From UFOs to the Deep State: The 1989 MUFON Convention and the Emergence of Conspiracy Narratives
To the point
At the 1989 MUFON convention, mainstream attendees forced Lear's people off the program, the event proceeded with them speaking later, and Bill Cooper's appearance linked UFO interests to broader conspiracy ideas about a secret government and a deep state, showing how UFO circles intersected with broader narratives of power and secrecy.
At the 1989 MUFON convention, mainstream attendees opposed Lear's people and removed them from the program, triggering a large protest. The event proceeded as planned, with Lear's people speaking later the next day at a different time. The conference introduced many attendees to Bill Cooper, a pivotal figure in conspiracy theory. His presence linked UFO interests to broader ideas about a secret government and unaccountable parts of the state, precursors to later notions of a deep state. Because the focus was UFOs, those concerns took shape within that framework. The episode illustrates how UFO circles intersected with wider conspiracy narratives, shaping how people imagined power and secrecy.
Source: youtube.com