New Yorker Wants Vote on Big Apple ET Affairs Commissionhttp://www.aolnews.com/weird-news-elect ... n/19690139(Oct. 28) -- New York City is home to practically every ethnic group under the sun, and if one UFO researcher gets his way, it will soon be host to every extraterrestrial species in the universe.
Michael Luckman, author of "Alien Rock," has shifted his time from writing books to writing ballot initiatives -- specifically one that, if passed, would create an ET Affairs Commission. The panel would consist of seven volunteers who would meet twice a year to gather the most compelling evidence regarding the existence of extraterrestrials and UFOs and post it on the city's website.
The initiative is almost identical to one being considered by Denver voters, but while that city's altitude makes it closer to outer space than New York, Luckman believes there's no contest as to which burg ETs should visit first.
"New York is the media capital of the world," Luckman told AOL News. "UFOs don't visit that often, but there have been some extraordinary sightings. Muhammad Ali was training for a fight with George Foreman and running in Central Park when he saw a UFO. It was a mother ship and out of that came a smaller ship.
"John Lennon saw one as well. He was with May Pang, his girlfriend at the time, and yelled at it, 'Stop! Take me with you!' "
Getting signatures for any ballot initiative isn't easy, but Luckman believes New York's large size will actually make it easier to collect enough to make an impact.
"Because New York is larger than Denver, I think it's an easier task to get signatures," he said. "The news media is extremely interested in this. Nothing says it better than the reaction to the recent UFO sightings in the Big Apple. Some may have been balloons set off by schoolkids, but there is something going on."
Assuming the initiative passes and a commission is formed, Luckman says one of the first duties will be considering sites where alien spacecraft might land. Although the New York Jets and the New York Giants both play in New Jersey, he doesn't think having ET go there is a good idea.
"It has to be in New York. If they landed in New Jersey, it would be like 'War of the Worlds,' " he said with a laugh. "I think Central Park is the most natural spot and I'd like to see space set aside as a landing site."
Luckman says another duty of the proposed commission would be appointing a liaison to act as go-between for the city and visitors from other worlds.
To that end, Luckman is concurrently working on another project called the Committee of 1,000 Humans to Welcome Extraterrestrials to Earth ("I know. It's long," he said).
The world leaders Luckman would like to serve on that committee include Barack Obama, Bill and Hillary Clinton, and Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, but he also has other folks in mind.
"Muhammad Ali has had 22 sightings and is the most recognized person on the planet," he said. "Also, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Steven Spielberg, Larry King and [British pop star] Robbie Williams."
If Michael Jackson were still alive, he would presumably be on Luckman's short list. The author says the King of Pop once asked him to serve as a consultant on a project to build a high-tech alien landing pad in the Nevada desert.
Although the Denver initiative would require its commission to be funded by private sources, Luckman hasn't made a decision on how the New York panel would be funded. But he is still confident his initiative will pass muster in the Big Apple.
However, political experts familiar with the ways things are done in New York City are skeptical about the chances of the initiative ever getting to the voters.
Republican consultant Gerry O'Brien says the truth is, Gotham is "as unfriendly to its own constituents as they are to ETs."
"Unlike Western states, where voters can get initiatives on the ballot if they collect enough signatures, the only way that initiative could make on the New York ballot is if the mayor or a commission who answers to him places it there," O'Brien said.
Luckman isn't worried, possibly because Mayor Michael Bloomberg is already on his list of 1,000 people who should meet the ETs first when they land.
"The campaign will initially seek the support of the mayor," he said. "I have people inside City Hall who have expressed serious interest in the Extraterrestrial Ballot Initiative, but, right now, I can't comment more specifically. I wouldn't attempt this if I didn't think it was feasible.
"However, this is an opportunity for Mayor Bloomberg to promote extraterrestrial tourism in the Big Apple."
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