The erstwhile Stephen Bassett of the Paradigm Research Group recently posted a petition on the White House’s new petitioning website, calling for the President Barack Obama to “formally acknowledge an extraterrestrial presence engaging the human race.” You can read a description of the petition at the Open Minds website; it’s nicely done.

Personally, I’m ambivalent about the request.

On the one hand, it’s worth proposing. As I have said many times, if the government actually knows of an intelligent ET presence, and if there is evidence to that effect, the public should at least know that much. The government can reserve information relevant to national security, but the public should at least know that much, and can handle it.

On the flip side, the present administration would only reveal any actual information if if served its larger left-wing anti-colonialist, throw-our-economy-into-the-crapper agenda. The Obama administration has shown that it is anything but transparent. Like other administrations before it, it is deeply, disturbingly corrupt.1

But it’s a nice thought.