Editorial: Bigfoot, Baloney!
Posted by: Craig Woolheater on November 8th, 2006
The Columbian of Vancouver WA published this editorial today regarding the AP article about Jeff Meldrum.
There is a place to leave your comments regarding this editorial on their site here.
Just remember, no death threats please.
In Our View – Bigfoot, Baloney!
Wednesday, November 8, 2006
Columbian editorial writers
Maybe this legend fills a human need
Bigfoot doesn’t exist. That bold editorial stance is subject to change if and when there’s scientific evidence that the legendary ape-man of the Northwest, also called Sasquatch, now roams or ever did roam the Cascades or other mountains anywhere. Until then, taxpayers shouldn’t subsidize the fantasies of people such as anatomy professor Jeffrey Meldrum at Idaho State University or the late Grover Krantz of Washington State University.
A recent Associated Press story said Meldrum, a Krantz disciple, "spends most of his days in his laboratory (on campus) analyzing more than 200 jumbo plaster casts of what he contends are Bigfoot footprints." The notoriety Meldrum brings to the Pocatello school is embarrassing to many on the faculty, although some defend his work as academic freedom. Last summer, more than 30 faculty members signed a petition protesting ISU’s hosting of a Bigfoot symposium where Meldrum was keynote speaker.
Tom Leeson of Vancouver has taken wildlife pictures professionally for 30 years and has seen and photographed rare and furtive animals, including the black footed ferret in Montana, wolverines in the Canadian Rockies, and wild cougars on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula. He and his wife, Pat (link to their website) travel all over the world shooting pictures.
And guess what? They’ve never seen a Bigfoot, alive or dead. And they haven’t seen or heard of evidence such as a bona fide photo or fur or bones that scientists can say are consistent with the notion of the legendary man-ape. "Somebody would eventually find a body" if there were a Bigfoot," Leeson quite sanely figures. "A hunter would have shot one in the past 150 years. A motorist would have hit one crossing a road somewhere."
Maybe, as Leeson figures, the Bigfoot legend fills a need in some folks to have something in their lives they can’t explain, like lost gold mines. Or how about a man’s disappearance? Thirty-five years ago this month, Dan "D.B." Cooper parachuted out of a commercial airliner over Southwest Washington with $200,000 in cash. He or his remains have not been found. Maybe Bigfoot ate him.
Co-founder of Cryptomundo in 2005.
I have appeared in or contributed to the following TV programs, documentaries and films:
OLN's Mysterious Encounters: "Caddo Critter", Southern Fried Bigfoot, Travel Channel's Weird Travels: "Bigfoot", History Channel's MonsterQuest: "Swamp Stalker", The Wild Man of the Navidad, Destination America's Monsters and Mysteries in America: Texas Terror - Lake Worth Monster, Animal Planet's Finding Bigfoot: Return to Boggy Creek and Beast of the Bayou.
Ok, I know I am a big dumb guy but I pay taxes too. Since I know there alot of professors on campus whose views I don’t agree with, lets have a witch hunt and get rid of all them. Its amazing to really see how closed minded our society is and how limited free speech is for some people if it doesn’t coincide with their beliefs. But what do I know? I am just a big dumb guy who pays taxes.
I guess taxpayers should subsidize “womens studies” and professors who use their lecturn as a pulpit to bash the U.S. I guess we should cut funding for the study of black holes after all I’ve never seen one so they must not exist. Dr. Meldrum is a scientist doing what a scientist should do: trying to find a breakthrough in something we know little or nothing about.
Oh, give me a break. Where do I begin?
“Until then, taxpayers shouldn’t subsidize the fantasies of people such as anatomy professor Jeffrey Meldrum at Idaho State University or the late Grover Krantz of Washington State University.”
And taxpayers haven’t footed the bill for other studies or programs that can be stacked up to be wastes of money? Lord.
“A recent Associated Press story said Meldrum, a Krantz disciple, “spends most of his days in his laboratory (on campus) analyzing more than 200 jumbo plaster casts of what he contends are Bigfoot footprints.”
Isn’t continued research sorta part of his job?
“They’ve never seen a Bigfoot, alive or dead. And they haven’t seen or heard of evidence such as a bona fide photo or fur or bones that scientists can say are consistent with the notion of the legendary man-ape.”
Soooooo….since they haven’t seen Bigfoot, it does not exist? That is the silliest logic I’ve heard in quite some time QED.
“Maybe, as Leeson figures, the Bigfoot legend fills a need in some folks to have something in their lives they can’t explain, like lost gold mines.”
Or, maybe Bigfoot exists and the proper evidence to support that existence has not yet been found. Oh, and leave sarcasm for the professionals
“Or how about a man’s disappearance? Thirty-five years ago this month, Dan “D.B.” Cooper parachuted out of a commercial airliner over Southwest Washington with $200,000 in cash. He or his remains have not been found. Maybe Bigfoot ate him.”
