Talk:Cattle mutilation/myths and speculation

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[edit] myths and speculation

There are a lot of myths and speculation about cattle mutilations and I want to include some of them as they are an important part of the folklore surrounding the phenomena because the effect what people think. However I can't prove that they are true (some of them blatantly aren't). How should I go about this?

I'm considering adding a section about 'popular beliefs' or 'mutilation folklore' that we could put these myths in that seperates them from the rest of the site. It would literally be a 'what nutjobs think is true'.

perfectblue 08:06, 7 September 2006 (UTC)

Who are we to say what's true and what isn't? Most of this is article is equaly absurd to me, and what you consider a belief of folklore someone else could consider fact. Suggesting that some claims are more absurd that others is POV. Jefffire 08:33, 7 September 2006 (UTC)

"Who are we to say what's true and what isn't?" You have been doing that all month whenever I have quoted the NIDS. If we are not to judge or POV, then anything that the NIDS ever said can be cited here.

perfectblue 09:42, 7 September 2006 (UTC)

There is also the matter of of notability. Why repeat every damn thing NIDS say when they have their own website? Jefffire 09:47, 7 September 2006 (UTC)

Let me give you an example of what I mean.

It is a popular belief that mutilated cows have been found in indentations in the ground with their legs broken and strap marks showing that they were lasooed and pulled up by helicopters.

I've found a couple of police reports that say this, but no necrospy reports to confirm it to be true. It's widely enough believed/recited to make it an important part of the folklore around cattle mutilations, where should it go?

perfectblue 13:29, 7 September 2006 (UTC)

Include it with the other claims, it isn't any more ridiculous. Jefffire 16:00, 7 September 2006 (UTC)

90 percent of what is said about cattle mutilations is either rediculious and speculative or unproven and speculative (or both). Only cases where predator's teethmarks and tracks are truely credible. But they are not real cattle mutilations in the sense of this page because they are explainable and an ever day occourance. They have their own section (Natural Causes)