Wednesday 17 August 2016

Groundhog Day or Final Conflict?


"Would you have me keep repeating myself for the rest of my life?" — Seán Manchester



Any notion of Seán Manchester entering into a slanging match with David Farrant should be dispelled from the outset, nor would he consider the prospect of sharing a platform with him that is tainted with partiality (as is clearly evident at ASSAP events). Seán Manchester would, however, consider one final confrontation where only he and Farrant participate before completely impartial adjudicators in a non-sensational atmosphere and environment. This could be a university debating chamber, or similar venue where strict controls are in place. The entire session would be recorded for posterity, and the presence of a polygrapher, though not infallible, made available for use by either side.

The neutral venue and impartial adjudicators would have to be acceptable to both parties. It is suggested that the latter be more grounded in law and logic than folklore and esotericism, as nothing supernatural can be proven or disproven. What can be established is the veracity of claims by either side where extant evidence can be forensically examined and put to the test. If one side makes claims about the other party, or indeed himself, his argument needs to be supported by evidence.     

A reasonable period for each side to make their submissions with evidence should then be followed by an informal discussion with the adjudicators who will be free to ask questions of their choosing. If it is felt that anything claimed by either party requires further testing this would then take place. The procedure in its entirety ought to be recorded and this unedited record made available to each party.



To clarify for anyone as slow on the uptake as Hogg, FoBSM obviously includes Seán Manchester among its number, and is therefore privy to whatever he chooses to share. The ASSAP's impartiality is evident in so far as it has only ever invited David Farrant in the past to discuss the Highgate Vampire case, even though Farrant played no part in the investigation of the vampiric entity.

The "terms" set out are suggestions to which Seán Manchester has agreed in principle, but would  Anthony Hogg really prefer if the venue and its adjudicators were not acceptable to both parties, that evidence should not be available for examination, and there should not be a polygrapher present? 


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