The current debate concerning Disclosure Project witnesses compels me share my perspective. It is my assessment that this controversy reveals the low level of political and moral development of the subculture known as "ufology" Its relative backwardness and lack of consiousness is preventing the emergence of a vibrant broad based contact movement with the "Et visitors". It is my hope that the following narrative and analysis will move the discussion to a higher level by providing information from one who once was a "CSETI insider." I have not spoken to Dr. Greer in 8 years, nevertheless I still consider myself one who passionately believes that the presence of the "Visitors" can help our civilization evolve in a positive direction. I was closely involved with CSETI from 1992 to 1998. Most of my work involved organizing CSETI research activities known as the CE-5 Initiative. Although this project was never successful in achieving its ultimate goal of facilitating "landings of Et spacecraft and boardings of CSETI researchers" we had remarkable limited success. On repeated occasions I witnessed the vectoring in of UFOs by CSETI teams using Dr. Greer's contact protocols. Please see my web site where only a very small part of CSETI's investigations are described Joseph Burkes MD's website (http://www.contactunderground.com) The precursor to the Disclosure Project was known as "Starlight" and like the CE-5 Initiative that effort demanded tremendous personal and professional sacrifice from Dr. Greer. While working as an ER physician and helping his wife raise 4 children, he tirelessly traveled all over the Western World promoting human initiated and human empowered "Close Encounters" with the "Visitors." Project Starlight was equally ambitious and required countless confidential meetings between Greer and prominent military, political and intelligence officials who were assisting him in breaking the veil of secrecy surrounding this subject. I learned this from attending repeated meetings with Dr. Greer where he informed CSETI investigators concerning these developments. On several occasions I stayed with Steven and his wife Emily at their home in Asheville. There I witnesses those two brave souls stand up to constant adversity placed in their path. As a former political activist and fellow ER physician, I know that the nightmare of Emergency Room is good preparation for being a political operator in both Washington DC and the UFO ghetto. A difficult but necessary task that my colleague Dr. Greer had volunteered to do. I attended the 1997 "behind closed door briefing" held in Washington that was organized by Dr. Greer and his closest supporters. I participated in a limited way but observed the enormous complexity of witness selection process and the need to provide a respectful and supportive venue for them to give their important testimony. That Dr. Greer could hold success a diverse coalition together, on a shoestring budget, with crackpot debunkers hounding him at every step, was close to a miracle. Yes the late Philip Klass even tried to and disrupt that "by invitations only meeting. A six-foot tall, retired Navy Intelligence officer who also happened to be Dr. Greer's military advisor, kept that old but nevertheless determined debunker from barging in on our meeting. The definitive history of CSETI of course will be left to Steven Greer. I consider it a previlege to have witnessed only a small part of it. There was some vigorous discussion among Dr. Greers's team at that meeting. I spoke up because I found one or two witnesses to be highly questionable. Harsh words were exchanged but I still voiced my concerns and one pilot who was exposed as a con-man in UFO press was dropped at the last minute. This only occurred after Steven confronted him about the allegations in a last minute phone conversation before the witness departed for Washington. For those critics of CSETI and the Disclosure Project I urge you to consider the difficult balancing act that confronted Dr. Greer. Remember the witnesses were (and still are) susceptible to considerable intimidation. On one hand in order to attract the maximum number of witnesses, (this was especially important during the early stages of DP) a very supportive atmosphere had to be created in order for them to have the courage to come forward at all. On the other hand this broad invitation ran the risk that some of the witnessed might be problematic like the one described above. Dr. Greer invested considerable time and energy in assessing their testimony, nevertheless he was running a non-governmental organization that had almost no money. He and his family not only sacrificed hundreds of thousands of dollars of un-earned income as the result of his UFO work, but on top of that he was pouring thousands of dollars of money that he earned as a physician into the cause of ending the truth embargo. How can we compare this level of dedication and sacrifice to some of CSETI's critics who make a humble livelihood selling books and videos about UFOs and require a steady diet of new "discoveries" and "exposes" to increase their notoriety and support their income. I spent some time with Stephen Lovekin at the 1997 meeting. As an ER physician you learn a lot about people. Body language, the way people behave can tell you a lot. Sure it may not be as good as a $40,000 government security investigation, nevertheless when investigating witnesses' claims these subtle clues can be revealing. Lovekin impressed me as genuine. Unlike so many hucksters we find in this strange field, he had a quiet modesty that told me he was telling the truth as he knew it. There was something else I recall. There was a touch of fear or perhaps a better term would be uncertainty about him. It seemed like he was struggling with the wisdom of his decision to testify, but along side that reservation I sensed a determination to come forward no matter what the consequences. I believe then as I do know that Stephen Lovekin is the real McCoy. The real tragedy here is that the repeated attempts at debunking the Disclosure Project witnesses are coming from within the UFO community itself. Rather than assisting Dr. Greer and the Disclosure Project, they waste their time serving as disruptors of a very important effort. Such destructive activities will discourage other witnesses from coming forward. The UFO community, rather than being seen by the larger public as united, will show its worse sides, as a bizarre subculture where egoism and envy are important motivators rather than honesty, modesty and dedication. Potential donations from wealthy contributors will surely not be encouraged by these antics. I know how careful Dr. Geer was in protecting his sources in the early days of Starlight and the Disclosure Project. He did most of the interviewing work himself, not only to protect them from negative aspects of "ufology", but also because he knew of the potential risks to those like himself who were talking to individuals who were capable of explosive revelations. I personally had been involved in many physical confrontations with the authorities during my days as a student activist in the anti-war and civil rights movements of the 1960s and 1970s. We worried in those days about being kicked out of school, of being arrested, or being sent to Vietnam, Back in 1997 listening to the revelations of some of the witnesses Dr. Greer was attempting to bring forward, I was more scared than I had ever been during my youth. I still count myself proud of being a dues paying member of CSETI. I wish I could have done more during these last nine years to support the Disclosure Project and the other visionary campaigns of Dr. Greers's organization Ufology has the potential of being transformed from a marginalized sub-culture into something much broader and far more meaningful. The vision behind CSETI projects like the CE-5 Initiative, the Disclosure Project and SEAS can serve to guide us in building a social movement that can overcome UFO secrecy, establish a dialogue with the "Visitors" and possibly even help to integrate advanced propulsion systems into our planet's technological culture. For many such a choice is out of the question. They would rather promote their individual importance by tearing down the good work of others rather than uniting with the most progressive, energetic and thoughtful elements in our community. I urge truth seekers to support the vital work of Dr. Steven Greer and the Disclosure Project Witnesses. Sincerely, Joseph Burkes MD This letter can be reproduced in its entirety for distribution to the public