Karl has been one of my favourite ufologists from the day I first met him, back in September, 2001, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. We flew him in to interview him for Stanton T. Friedman is Real (Kevin Randle lives in Cedar Rapids, so we figured we'd shoot two birds with one stone, to mix metaphors). He was the perfect interview - no B.S., just the straight goods, for good or ill. The chips in his world fall where they fall (as anyone who has read his Saucer Smear column, "Pflock Talk," is aware). I respect that.
In the years since, we've kept in touch via e-mail, hooked up for a couple more interviews (Karl appears in Do You Believe in Majic and Aztec 1948 as the ufological yin, respectively, to Stan and Scott Ramsey's ufological yang), and at the 2003 Aztec UFO Symposium. We disagree on some things, but always politely, and he's been very helpful with my research into the Aztec case.
In fact, the only time Karl has ever lost his cool with me was when the crew and I showed up an hour or so late for an interview at his Placitas home in 2003 (we had misjudged the length of the drive from Aztec, where we were staying, to Placitas). A lot of interview subjects would have said "Screw you." I think Karl said something like that, too, which was quickly followed by a smile (er, at least I think it was a smile), and an offer to start over again the next day. That's my definition of "gracious."
Now, not everyone is a Karl Pflock fan. His past work with the CIA and the Department of Defense has some conspiracy-minded folks convinced he's involved in the Cosmic Watergate somehow ("hahaha," is all that I can say to that). He also used an alias at one point (the legendary Kurt Peters), which has undercut his credibility with a few ufologists (you know the ones - they live in the glass house next to yours). His position on Roswell (Mogul balloon) has made him the bete-noire of crashed saucer proponents.
All par for the course in the zany world of ufology, where, if everyone likes you, then you're doing something wrong!
Personally, my only beef with Karl are those silly bolo ties (or whatever they're called) that he insists on wearing. Ick...
Other than that, he is, for my money, one of the truly good guys in ufology - full stop (as my British pals would say).
I consider him a friend. In his fight with ALS, I'm rooting for him to beat the odds (as, I hear, is Zorgrot).
Here's hoping he's around to keep ufology - and ufoology - honest for many years to come!
Paul Kimball
2 comments:
I would suspect that if Karl was, indeed, a "double agent," he'd come clean now that he made public his illness.
Rich
Pflock working for the CIA. What do you know?
Clearly you know little Paul!
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