Comments on: Autism Speaks is at it again towards self-advocates.

By: Guest

Guest — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 01:32:08 +0000

There is a petition out against Autism Speaks.

Spread the word people:

http://www.autism-hub.co.uk/autism-speaks-dont-speak-for-me/index.php

By: John Gagon

John Gagon — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 19:29:18 +0000

I’ve found out something in associating with some parents out there, a paying parent is a parent of a “low functioning” child or they are considered “cured” (and the only worth to the organization now is for them to go on the lecture/marketing circuit).

I do wonder however how many parents have gone through “cure” sessions and later had a “too high functioning” child and at that point, saw the light as to what the organizations were really up to. Soon, many more of these kids will be adults who are no longer able to pay and be “high functioning” “Asperger Syndrome” adults (or mentally retarded if for any reason they don’t adhere adequately enough to regular living. Oddly, I know one guy who was “low functioning” then got married as “high functioning” and due to stress, went back to being “low functioning” mostly based on easy and difficult periods in life. Too many people I know don’t fit in a bucket or are able to radically move amongst them. I suppose I’ll be “low-functioning” soon myself as I’m getting burnt out again at work.

By: John Gagon

John Gagon — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 19:15:35 +0000

I wonder if one motive they have is so they can have a clean group of stereotypically “bad-looking” autistics to generate sympathy and hence dollars for their “work”/”wallets”. One of the toughest punches to take is in the wallet and so they know that to justify their “vision” and hence “life’s work” (and income) is to defend it viciously against anyone who would “dilute it”. They’re one part greed and one part intolerance. I sometimes doubt though if their world vision is truly a world free of autistics but rather a world full of donating parents. For the true believers in the group, its probably parental desperation factor and a culture of loyalty which comes from that “investment” into treatments and cures. These groups like GRASP will play word games around this but the defense mechanism is the same of defending one’s own bets and hopes.

By: Sophist

Sophist — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 21:49:10 +0000

Unlike the previous occurrence where, despite their reprehensible actions, Autism Speaks seemed to have a point about copyright/trademark infringement (at least as I understood it; but then I’m not lawyer).

But this is just ridiculous. They are actively trying to quash any opposition to their profits and dissemination of their goals and philosophy. They own the media, they own research, and now they’re trying to own the internet.

They’re the Walmart of the 501c’s!

By: aspiemom

aspiemom — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 20:00:19 +0000

Speaking as a parent of an aspie, I want to address some of the comments.

It had never occurred to me EVER that Autism Speaks does not speak for the entire Autism Community. Never in a million years. Until I read Kristina Chew at Autism Vox.

I learned, through others like Kristina, that there is a whole different side to Autism and that this side is being bullied into silence.

I am grateful from the bottom of my heart for this blog and others like it.

You are teaching me and will be enabling my son to be strong and to have a voice of his own.

Keep up the good work!

By: Estee

Estee — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 11:43:53 +0000

Include me as one of the parents who have tried to talk to Autism Speak’s Allicia Halliday and Glen Tringali.

By: VAB

VAB — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 06:54:49 +0000

Very well said.

By: VisualVox

VisualVox — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 15:04:19 +0000

How strange… Maybe I’m just an “innocent Aspie”, but the degree to which people are bound and determined to dehumanize us is just mind-boggling. It’s almost as though the folks over at AutismSpeaks are trying to exact some revenge on their children for turning out “wrong”. Just look at the profiles of the folks who are active in the organization — former high-level managers for multinational corporations and what-not — see http://www.autismspeaks.org/leadership.php and read carefully. E-gads!

As far as I’m concerned, they might have had their children for the sake of public approval — classic case of having Trophy Children, which I’ve seen so many times — and then been so humiliated and horrified by these “odd little creatures” who showed up in the place of the perfect little boys and girls they thought they were going to get.

Consider the source. Embittered parents who — like my own parents — were/are humiliated by their own children’s differences. Maybe this is an oversimplification… nor not. It only takes one of us to spoil the picture-perfect batch of dna-carriers. And think of the trauma we’re causing everyone!!! (I’m being facetious here — but some days I feel like I’ve just been through too much crap from NT folks/relatives to be really polite and understanding.)

By: Autism Sporks

Autism Sporks — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 06:56:30 +0000

http://autismsporks.blogspot.com/

I’ll have to think of some good t-shirts now…

By: spike aka sapphoq

spike aka sapphoq — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 01:45:23 +0000

That is pretty messed up what Autism Speaks ™ is doing. I don’t have any fondness for that organization and the more I find out about their legal tactics, the less I care for their actions.

Maybe we should all get that teeshirt or similar and see if we can get arrested for violation of the Autism sQueaks trademark.

Great Job Amanda!
spike