So it turns out that an organization I thought was doing go…

Since this, bizarrely, turned out to be one of my longest videos ever (??) here's a quick thread to sum it up for those of you like myself with short attention spans. 1/10

In the '90s the False Memory Syndrome Foundation was founded to call attention to the problem of adults suddenly "remembering" child abuse that never actually happened, often under hypnosis. Skeptics like James Randi & Martin Gardner joined their board. 2/10

A new article reveals that the FMSF was founded by parents who had been credibly and PRIVATELY accused of molestation by their now-adult daughter. They publicized the accusation, destroyed the daughter's reputation, and started the foundation. 3/10 https://t.co/0tIP7x03SG

The FMSF assumed any accused pedo who joined was innocent, saying "We are a good-looking bunch of people, graying hair, well dressed, healthy, smiling; just about every person who has attended is someone you would surely find interesting and want to count as a friend" 😬 4/10

Turns out, psychologists don't recognize "false memory syndrome" as an actual disorder. There's a lot of disagreement over the extent to which memory can be manipulated & later recalled, and a lot of valid criticism of "false memory" research. 5/10

Oh, also? Two board members of FMSF gave an interview to a pro-pedophilia magazine, saying pedophilia is a "responsible" choice and an "acceptable expression of God's will." 6/10

That said, The Cut article is unfair in a few respects. It casually says (prominent skeptic) Elizabeth Loftus defended Ted Bundy without mentioning that she was likely right: cops may have manipulated the witness to ID Bundy. They just happened to have the right guy. 7/10

Also, people like Loftus have been instrumental in stopping cops from pressuring both witnesses and suspects into "remembering" or admitting to crimes that never happened. It happens often and leads to innocent people ending up in prison. 8/10

Loftus testified in the McMartin Preschool trial, in which teachers were accused of raping kids -- and also of flying around like demons. One kid said Chuck Norris was one of the rapists. The kids were manipulated. After 6 years, the teachers were exonerated. 9/10

Yes, memory can be manipulated, but also, guilty pedophiles will jump aboard an organization that claims they're innocent with no investigation. Prominent skeptics didn't do their due diligence & got conned because of it. 10/10 https://t.co/zkkBPYBsAk