Oh, and leave sarcasm to the professionals. That was pretty lame.
I’m so ashamed….that’s my local paper 🙁
The “logic” put forth in this story seems quite flawed. Many, many species are discovered every single year. Species that until their discoveries were either unknown or thought to be mere local legends. So to say that someone would have shot one, or hit one, or conclusively seen one by now is not really a viable argument to make. Though I will grant that it becomes harder and harder to hold out hope for sasquatch as time marches on.
As for what this professor is researching while on the clock; most universities have overseeing bodies in place that would make sure faculty and staff are doing what they are supposed to be doing. If the university has a problem with it then the university will address that problem with the professor. Tax money or not, I am uncomfortable with anyone trying to limit what is considered an “approved” field of study. In scientific research everything should be up for grabs.
When the uninformed make blanket statements, it really gets to me. If the author really thinks that most research done at universities is entirely necessary, I beg to differ. Right now, for some reason Bigfoot research is an easy target for people who have already blasted everything else into oblivion. Whether Bigfoot exists, nobody knows for sure, but why not try to uncover the truth?
Well, well, well, what a big knuckle-headed surprise, this ‘bold editorial stance’ they refer to, which has nothing in particular to do with zoological pursuits, but everything to do with bombast and sensationalism.
The mantra of most of today’s so-called news gathering organizations is disgustingly simple: It’s about basic spinmongering. If there isn’t any news to report, then go out and bloody well invent some news by stirring up something that’s sure to inflame the imaginations of the public – create a furor, launch a genuine controversy, anything you can – BECA– USE IT SELLS COPY… which pleases their key account advertisers by boosting viewership, readership and circulation; all of which isn’t bad for corporate revenues, either. Come on, folks, it’s how the world goes around.
Regrettably, the public is usually too dim-witted to understand that they, themselves, are the butt of this age-old, wry joke.
How does this guy know what “the taxpayers” want. Give me a break. Maybe someone should show him the numbers on how many people believe that Bigfoot exists……and, oh yeah ferrets, wolverines, and cougars, there’s a real comparison in regard to to an upright walking relative on the old family tree with apparently way more going on upstairs in the old cranium. Just like DB Cooper, and his failed attempt (as none of the money was ever found in circulation all these years later), it’s not DB Cooper, but this author that is the parachutist that forgot to pull their rip cord.
I like the stuff about their wildlife photography buddies; since they’ve never seen bigfoot, then of course(!)they couldn’t possibly exist. I’d just have to say that Roger Patterson must just be a much better animal tracker than them, because he not only saw one he filmed one. I’d also take exeption with the statements about NO evidence. These bigfoot casts ARE evidence! I guess if Jimmy Chilcutt tried to explain dermal ridges to this “journalist” his eyes would roll back in his head and he’d say “but where’s the evidence?” Some people will NOT believe if they don’t want to. There are several accounts of bigfoot bodies being taken away by authorities, so maybe this “journalist” should try to follow some of these stories to see if he can ascertain anything…Nah, that would actually take some research. And speaking of research, I guess he thinks unless something is completely researched then we shouldn’t spend any TAX PAYERS MONEY researching them!
It’s ok, he’s just not educated on the subject. It’s not his fault. I’m sure there isn’t any of us that would like to do his “job”.
Just give me a few months, and we’ll all wallow in “payback”.
Must be a slow news day what with a political revolution going on down here in the US of A. Tell me this editor didn’t waste his newsprint on pontificating about Sasquatch. Of course when I was in college, if you flunked out of every curriculum you could still get a decree in journalism.
If it was “cool” to believe in Bigfoot, Then would I? I am happy that a bunch of lamers do not believe. In fact, I can see value in Bigfoot never being confirmed. The value lies in their quality of life. We should distrust the parasites who are just out to EXPOSE. Let them be. It is OK to look for them and to find them but to expose them means their demise. If they exist, they are just trying to survive and live their lives. The last thing they need is some IDIOT from Jersey actually killing one and catching another for profit. Get It?
John Green once surmised that perhaps studying the Bigfoot phenomenon from a psychological standpoint would gain funding and merit on an academic level and in the end would benefit all sides concerned.
It seems the writer’s (Columbian Editorial) attitude is dianoetically unsound as he/she seems blatantly ignorant about being “open-minded” to all possibilities to an actual existence of these “fantasy creatures.” As far as not subsidizing such research with taxpayers money one should look no further than “The Beltway” a.k.a.The District of Columbia. “Pork” reigns supreme here as it is dished out by the shovelful for totally absurd and asinine “pet projects.” Much of that is earmarked to universities for their own “fantasy projects.” So that is where the writer should direct his/her diatribes, though it may fall on deaf ears similar to their own.
Another narrow-minded editor at another corporate newspaper that requires registration to leave a comment so they can fill your e-mail account with snake oil cures. I would merely like to point out that there are many wildlife photographers who never see or would recognize an unknown species.
