A Genealogy of the Extraterrestrial in American Culture
A Genealogy of the Extraterrestrial in American Culture
A Genealogy of the Extraterrestrial in American Culture
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abduction scenario <strong>in</strong> a variety <strong>of</strong> ways. The fact that <strong>the</strong> latter mode <strong>of</strong> communication between<br />
human and extraterrestrial is coercive is <strong>the</strong> most obvious difference. In <strong>the</strong> cases thus far<br />
discussed, <strong>the</strong> human <strong>in</strong>terlocutors have been will<strong>in</strong>g participants <strong>in</strong> communication. Increas<strong>in</strong>g<br />
levels <strong>of</strong> paranoia regard<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>tentions <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> extraterrestrials is ano<strong>the</strong>r related hallmark <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> displaced utopian imag<strong>in</strong>ary <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> age <strong>of</strong> abduction. Clearly, if humans are be<strong>in</strong>g taken<br />
aga<strong>in</strong>st <strong>the</strong>ir will, <strong>the</strong> beneficence <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir abductors’ <strong>in</strong>tentions is open to question. The<br />
displaced utopian imag<strong>in</strong>ary’s dystopian doppelganger emerges <strong>in</strong> full force <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> abduction<br />
scenario. All <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se shifts will be treated at greater length over <strong>the</strong> rema<strong>in</strong>der <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> chapter.<br />
But first, let us return to <strong>the</strong> case <strong>of</strong> Betty and Barney Hill—<strong>the</strong> first widely discussed <strong>in</strong>stance <strong>of</strong><br />
abduction.<br />
In September <strong>of</strong> 1961, some two months after <strong>the</strong>ir o<strong>the</strong>rworldly experience, <strong>the</strong> Hills<br />
met with Robert Hohmann, C.D. Jackson (both employees <strong>of</strong> an unnamed electronics firm: <strong>the</strong><br />
former as a technical writer and <strong>the</strong> latter as a senior eng<strong>in</strong>eer and members <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> National<br />
Investigations Committer on Aerial Phenomena (N.I.C.A.P.)) at <strong>the</strong> latter’s’ request. The Hill<br />
case first appeared on <strong>the</strong> radar as a close encounter with<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> realm <strong>of</strong> ma<strong>in</strong>stream ufology<br />
ra<strong>the</strong>r than as abduction. It was dur<strong>in</strong>g this N.I.C.A.P. meet<strong>in</strong>g that Betty and Barney realized<br />
that <strong>the</strong>re was a two hour-plus period that was not accounted for <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir memories <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> trip.<br />
Miss<strong>in</strong>g time was to become a hallmark <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> abduction experience. Barney recalled,<br />
257 Fuller, 45-46.<br />
and while <strong>the</strong>y were here <strong>the</strong>y were mentally reconstruct<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> whole trip. One <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m<br />
said ‘what took you so long to get home?’ They said ‘look, you went this distance and it<br />
took you <strong>the</strong>se hours. Where were you?’ Well, when <strong>the</strong>y said this, I really thought I was<br />
go<strong>in</strong>g to crack up. I got terrified and I even put my head on <strong>the</strong> table... I was baffled as to<br />
what <strong>the</strong> reason was for us leav<strong>in</strong>g Colebrook at 10:05 pm and arriv<strong>in</strong>g back here at<br />
dawn, somewhere around 5 am - nearly seven hours <strong>in</strong>stead <strong>of</strong> less than four. Even if I<br />
allowed more time than I know we took at those roadside stops, <strong>the</strong>re still were at least<br />
two hours miss<strong>in</strong>g out <strong>of</strong> that night’s trip.” 257<br />
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