Only true '90s kids remember being scared to death of that infamous intro to "The X-Files" while their parents watched Mulder and Scully try to prove the existence of extraterrestrial life.
Recent remarks by President Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton have, in my opinion, ushered in a new era to conspiracy theorists and ufology. The truth is out there, and it has started to be taken seriously by the highest officials in government.
Last week on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," Clinton said, “If we were visited someday, I wouldn't be surprised. I just hope that it’s not like ‘Independence Day'.”
Clinton also said that when he was president, he asked his aides to investigate any evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence.
Obama also made history last December being the only president to acknowledge the existence of the incredibly controversial and secretive Area 51 in the Nevada desert. He poked fun at actress Shirley MacLaine, who has claimed to have seen many UFOs in her life, at the Kennedy Center Honors.
"Now, when you first become president, one of the questions that people ask you is, 'What's really going on in Area 51?'" Obama joked. "When I wanted to know, I'd call Shirley MacLaine. I think I just became the first president to ever publicly mention Area 51. How's that, Shirley?"
While this might seem trivial, those of us who study and theorize extraterrestrial life and ufology recognize Obama's remarks as significant to uncovering the truth.
These conspiracies have gone so far as members of the Canadian Parliament publicly stating that at least two extraterrestrial lifeforms work for the U.S. government. Paul Hellyer, a member of the Canadian political elite, made these statements fully knowing that many will not take him seriously but the conspiracy theorists are overjoyed.
In my own experiences, it's a breath of fresh air to see my own experiences validated through respected politicians. I have seen numerous UFOs, that is unidentified flying objects, which have challenged my view on the world.
My first experience was in New Mexico on a road trip to see family in Texas when I saw brightly colored objects moving in nonlinear movements across the sky above me. I was about 6-years-old with my much older cousins, who confirmed what I saw.
The last experience I had was on a flight to Northern Ireland on an exchange program when I was 16-years-old. The plane was descending low into the clouds when I looked outside my window and saw a small, silver disk rapidly move through the clouds in bizarre flight patterns.
I know what I saw, and I know what they were not. These experiences have left me feeling crazy and many people scoffed at my beliefs. Skeptics have tried to give me all explanations that are not consistent with what I saw.
Hearing politicians speak so frankly and candidly of experiences that have riddled my mind have justified that yes, in fact, there are others who share my tireless curiosity.
I have faith that in my lifetime hard evidence will surface of extraterrestrial life. Whether or not that life has visited earth is pretty much where people's beliefs stop.
We now live in an age when those who believe aliens have visited earth are crazy, but those who don't believe aliens exist anywhere in the universe are arrogant.
My experiences very well may have been just meteorological phenomena, but until that is proven, I will continue to look to the skies for the truth.
Reach the columnist at gromero7@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @gilromeo92
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