More research blather you should be aware of ...

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Okay. I attended my second aspergers support group today. It was a fine experience. Aren't they all?

Well, here's the deal. I have to let you all know about yet another research pamphlet. This aspie group's speaker was some dude who was encouraging people to partake in a study at the New Jersey Neuroscience Institute. This one sounded okay at first. It involved an fMRI experience, though the process could be grueling for those who are impatient and who don't want to lay in a tube for an hour. The individuals, before the process starts, even prepare the subjects in terms of sensory stimulation. They even provide a deep pillow and earplugs. I hear the machine is very loud. Luckily for me, I won't be a part of it.

I actually was thinking about it for some time, until these words muttered from the speaker's mouth: "CAN!" No, it is not a reference for juice bottle. It's a reference to the organization "Cure Autism Now!" They are providing the funding for this project, which almost definitely means they are going to receive the results. There's only one thing CAN would want information for: to somehow find the miracle to cure autism. This guy was really nice in his utter persuasive talk. He had everyone so excited and hyped about the matter. I was the only one sitting there, just a bit mute, but listening very carefully to every word this guy uttered. I said a few things here and there, but mostly I just listened very closely. When the words "CAN" came out of his mouth, I wanted to say something. I had such a great impulse to do so, but everyone was so cheery. So, I kept my mouth shut. I didn't want to ruin their plans, whether or not they were persuaded or not.

Oh! Yeah! You get "$50" for participating in the study. The person running our group did it, and he talked ever so eloquently about it. I like this guy and all, but I just wished people there had a bit more knowledge of firms such as CAN. They want to stamp it out, like it's some serious disease that has to be dealt with. Yet, on the other hand, a few of us in the group seemed okay with having AS. When CAN was spoken, however, nobody came forward to speak out against this organization. Not a soul! It's a shame!

- Ray M -

I would like to know more about this. I'm only just now learning about some of these groups.

ThIs group speaker's behaviour rings fishy to me -so manipluative. Whther or not someone takes part in a study or survey is their private desire but a group speaker should not campaign or canvas for any institution. He or she just uses the support group for CAN's devices and plans....Is he/she always like that?

At the risk of sounding dumb, who is this CAN. What can you tell me about them?

C.A.N.

Cure Autism Now


Basically, they are under the impression we (the majority of the forum goers) suffer from a disease, and that as it is a disease, there must naturally be a cure.

Which they are dedicated to finding.


That kind of thinking scares the crap out of me. (And offends me)


But yeah, those kinds of people are generally not liked here. Really 'inspires rage that cannot be described with words' is more accurate.


If it wheren't for groups and people like these, I would feel a lot less uneasy about research into Autism.

People already think it is a disease.
I can do without 'expert's backing that ****** view up, thanks.

Sometimes they make it sound like WE are a disease.

yeah I could be cured any time, if the goverment will pay me $30,000,000.00 then I promise I'll act normal for 4 minutes.

I live in New Jersey, and was told by an MSW therapist a few years ago to attend a then newly-formed asperger's group, cause she felt I fit the criteria. I was never diagnosed, because she didn't have the resources, and these resources are expensive. I have been diagnosed with other things, but this AS knowledge is quite new. At that time, I didn't think much of it, until I began to have problems finding employment and so forth. So, I checked into these groups.

In New Jersey, there's an organization called ASPEN, which are very good. They provide resources to people on the spectrum, regardless of the severity of the condition. New Jersey seems to be pretty up there on providing help to us aspies, so I decided to attend a group that meets once a month.

Overall, I like the atmosphere. I may not enjoy some of the socializing aspects, because I like structured types of social meetings, like sitting at a table and discussing pre-planned things. I'm not keen on meetings wherein people talk about whatever comes to their mind at that instant. I also don't like to play games and stuff, but this seems to be the only downside. I like meetings wherein I can participate and listen to someone talk about this and that, sort of like a college-like lecture. I imagine many of these groups use speakers that come in once a month for about an hour or so and talk about this and that related to AS and more.

- Ray M -

No, it's not exactly like you're saying. This was just one speaker. The people within this aspie group contact a lot of speakers before, and they usually present a different speaker per month. Not all the speakers focus on CAN, or anything else for that matter. It's just this past speaker. He was trying to persuade people to participate.

I do think it was slightly manipulative, because the founder of this particular group participated in the study before this meeting. I did get at least some of an impression that some may try this study because the group's founder did it. I believe that may have been manipulative, and I don't fault the founder, because I believe it was his and his parents decision to do so. I just didn't like the idea that this speaker was trying to persuade everyone else to do this. What bothered me was that everyone was in agreement, and I know many aspies who would not be. I also got the impression that most did not know, or simply did not care about, some of CAN's previous research. Also, NARR was another autism group receiving money from this, and I have heard some pretty curebie stuff from this association as well.

I just hope ASPEN isn't full of a lot of curebie types, because it is a good organization overall.

- Ray M -

CAN is "Cure Autism Now!" They're a curebie organization who believes in finding a miracle cure someday to wipe out autistic spectrum disorders. The research they get involved with could very well be used in projects whose only goal is to wipe out ASDs.

I believe that this curebie stuff is more or less related to current social trends to eliminate anything that proves a specific class of people to be illegitimate. By continuously preaching about us in this way, there is little chance that we will become accepted, because people are going to view us as diseased or disturbed. Like, are we really that much of a disgrace? Are we that harmful to others?

I also think its dangerous to society, since many of the world's great thinkers may have an ASD. Not all ASD types have a genius IQ, but there are those few that possibly do. And genius is a biological anomaly. Wipe out the ASD genes, or attempt to rewire our brains, and we are depriving society of these types of people.

There are attempts to equalize society's members, whether they're aspie or not. They do similar things to people who are gay or socialist, for example. If you don't fit a profile of what a specific society wants, and you happen to be a member, then you are either dangerous to society or something is seriously wrong with you.

- Ray M -

I tend to agree with your last paragraph. Things are looking Orwellian all over.