# Hundreds of thousands of people plan to rush Area 51 so they can see aliens **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 12, 2019, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-thousands-of-people-plan-to-rush-area-51-so-they-can-see-aliens/836988 "2019-07-12T21:51:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2019, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-thousands-of-people-plan-to-rush-area-51-so-they-can-see-aliens/836988/21 "2019-07-13T00:09:24Z")
> [@snfaulkner](#): > > I agree they are idiots. But really? You want to watch them get shot? They cull the herd when deer populations get to dense to be supported. Why should idiots be treated any differently? ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2019, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-thousands-of-people-plan-to-rush-area-51-so-they-can-see-aliens/836988/22 "2019-07-13T00:25:25Z")
> [@Spud](#): > > They cull the herd when deer populations get to dense to be supported. Why should idiots be treated any differently? But do you want to actually watch it? People. Getting shot. By the federal government, no less. To watch over and over on youtube? I’m not saying it should censored. I’m asking if that is something he, or you, or anyone, wants to actually see. For “entertainment” ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2019, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-thousands-of-people-plan-to-rush-area-51-so-they-can-see-aliens/836988/23 "2019-07-13T00:41:47Z")
> [@snfaulkner](#): > > But really? You want to watch them get shot? You’ll note in his post HD doesn’t actually say anything about deadly force being used in any of the videos he wants to watch. He’s not talking about what you think he’s talking about. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2019, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-thousands-of-people-plan-to-rush-area-51-so-they-can-see-aliens/836988/24 "2019-07-13T00:55:49Z")
> [@snfaulkner](#): > > But do you want to actually watch it? People. Getting shot. By the federal government, no less. To watch over and over on youtube? I’m not saying it should censored. I’m asking if that is something he, or you, or anyone, wants to actually see. For “entertainment” No, I wasn’t the one saying they wanted entertaining YouTube videos (which I think was a joke), I was the one making a different joke about culling the herd of idiots. You do realize this event is never going to happen don’t you? Therefore pretty much every response is a joke. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2019, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-thousands-of-people-plan-to-rush-area-51-so-they-can-see-aliens/836988/25 "2019-07-13T01:13:24Z")
> [@Spud](#): > > No, I wasn’t the one saying they wanted entertaining YouTube videos (which I think was a joke), I was the one making a different joke about culling the herd of idiots. > > You do realize this event is never going to happen don’t you? Therefore pretty much every response is a joke. Given the person I was initially responding to’s post history, I’m not so sure it was a joke. Which is why I asked. But yeah, I agree the “event” will probably be a few dozen idiots at most. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2019, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-thousands-of-people-plan-to-rush-area-51-so-they-can-see-aliens/836988/26 "2019-07-13T01:25:52Z")
> [@Gray\_Ghost](#): > > I know that the signs say it, and it’s a common trope that they’ll do it, but does anyone know if any of the security for special weapons/material storage areas or national security areas like Area 51, have ever shot and killed trespassers? I escorted my son’s Scout troop to a a wildlife preserve that was built on the site of a World War II era weapons plant. It also happened to be on the same grounds as a federal hazardous waste dump. As soon as the kids crossed the road to look through the fence at the dump site (and there was really nothing to see) a guard told them to get back to the other side. Back when there were such a thing as missile silos out in the rural Midwest, I pulled into the driveway of one to turn around. Didn’t even get close to the gate, but an armed guard appeared out of nowhere and eyeballed me until I got back on the road and drove off. I’m reasonably sure if I had tried to ram my car through the gate, unfortunate events would have transpired. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2019, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-thousands-of-people-plan-to-rush-area-51-so-they-can-see-aliens/836988/27 "2019-07-13T02:59:53Z")
