Controversial Comments on Race by Mysterious Universe Co-Host Result in Blowback from Paranormal Community

*(Emily Wayland / Singular Fortean Society)*

This article contains strong language that some might find offensive.

Updated 6/23/20.

Mysterious Universe co-host Benjamin Grundy tweeted a series of controversial arguments recently in an attempt to reinforce the narrative that current protests demanding racial justice are part of a Marxist conspiracy, rather than the result of pent-up frustrations following generations of systemic racism.

Grundy’s arguments followed statements made to Facebook by Jan Maccabee—wife of ufologist Bruce Maccabee—in which she espouses similar beliefs in conspiratorial elements as the root cause of the protests.

Maccabee’s comments were shared to Facebook, but have since been removed after being reported.

While the statements made by Maccabee were met with strong disagreement within the paranormal community, Grundy’s persistent arguments in defense of his position have created the most significant blowback.

Grundy argued against the existence of white privilege, using Indian and Asian Americans as examples of what he implies are “successful” minorities in the United States. He did not address in his argument the history of racism that continues to affect both minorities into the 21st century, choosing instead to measure their relative success by how they “earn much more than whites.”

Grundy also chose to deny the far-reaching effects of slavery still seen throughout modern society, despite prolific research contradictory to his opinion, such as a paper written by Dr. Ronald W. Walters in 2012 for The Journal of African American History, wherein he argued that "at the beginning of the 21st century, it is still accurate to suggest that African Americans are not free because they are not equal in whatever aspect one wishes to address. That is to say, they are not able to operationalize the full range of resources that would enable them to participate in society on the same level with others largely because of the unresolved issues involved in their original enslavement."

He continued to insist that white privilege does not exist in a debate with Miguel Romero (@red_pill_junkie), an artist, paranormal researcher, and Mysterious Universe contributor out of Mexico, describing the concept as “racism, pure and simple.”

White privilege is more commonly defined as “having greater access to power and resources than people of color [in the same situation] do.”

In an article for Teaching Tolerance, author Cory Collins wrote that "white privilege is not the assumption that everything a white person has accomplished is unearned; most white people who have reached a high level of success worked extremely hard to get there. Instead, white privilege should be viewed as a built-in advantage, separate from one’s level of income or effort."

According to Collins, “racial bias is a belief. Racism is what happens when that belief translates into action.”

However, Collins said, “Having white privilege and recognizing it is not racist. But white privilege exists because of historic, enduring racism and biases.”

Ultimately, Grundy seemed most concerned with what he has referred to on the Mysterious Universe podcast as the “Marxist Identity Utopia”—a purported communist plot that some conspiracy theorists claim exists to divide, organize, and ultimately control society through identity politics—and what that might mean in terms of actions he deemed would “punish others unfairly.”

To understand Grundy’s position more clearly, many turned to the tweets he had endorsed on his profile.

These included statements reinforcing his position on Marxism, racism, white privilege, and conspiracy theory.

Outrage over Grundy’s seemingly racist opinions has resulted in strong condemnations from many in the paranormal community over what they see as endemic racism that has been allowed to exist within the industry since its advent.

"There’s an ugly truth hiding at the core of the weird world. No matter which community you inhabit—paranormal, UFO, conspiracy theories, cryptids, etc—many of the foundations were laid by people who hold terrible views. Among them, white supremacy, racism, xenophobia, misogyny, homophobia, [and] transphobia,” said Shane McClelland of The Q Files.

"It is imperative for us to accept that truth and recognize that few of these views are often expressed clearly and openly. But those who have been impacted by their harmful nature, and those who have studied and can recognize harmful coded language and themes, assure you that this does, indeed, exist," he continued. "Without critical examination of their views, we allow more than troubling viewpoints to fester and grow in our midst. If we’re to continue to grow as a community. If we’re to continue to spread the word about the mysterious and magical world around us, it is imperative for everyone who can, to recognize that for too long we have permitted these evil people to associate with us."

"It is no longer good enough to benefit and later say you didn’t know," McClelland added. "Their harmful nature must be recognized, confronted, and excluded from our communities."

Paranormal writer, researcher, and lecturer John E.L. Tenney had this to say of the recent comments by Grundy and Maccabee:

Fuck people who hold racist beliefs. Can terrible people contribute something of value? Of course they can because all people are capable of good and bad ideas. When someone, no matter who they are, uses their platform to hinder creativity and imagination, when they actively foment fear or use their position to create division then they have chosen to walk that road alone and do not deserve the time, energy, creativity and hopefulness that this community is capable of.

Ryan Sprague of Somewhere in the Skies said that he has chosen to unfollow Grundy and Mysterious Universe, and requested that all of his past interviews be taken off of their website, barring an apology for the tweets.

"Navigating my way through the UFO, paranormal, and podcasting worlds, I’ve met people from all walks of life, belief systems, political mindsets, and faith. It’s been an extremely rewarding journey, but also very challenging. There is an insidious corner of these weird worlds that not only defend racism, xenophobia, misogyny, and homophobia, but promote it. These are not individuals I can personally associate myself with. But I also believe that people can change, and truly hope that happens, person by person. This is a time for reflection and change. Embrace it," he said.

Recent guests on Mysterious Universe—and co-authors of Where the Footprints End: High Strangeness and the Bigfoot Phenomenon—Joshua Cutchin and Timothy Renner, also provided statements distancing themselves from Grundy.

"Regarding any of my audio interviews, I would caution people to not conflate a host’s political views with the political views of the interviewee," said Cutchin.

Renner said of the situation regarding Maccabee and Grundy that "I do not follow any of these people. I do not know what they said. I certainly do not endorse any such statements nor do I believe the protests are either a deep state conspiracy or an orchestrated Antifa plot to destroy America. I think such statements are harmful to any community, paranormal or otherwise. I certainly do not agree with, nor endorse such lines of thought."

"I do not have a relationship with [Grundy]," he added. "I appeared on his podcast. I happened to have the foul luck of being the last guest before he was 'outed' for liking some racist posts on Twitter. My appearance on ANY show—no matter what it is—should not be taken as an endorsement of the host’s politics."

Author and investigator Lon Strickler was similarly inspired to write a blog condemning racism in the paranormal industry, which can be read on his website Phantoms & Monsters.

As of the writing of this article, Mysterious Universe has lost several hundred followers on social media, but what the ultimate effect of Grundy’s statements might be is unknown.

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