When we decided to feature “The Mystery of the Christ” on the cover of AR #46, we had no idea that we were about to witness a contemporary crucifixion of some magnitude. The magazine had already gone to press when we learned the sad news that Dr. Eugene Mallove—for the last few years author of our regular “New Heretic” column—had been mysteriously murdered. While the common fate of heretics, such as Gene, is well known, to say that we were shocked would truly be an understatement. Brian O’Leary’s eulogy appears elsewhere in these pages but we thought a few additional comments here were appropriate.
We at Atlantis Rising had felt a special kinship with Gene. His own publication, “Infinite Energy,” which fought to right the wrongs of a corrupt scientific priesthood had been launched not long before our own venture. We also agreed with him that so-called “Cold-Fusion” had been misrepresented and unfairly maligned and we included an interview with Gene and a story on the controversy in our second issue. Several times over the years we have reported on his efforts and we included an interview with him in our video “Clash of the Geniuses.” When we approached him about writing a regular column he was happy to comply.
Gene was a heretic because he dared to question the doctrines of a physics priesthood interested more in its own power than in the facts. He knew from first-hand experience at M.I.T. that the public had been deceived about the truth of cold fusion research. He never tired of arguing his case, and it seems especially poetic that his final column in AR #46 was titled “Vindication?!”
Thirteen years after the original Pons/Fleischmann experiments at the University of Utah—years that had seen the entire subject ridiculed and dismissed by the establishment—the U.S. Department of Energy had finally decided to revisit the controversy. Gene and the rest of the Cold Fusion research community rejoiced at the breakthrough, nevertheless, as he warned in that final column, the battle was far from won. Still, euphoria reigned. Until, that is, the news of his murder.
At such times it is easy to believe that the bad guys are winning, but that would be another error which, we believe, Gene would have warned us against.
We couldn’t help remembering the duel between Obiwan Kenobi and Darth Vader in “Star Wars.” Just before the end, Obiwan says, “If you kill me, I shall become more powerful than you can ever imagine.” The rest of the story made it clear just what he meant.
Now, as those of us who remain to challenge the death star of the evil empire go about our work, we would not be surprised if a whisper from the great beyond helped point the way to the heart of enemy power and led us on to victory.
Publisher’s Letter
Sept/Oct 2004 – #47