As mentioned in OP, I know full well nobody (or only a few) will show up. It is an interesting springboard question, though, how big a crowd the U.S. military can hold off. 500,000? 5 million? (Without bloodshed. Obviously, a few AC-130s could kill many thousands with ease) ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2019, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-thousands-of-people-plan-to-rush-area-51-so-they-can-see-aliens/836988/28 "2019-07-13T03:23:26Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > As mentioned in OP, I know full well nobody (or only a few) will show up. It is an interesting springboard question, though, how big a crowd the U.S. military can hold off. 500,000? 5 million? > > (Without bloodshed. Obviously, a few AC-130s could kill many thousands with ease) I guarantee that nobody will see aliens. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2019, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-thousands-of-people-plan-to-rush-area-51-so-they-can-see-aliens/836988/29 "2019-07-13T03:46:53Z")
The operations plans I see are pretty funny. Battalions of Chads, Kyles, Karens and Naruto runners. I just know that some poor schmuck colonel in the bowels of the Pentagon has been tasked to plan for this just in case. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2019, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-thousands-of-people-plan-to-rush-area-51-so-they-can-see-aliens/836988/30 "2019-07-13T04:36:06Z")
> [@snfaulkner](#): > > I agree they are idiots. But really? You want to watch them get shot? I doubt they’d actually get shot, at least not by anything lethal. I suspect they may get detained and / or arrested though. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2019, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-thousands-of-people-plan-to-rush-area-51-so-they-can-see-aliens/836988/31 "2019-07-13T05:02:28Z")
> [@snfaulkner](#): > > Given the person I was initially responding to’s post history, I’m not so sure it was a joke. Which is why I asked. Yeah, I hadn’t really paid attention to who posted it. Your were right to question if it was a joke or not. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2019, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-thousands-of-people-plan-to-rush-area-51-so-they-can-see-aliens/836988/32 "2019-07-13T05:14:29Z")
> [@Spud](#): > > My BIL was a civilian contractor for the Air Force (at least that is what he claimed… not questioning what he did but the “civilian” part) and worked on the F-117 program and went to area 51 often. > > He said one time he was distracted and accidentally walked out of a wrong door and said that before he knew it he was face down with an M16 pointed at his head so I don’t doubt that if they needed to they would shoot someone trying to run into the area without a second thought. I’m surprised he told you that much about what he did. I’ve mentioned before here that I had a relative through marriage, who “worked at work.” All he would tell us is that he worked for Hughes Something or other, and got dropped off at the private/cargo aviation side of McCarran Airport. He’d be back in a week or two weeks (I forget the exact interval of time). And that was it. The only change was that after awhile, the interval grew, and I think he let slip that his flights were longer. Wouldn’t tell us anything else. His wife thought he was a long distance truck driver when they first started dating. Got acquainted that he did something else when background check guys did their thing. I guess they reinterview people after a period of time. Chefguy had a pretty good set of posts on that whole thing awhile back. “Hey, I’m an airplane buff. I play Harpoon for fun. Any non-classified tidbits you can tell?” Nope. What was downright eerie, was that they had a block party, for residents/neighbors in the nondescript neighborhood in Henderson, and everyone there worked with my relative. So I’m surprised you got that much out of him. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2019, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-thousands-of-people-plan-to-rush-area-51-so-they-can-see-aliens/836988/33 "2019-07-13T05:46:22Z")
Your average city cop is much more likely to use their gun to shoot an injured or dangerous animal than they are to shoot a person. That is probably also the case at Area 51. Announcing the time and date upon which they all plan to descend upon the facility? What could possibly go wrong with that? ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2019, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-thousands-of-people-plan-to-rush-area-51-so-they-can-see-aliens/836988/34 "2019-07-13T18:49:51Z")