I’d bet that if a poll was taken, the taxpayers themselves would overwhelmingly vote to continue to support Dr. Meldrum’s research.
OK. Maybe Bigfoot DOESN’T exist. That possibility does not invalidate Dr. Meldrum’s research. Something, or some things, produced the evidence that he studies. The only way to prove, or disprove, whether Bigfoot produced the evidence is to subject that evidence to scientific scrutiny. Is Dr. Meldrum biased? Of course he is. Any researcher who cares enough about a given subject to want to research it is biased. That’s why using strict research guidelines is important.
Taxpayer dollars support all kinds of research, from religious studies to the next cure for cancer. Taxpayer dollars have supported research into UFOs and the breeding habits of white mice.
Why would Bigfoot be any less worthy of research dollars than any other subject?
“A hunter would have shot one in the past 150 years. A motorist would have hit one crossing a road somewhere.”
Who says one hasn’t been shot or one hasn’t been hit crossing a road?
Are there not credible reports of Sasquatch being shot and being hit crossing roads? I believe there are. And where were you and your camera, Mr. Leeson? Maybe you’ll be the first to hit a Sasquatch with a camera.
Okay.
That’s it.
Pack it up, folks.
Mystery solved.
The Columbian editorial staff, who apparently has waaay more credibility than Jeff Meldrum, unequivocally says bigfoot doesn’t exist. Heck, the Columbian editorial staff must know something that Goodall and Schaller don’t know.
Craig Woolheater needs to shut down this part of Cryptomundo. He needs to call off his bird dogs in the TBRC. Stop beating the bushes.
Shut the BFF down, Brian. It’s all over.
Loren Coleman needs to recall all of his books on the subject.
I just wish the Columbian gurus had told us a long time ago.
I’m just wondering if the author of the article even went to college. I attended a state funded school and most of the money for research and such comes from: tuition, grants, or gifts. Unless this specific study has received a grant from a tax-funded program, the tax payers really have nothing to do with it.
Also, considering we don’t even know all of the species that exist in our national parks, who’s to say we won’t discover a Sasquatch somewhere? Right now, only one park in the country (Great Smokey Mountains National Park) is even conducting an an All Taxa Biodiversity Initiative – where they try to locate and document every species living in the park system.
Man. I could have written that so-called editorial, sitting right here.
Get me straight on this. He/they got PAID to do that?
Vancouver, sheesh. Hey, do we need to believe, much less read, anything printed in a newspaper from a town that lacks the brains to do more than copy the name of a CANADIAN city?
These guys wouldn’t know a Bigfoot if one signed their paychecks in front of them. Odds are good something with less brains than a Bigfoot does.
And while we’re on evidence: this so-called editorial is all the evidence I have that these idiots exist. There’s much more, and much much better, evidence for Bigfoot. Not that they’d know that.
And I too have NEVER seen a black hole. And how many of these eedjits even understand the mathematics that constitute all the “evidence” we have for them?
Maybe there’s some funding we should cut off, hmmm?
For your entertainment here’s what I sent the paper. (Look Ma, no death threats!)
—————
Got an idea for you clowns. Actually, several.
1. Show me you’ve perused any of the tons of pretty compelling evidence for the existence of this species. (Including more sightings by more pillars of the community than you could put in this poor excuse for a newspaper.)
2. Show me where you’ve read that a MOVIE of the thing (sorry, Tom and Pat) has ever been debunked. The Patterson-Gimlin film never has. Ever. The only indepth analyses ever done of it — by scientists using scientific methods — pronounce this a genuine critter. If you think it’s been shown to be crap, you’d flunk Journalism 101. No real surprise there.)
3. Show me, please, that you didn’t GET PAID to write this totally unresearched nonsense.
4. Show me you even know what’s going on in the country. With a big election going on you thought this was a better use of your time? Saaaay, maybe you DID flunk Jour 101. That’s where they go, to the op-ed page….
5. Here’s the really great idea. Take any 100 things the Federal Government spends dough on, put them up against what the Feds are spending on Bigfoot, and have the five people that read this paper tell you via poll where the best money’s being spent.
But that would require research. Not promising given our source.
[withheld my name and city on the understanding that you don’t post those, but pleased to furnish on request. ]
(That’s in the USA. And I’m sure there are no burgs by that name in Canada.)
OK, I left one more note for our friends.
———-
OK, here’s one more great idea.
1. Have one of those 50 cheap interns you keep around spend a day or so on the Texas Bigfoot Research Center or Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization. Spend a day on each; you’ll need that at a minimum.
If your intern tells you after that that there isn’t a shred of evidence out there that’s worth even a little extra look by science…get a new intern. Because George Schaller and Jane Goodall disagree with your intern.
(Don’t know who they are? Then you lack the baseline knowledge to even have considered tackling this topic. So much for Jour 101.)
It continues to amaze me how uninformed people can speak out on subjects they know nothing about, never spent any time researching, much less talking to those that have.