Keel's Weird MIB

In his June 1974 column for Saga magazine, John Keel wrote about what was for the time, the most common type of "alien entity" being described by witnesses.  And it's not what most people these days would expect. Furthermore, he writes that many of these visitors exhibit a strange condition.

Keel states:

"...one type has turned up more often than any other.  These "creatures" are of normal height--five to six feet tall--and resemble normal earthlings, except that their facial features are quite angular.  Often, witnesses think they are of oriental extraction, because of their elongated eyes, high cheekbones, and dark complexions.

One of the most ignored aspects of these largely overlooked contact cases is probably one of the most important.  These strange beings have trouble breathing.

The seem to be gasping for air when they speak, as if they were suffering from asthma.  Their faces turn red from the effort.  When they move, they stagger uncertainly, almost as if they were drunk."

Keel expounds further on the apparent condition of these visitors stating that they appear to show symptoms of "aeroembolism" or "the air bends."

There are a number of interesting aspects to Keel's article.  First of all, of note is the fact that in 1974, at least by Keel's accounting, the most common alien entities being reported were not the now familiar grays, but a more human appearing figure closer to the notorious MIB (Men in Black).  In the article, Keel also states that labored breathing is a common factor in many MIB reports and in fact, he gives us several fascinating reports as examples:

"From a deputy police officer's description of his encounter with three mysterious men in black suits in 1968:  "The had an odd manner of speaking, as though they would inhale, speak until they had expelled all their breath, and then inhale again before beginning to speak again."

Testimony of a family in Cape May, New Jersey, describing a mysterious visitor who appeared shortly after they had experienced some unusual UFO sightings in 1966: "He seemed to wheeze, like  a man with asthma.  He appeared to have difficulty breathing.  One of his eyes appeared to have a cast, like a glass eye.  His eyes did not seem to move in unison."

In 1967, a young family man from Belpre, Ohio, witnessed some interesting sightings.  Shortly afterwards, he had a brief encounter with two black-garbed Oriental-looking men.  He said they appeared confused or drunk, and seemed to have difficulty walking.

In the spring of 1968, an "Indian" in black clothes appeared in the middle of the night, on a college campus in Minnesota, following a series of UFO sightings.  He behaved in a drunken fashion.

A "drunken Chinaman" staggered into a newspaper office in New York State, while a reporter was typing up a local UFO report in 1969.  He was dressed in a black suit.  After much wheezing, he managed to say, "Don't print that story."  He then staggered out, bumping into furniture.  The reporter followed him immediately, but the street outside was completely deserted.

Is it the atmosphere itself of planet earth that's causing this effect on these beings, or is something else going on?

More tomorrow in part 2.