> [@Gray\_Ghost](#): > > I’m surprised he told you that much about what he did. I’ve mentioned before here that I had a relative through marriage, who “worked at work.” All he would tell us is that he worked for Hughes Something or other, and got dropped off at the private/cargo aviation side of McCarran Airport. He’d be back in a week or two weeks (I forget the exact interval of time). And that was it. The only change was that after awhile, the interval grew, and I think he let slip that his flights were longer. Wouldn’t tell us anything else. > > His wife thought he was a long distance truck driver when they first started dating. Got acquainted that he did something else when background check guys did their thing. I guess they reinterview people after a period of time. Chefguy had a pretty good set of posts on that whole thing awhile back. > > “Hey, I’m an airplane buff. I play Harpoon for fun. Any non-classified tidbits you can tell?” Nope. > > What was downright eerie, was that they had a block party, for residents/neighbors in the nondescript neighborhood in Henderson, and everyone there worked with my relative. > > So I’m surprised you got that much out of him. He only told us years after the fact. He used to go on “business trips” but never said where. His wife had a phone number and a code that if she needed to get a message to him she could call and it would be relayed to him. He continued to work for several years after he was able to tell us about the F-117 project (and I’m sure he just told us a fraction) so who knows what else he was involved in. Coincidentally he is retired now with a home in a nondescript neighborhood in Henderson. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2019, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-thousands-of-people-plan-to-rush-area-51-so-they-can-see-aliens/836988/35 "2019-07-13T19:01:09Z")
> [@Gray\_Ghost](#): > > “Hey, I’m an airplane buff. I play Harpoon for fun. Any non-classified tidbits you can tell?” Nope. This reminds me of when I asked my friend who was an officer on a nuclear submarine how fast it could go. He responded “I couldn’t tell you.” I said… you’re an officer on the submarine and you don’t know how fast it can go? to which he responded… “I didn’t say I don’t know.” ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2019, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-thousands-of-people-plan-to-rush-area-51-so-they-can-see-aliens/836988/36 "2019-07-13T19:06:26Z")
The guards really wouldn’t have to do much even if thousands of people suddenly show up. Nellis is less than 15 minutes away on afterburners. Since that is where they base and train most of the tactical fighters in the USAF, I am sure that the crowd would disperse (and shit themselves silly) after the first low-level pass without anybody firing a shot. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2019, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-thousands-of-people-plan-to-rush-area-51-so-they-can-see-aliens/836988/37 "2019-07-13T20:04:47Z")
> [@Gray\_Ghost](#): > > His wife thought he was a long distance truck driver when they first started dating. Got acquainted that he did something else when background check guys did their thing. I guess they reinterview people after a period of time. I have the lowest security clearance available and get recertified every 15 years. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2019, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-thousands-of-people-plan-to-rush-area-51-so-they-can-see-aliens/836988/38 "2019-07-13T20:24:11Z")
Boy, will they be surprised when the hit the force field bubble surrounding Area 51! ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2019, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-thousands-of-people-plan-to-rush-area-51-so-they-can-see-aliens/836988/39 "2019-07-13T20:32:08Z")
I just want to know about the probing. Asking for a friend. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2019, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-thousands-of-people-plan-to-rush-area-51-so-they-can-see-aliens/836988/40 "2019-07-13T21:29:47Z")
> [@Spud](#): > > This reminds me of when I asked my friend who was an officer on a nuclear submarine how fast it could go. He responded “I couldn’t tell you.” I said… you’re an officer on the submarine and you don’t know how fast it can go? to which he responded… “I didn’t say I don’t know.” They get pissy IME about the, “How deep can this go?” question too. Joan Lunden on some ‘inside America’s nuclear submarines’ show, accidentally spilt the beans (and the Public Affairs Officer responsible for the documentary was asleep at the switch), when Joan mentioned on camera, ‘here we are at 1400 feet’ or the like. Online butthurt ensued. I can’t blame them, given it’s their asses in that pipe, and not mine, and given the history of the Silent Service and the American print media. [Andrew J. May - Wikipedia](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_J._May) If you need to know, feel free to sign on the line which is dotted, and go find out. But I’m still interested in the subject, obviously. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-thousands-of-people-plan-to-rush-area-51-so-they-can-see-aliens/836988.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-thousands-of-people-plan-to-rush-area-51-so-they-can-see-aliens/836988.md?page=3)