Welcome to the "War on Men."

The battle lines have been drawn for some time. The politically fabricated "War on Women," in retrospect, was simply the build up to today – a strategic tactic to prepare the "warriors" mentally, and armed with the proper war maps, planning and tools to conduct a successful campaign. The "War on Women" was irrefutably about politics. If you were pro-life? You were part of the "War on Women." If you didn't believe your tax dollars should fund abortions? You too were a solider in the "War on Women." If you didn't believe government regulation was the place for mandating wages – "War on Women."

In my previous days as a political operative, I can't count the times I advised a male candidate for office to fight back against this. The fear of those within the Republican Party to do so, certainly weakened our front-lines and made us vulnerable. Here we are today. However, the "War on Women" was simply a political slogan devised by a verbal attack machine that would help determine political outcomes. Sure, some politicians lost their jobs over the nonsense and that's wrong, but that's politics.

The war going on now is far beyond that of political repercussions. It is a full on assault against men for the simple act of being male. The biggest battle of this war, thus far, is happening in the case of Judge Brett Kavanaugh and his confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court. We are living in a country, right now, where any woman can make an uncorroborated, unsubstantiated claim and destroy a man's career, character and reputation. A nation where our highest elected officials are determining guilt and innocence not based on evidence, but on gender and demanding their colleagues do the same under penalty of becoming victims to the very attacks used in the "War on Women."

Too many Americans are not only condoning but championing words like those of Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono: "I just want to say to the men of this country, just shut up..." If her bias is so great against men, I would argue she should recuse herself from the right to vote on the confirmation of a male nominee to the Supreme Court. I have no doubt she'd be demanding it if one of her male colleagues said something as glaringly sexist and biased in the midst of discussions over a female nominee.

New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand declared Kavanugh is guilty of the alleged crime against Christine Blasey Ford, stating “I believe Dr. Blasey Ford because she’s telling the truth." People are cheering. A high-ranking government official publicly convicts a man with zero evidence beyond a vague, no time, no location accusation and we cheer that? That is indeed the tactics used against enemies at war.

Let's not forget, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the champion of all things women, sat on the letter from Dr. Ford alleging a sexual assault 35ish years ago, for a minimum of six weeks, until the confirmation hearings were over, so she could launch a blitz attack against the nominee. If she cared a wink about Dr. Ford and what allegedly happened to her, if she truly cared about the character of the man that sat before her in hearings and in her office, it wouldn't have gone down that way.

Look at what is happening now. Dr. Ford, through her attorney and the politicians who opposed Kavanaugh long before they knew of the allegation, demanded the FBI investigate. Men and women elected and un-elected echoed the calls that a private citizen can demand a federal investigation into an alleged crime they have no jurisdiction over. To oppose such an investigation is "proof" that "they" were hiding something, so he's guilty. In negotiating a hearing before the Senate committee overseeing the nomination process, (which the accuser requested and the committee agreed to), demands are being made including the outrageous idea that Judge Kavanaugh has to testify first about charges made against him that haven't been testified to yet. Not only does that go against everything our legal system is built upon, it's simply a laughable demand. How does one answer an accusation he hasn't heard yet beyond news coverage? Preposterous. Dangerous. Would never be suggested if a woman were the accused.

I have no idea what happened 35ish years ago at a party at an unknown person's house, on an unknown date, with unknown witnesses beyond those that deny ever knowing of such an incident. The fact that neither I, nor anyone else, who wasn't "there" that night know what happened does not make Kavanaugh guilty of a crime. A woman's voice carries no more weight than a man's, which is why we have laws in our courts and should have rules in our society. Whether Kavanaugh becomes a justice is unknown to me.

What is known is that we are in a scary place for all men in America. Parents of boys should be afraid that at any time a female can accuse a son of a despicable act, and their own government will automatically give greater weight to the accuser, than to the accused. My fellow women, lay down your arms. Men are not the enemy but, if they keep being treated as such, they will be.

Alicia Preston is a former political consultant and member of the media. She’s a native of Hampton Beach where she lives with her family and three poodles. Write to her at PrestonPerspective@gmail.com.