OK, I’m breaking the silence on this one.  I believe the behavior of many men, including Roy Moore, Donald Trump, Kevin Spacey, Bill Clinton, Harvey Weinstein, and thousands more to be appalling.  To expose this behavior is necessary to cure this ill in our society.  #metoo is a strong message to all Americans, especially men and the boys that come behind them.  However, a social contract comes with that solemn responsibility.  Women who accuse men of harassment and abuse MUST be truthful.  We must believe what women say is their experience.  The other side of that contract is that if a women accuses a man of such abhorrent behavior, it must be the true.

Which brings us to Leeann Tweeden, who, this week in an emotional nationally televised statement and followup interviews accused Senator Al Franken of sexual harassment by forcing himself upon her and kissing her.  A photo was then released of Franken supposedly groping her.  Then the truth came out:

https://youtu.be/rJidGI-NMd0

Tweeden is well known for horsing around with men, sexual innuendo, and semi-nude modeling as well as appearing in a number of sexually charged scenes with men.  She’s played grab ass with men on and off stage, and rubbed all over them.  Her shock at being kissed by Al Franken in a skit rehearsal where they were rehearsing…wait for it…a kiss, rings pretty hollow.

She regularly appears on right wing media, and Roger Stone, one of Trump’s henchmen and all around dirtbag, spoke of the attack against Franken hours before it became public.  Ray Charles, were he alive, could see the coordinated attack on Franken to damage a Democrat and distract from the actual predators, Roy Moore, Donald Trump and others now being revealed.

These issues are serious; deadly serious.  Since the beginning of time men have abused and forced themselves on women.  They’ve been disrespectful and even criminal.  To expel this behavior from our society, we must believe women and teach young men to respect them.  The requirement of this, though, is that the accusations against men must be true.  If they’re not true, like Tweeden’s fabricated attack against Franken, cheapens and politicizes a critical issue.  When this happens, everyone, men and women, must call this out for what it is.  Otherwise, we make no progress.  We cure no ill.