CURL: Astronaut says we’re not alone

After the press conference, Mr. Mitchell said he got involved because people with UFO encounters “figured I was reliable enough to carry their stories and not compromise them.”

“All of a sudden, when I began to realize the UFO phenomenon and alien visitation was real, I thought, ‘OK, we’re not alone in the universe.’ That’s pretty big news for we humans.”

Asked why there still is no definitive proof, he said: “We have that, it’s just that it’s been covered up and denied by the powers that be in our own government,” adding that “there’s a secret government” that may be run by the “military-industrial complex.”

“We’ve got to get to the bottom of this. It’s our place in the universe we’re talking about. We are really universal beings.” And as to whether his foray into UFOlogy is detracting from his reputation, he said, “Maybe I’m damaging it, but it doesn’t matter, because I know we’re right about this.”