO LESS!").

A few people have asked if I was going to respond to the by my admirer, Mr. Kuhlman -- but what is there to really say that wasn't already addressed by Lesley and Regan? I dunno, I'll give it a whirl anyway:

The entire thing was so ridiculous, that it was difficult to be offended by it. His piece seemed more obsessive than newsworthy, though admittedly, I was really flattered that he spent so much time writing about "me". The UFO column that so drove Mr. Kuhlman over the edge was merely an introductory piece that was requested by UFO Magazine Editor, Nancy Birnes - if that alone made his *ahem* "blood boil," Lord only knows what my actual columns will do to the poor guy.

Every serious area of research and study has its off-color writers, so why should UFOlogy be so different? Poking fun at the ridiculousness of UFOlogy should in no way imply that I am not serious about it. If I wasn't, I wouldn't waste my time hammering away at my keyboard. And believe me, if there is an "-ology" out there that could use a little self-deprecating humor, it's definitely "UFOlogy". If you can't laugh at some of the outrageous crap that goes on within the field, I don't know what to tell you other than maybe you need to find some other area of interest to devote your time to. Like needlepoint.

I think that's really what confused me the most - his argument that I was undermining "serious" UFO research. How exactly was I doing that? Because I wrote an introduction in which I called bullshit on a lot of UFOlogy and used the occasional "naughty" word? Because I made it fun to read instead of stuffily laying on a bunch of thick, worthless credentials? Every "serious" UFO researcher knows that this field is smeared in bullshit - to deny that is probably more of the problem, than the remedy.

Some have speculated that his response was so strong because I'm a female, and that it carried a chauvinistic edge. I'm not so sure I'm comfortable jumping to that conclusion, though I don't completely dismiss the possibility. Men largely populate the world of UFOlogy, and the women who are involved are often overlooked, ignored, or brushed aside -- so I can understand why some may feel this way. I'd like to give Mr. Kuhlman the benefit of the doubt though, and assume that it was "only me" who invoked such a response from such a hardcore researcher (or that maybe he was instigating a little "slap & tickle)".

What are my opinions about Mr. Kuhlman? Hell if I know. As long as I have been studying UFOs, I've never heard of the guy. Of course, I don't read UFO Digest, so that may have something to do with it. I mean, yeah, he's a dick, but its hard to be too upset with someone who is a bit thick in the head and leaves no room for anything outside of his little bubble of priggish, "serious" UFO research.

And just because I felt like it: