One of the fundamental principles of the criminal justice system when it comes to sentence is denunciation; another is rehabilitation. In the case of ostracizing people from certain groups or communities for bad behaviour, the same rules should apply - go beyond the boundaries of civil discourse, and punishment is in order, so that the community as a collective can denounce the offensive behaviour. But, after a time spent in the wilderness, everyone deserves a second chance - that's the rehabilitation element.In the world of ufology, Rich Reynolds has served his sentence as far as I'm concerned. What issues remain between Reynolds, who was just profiled / interviewed in issue #3 of Stuart Miller's Alien Worlds magazine, and those he wronged, are between them to settle; as far as the community of ufology is concerned, Reynolds should no longer be persona non grata. Reynolds has always had some useful things to say about the UFO phenomenon, and the people who study it, just as he has had some absolutely ridiculous things to say (the percentages on those two categories are for each individual to judge for themselves). It's time to consider those views based on their merits, and not the person who offers them.Now, I can't control what others do, obviously, but as far as I'm concerned, Rich Reynolds has a second chance to make a positive contribution to the discussion about the UFO phenomenon. His prior bad behaviour has been sufficiently denounced, and it's time to move above and beyond things that happened in the past, and judge him by what he offers now, and into the future. He won't be the first person who has gone through this process in ufology, and he won't be the last.Paul Kimball
Posted by Paul Kimball at 4:13 AM
...Astonishing, dismaying, and not a little depressing.
I'm reminding of the old fable ending with the line, "...but you knew I was a snake when you picked me up."
Too, I wonder, what the sentiment would be if RR had published to "enemies" and "employers" the suggestion that _you_ had had sex with children, Paul, and then additionally published that you "protested too much" in that regard... Outrage!
...Then RR goes on to wish death on all those not facilitating him or crediting him as you and Stuart do. Light speed "attitude changes" must now abound, so how valid could those "attitudes" have been to begin, eh?
...From "kiss-ass" to "keynote" in one cleansing and forgiving breath?
Well, rest assured. I'll be loping off this snake's head with every appropriate opportunity, and let me apologize in advance for anyone losing fingers in the senselessly insentient stroking of it.
You burn up a lot of earned idiosyncratic credit with me, Paul. And so needlessly, too. Pity.
To Jeff: you're right Sir. It _is_ absurd; however, some cross a line, and in as much there has not been an ounce of apology or reparation regarding false accusations of pederasty, reasonable "dues" have not been paid. Too, a rapist gets a "by."
In sadness,
Alfred Lehmberg
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