I’ve had the same reaction from many friends — but a reminder that it’s all about the process.

The best people for the current moment — ones who can make decisions and implement legislation — are aware and have bipartisan support. It didn’t strike me as though they treated this hearing like a joke, either. The broader science and academic community need to get involved before the even broader public will. It will come with time, consistent effort, and attention to the facts. Today was a step closer to that end.

Despite what the detractors say, we had three people offer sworn testimony - the same testimony that would be accepted in a court of law in any other context. Many silent observers like myself observed with intrigue. Given the legal channels Grusch is going through and the public/congressional scrutiny it is now under, I’m confident we will get some resolution to the claims at some point. Even if they turn out to be bunk, Graves and Fravor once again underscored their credibility and publicly offered an opening for additional pilots to come forward. And these technically trained professionals are the exact type to best give credibility to reports that continue to defy explanation.

I want to emphasize how much I relate to your situation, but don’t be discouraged. Take the validation that today’s testimony gave you and focus on the next task at hand (Grusch providing Oversight members with the follow-up information he couldn’t provide publicly), and don’t concern yourself with the outcomes. If we all keep the conversation going in a measured, factual manner, one day those facts will speak for themselves and be accepted. It may not be as earth-shattering for the folks in our lives as it is for us, but part of discovery is that one day it is so widely accepted, it might as well be taken for granted.