Stephen Bassett knew they were capable of learning the truth about the government's attempt to keep alien life forms a secret. Bassett has a message he believes his being ignored by the general public -- mainly the media. His message: "You're not being told everything."

On Wednesday night at Wesleyan University, Bassett, a lobbyist and political activist, related that message to about 40 people, mostly students, during a two-hour lecture -- "The Politics of UFOs" -- a discussion about the government's so far successful attempts to cover-up what they have known about extra-terrestrials since 1947 when the national security act was established.

"We've got extra-terrestrials here," Bassett said. He said the government has always known it could not keep extra-terrestrials a secret, but they could manage it. The government has "managed" the truth all this time based on three axioms, Bassett said. One: "Don't ask, don't tell." Two: "Need to know." Three, and his personal favorite, "You can't handle the truth."

However, Bassett said there have been three major political efforts to expose the cover-up. Bassett said, the first effort started in 1966 when President Gerald Ford held a scripted congressional hearing at which three military speakers testified to UFOs hovering over Strategic Air Command air force bases. Bassett said that effort ended in 1968 when another scripted symposium, at which Carl Segan spoke, was challenged.

Bassett said the second effort took place in 1976 when President Jimmy Carter spearheaded a study to confirm extra-terrestrials existed. But, Bassett said Carter's efforts were sandbagged when various government agencies, like the CIA, refused to divulge any information.

In 1993, Bassett said the third effort was by far the closest to revealing the cover up. The Cold War had ended. President George Bush was seeking a second term. The timing and the players were ideal, Bassett said. It was agreed, that the Bush administration was ready to reveal the cover-up during the first year of his second term, Bassett said. But, he said it all seemed to fall apart when President Bill Clinton was elected. However, all was not lost. Bassett said there are documents to prove that Clinton agreed to move forward with the effort to end the cover-up. Long story, short -- Bassett said Clinton was ready to disclose the cover up in 1997, but that same year he was indicted. Effort thwarted. There was a fourth effort in 2001, Bassett said, but that hope was squashed on Sept. 11. Log on to www.paradigmclock.com for more information.