Autism Every Day "documentary"

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Hopefully this hasn't already been posted elsewhere on WP.

Everyone remember that scathing 12 minute video "Autism Speaks" put out, right? The one on how horrible Autism is and how one mother even said right in front of her kid "Yeah, I considered killing him and myself, but the only thing that stopped me was my normal child" [paraphrased].

Welp, they've done it again. The Sundance 2007 Filmfestival is going to be hosting a 44 (wtf?!?) minute version of this "documentary"-- or should I say "propoganda", because that's what it was designed for: to bring the very worst of the worst to light so that stupid autism bill would go through. It was designed to be shown to congressmen.

The initial making of this video was a blow to the autistic community. Yes, parents have it hard many times, we're not necessarily easy to raise. But this is NOT the kind of commissuration that is needed, always so focused on the negative. Good lord we're gonna have a whole new generation of autistics who can't do anything for themselves because their parents told them so!

IT'S SO DAMNED FRUSTRATING. Why doesn't anybody listen?!?!?!?!

Answer: Because the parents are usually so wrapped up in their grief and their loss that they don't want to hear what we have to say.

Here's the story on the Autism Speaks [for Parents] website:

I've grown to hate Autism Speaks. If I had the opportunity to talk to one of them my first question would be 'what are you doing for Autistic adults?' Well, ummm. Right.
Second question, how much are the administrative costs of your charity? Well, we have numbers somewhere. Right.
They are just another bunch of NT's who have decided to cash in on people's guilt over some 'disease'. They're not looking for a cure, they're looking for a six figure income. Ever check on what some of people make? It's astounding the salaries they command. And for what? What helpful research? What progress? What are they doing except putting on a shadow-play and pretending to accomplish something. Pathetic, and below contempt.

I know the CEO of CAN makes a fair amount of dough for being head of a CHARITY organization.

Don't they all ... It's outrageous to me that these admins make hundreds of thousands in salary, while actual funding for research is whatevers left over. AND the research is always the 'patentable silver bullet' type. If someone discovers a dietary, or a supplement help for the problem, well, they're not interested. That's because they want to sell their 'discovery' to the highest bidding pharmaceutical comapny. Makes me very angry. Like to get one of them by the lapels ...

I Bloody HATE Autism Speaks. Autism Speaks does not speak for me. To prove that, I'm getting out of my flat, Pull-ups and all, and I'm going to have two hours of FUN! After my two hours of fun, I'm going to be happy, that I didn't spend the two hours in my "Own Little Childish World of Routemasters"! Than I'll pray to God for him to tell the people at Autism Speaks to F**K Off.

They seem to be an American charity. Perhaps some people are more easily taken in over there - who knows? This charity does not and never will speak for me, though.

Yeah, we're a nation of suckers for a scam like this, and these NT's are good scammers.

To me it sounds like one of those religious cults they have in USA who are taking money from people and put into their own pockets.

The poor kids, is all I can say.

Hey, I'm listening!

That video bothered me. Especially the scene your paraphrased. The little girls was RIGHT THERE when she was saying those things, too. Unreal...

Well, I have two ASD kids (twin girls) and yes, it can be challenging raising an ASD kid. The thought of murdering them and/or killing myself has never crossed my mind.

I just wanted to mention, that there are some parents that ARE looking for a more positive depiction of adult autistics. The implication that my life is some unending horror, that I wish my kids were dead, knowing that a large population of people will make these conclusions about me and my family, well, that's distressing.

It can actually be quite depressing for a parent, really, trying to to have hope for your little girls growing up to be happy, if quirky adults, and then having constant assurances from the cure groups that, no, sorry, your little girls have a serious, lifelong disorder that will ruin your life and there life, so you better go get them chelated, put them on a weird diet, have them attend 40 hours of behavioral therapy, etc.

I'm glad WP and some other groups are here, exposing NT parents with adult autistics, because if not for you folks, I'm not sure how I'd be handling my daughter's diagnosis.

I should also add, that there is autism and then there's AUTISM - your father's autism - there are kids getting diagnosis now that wouldn't even come close to qualifying by the older standards. The implication that there's some sort of epidemic of profound autism, without ever mentioning the fact that the criteria broadened and softened enourmously, and making no distinction between the most severely affected and relatively higher functioning kids, like my daughters, just adds to the confusion and hysteria.

I can't imainge what the parents of other children in my daughters kindergarten class will think when they learn that my girls have an ASD. I can't imagine that images and words like those expressed in that video will cause them to urge their kids towards acceptance of my girls. Just the opposite, actually. I expect that parents will probably instruct there kids to avoid mine, should they learn their condition.

I also should mention that I do not know what it is like to live with some of the more profoundly affected children, so I shouldn't make comments about what those parents feel - I haven't walked in their shoes. Still, it is disingenous to throw around 1/166, epidemic, endending therapy, etc., without mentioning that the majority of diagnosis these days are for kids who are, in fact, relatively lightly afflicted and not really that much extra trouble. All that does is stigmatize my kids, and kids like them.

Rambling now, sorry.

I'm back from my little trip, and I've done exactley what I said I would.

There are bloggers who find and/or make "posautive" movies, usually on youtube.com. They're out there. While I'd say there is an overwhelming number of parents that are positive about the autistic community here at WP and in the Blogosphere, there are more of the other kinds of parents out in RL.

I avoid Autism Society support groups because it's dominated with curebiespeak and therapy addicts. They're just nuts too. They're proud of their nonacceptance and elitism.

Autism Speaks is a disgrace.

man, what a guilt trip.

I remember watching this program on A&E about this autistic girl who could only communicate with a keyboard go to college and study law. But no, they have to find the most tragic families to make people feel guilty. Ugh.

curebiespeak ! !! !

Somewhere, George Orwell is having a good laugh ! !!

Can I just say there is a news story somewhere of a mother jumping infront of a train in the "uk" with her autism child...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/1567237.stm


http://www.autismspeaks.org/media/d_200 ... 9_512k.wmv (autism everyday)

http://www.autismspeaks.org/media/d_200 ... 9_256k.wmv

http://www.autismspeaks.org/media/d_200 ... 9_112k.wmv



I think you people are really miss understanding what the video is putting out... might be (44mins because it address all of the Spectrum... Or only ones that will impact the most effect..)

% spent on Administration and Fundraising
23.7%

"" Describe what "points they addressing about". (That you think the "video" is for.)? ""

This is a very dangerous video. A student with whom I work closely is on the spectrum (I'm NT myself). One of his friends sent him a link to the Autism Every Day video, thinking he'd be interested in it. Watching it sent him into a depression. He wondered if he made his parents "suffer" as well, and that their apparent acceptance of him was simply a mask. I was practically in tears watching him suffer, not from Aspergers, but from the vicious insults and stigma fostered Autism Speaks.

I pointed out to him how the best things he likes about himself are the result of his having Aspergers (he is very comfortable with solitude; I envy his ability to enjoy being by himself).

And incidentally, we'd be lucky if all Autism Speaks is ultimately about is providing six-figure incomes for some people. Better that than the "cure" they speak of.

Autism speaks indeed. Too bad these people have their minds too occuluded to listen.

Grrrrrr.

If anything it is not that those on the spectrum do not understand what the intention of the Autism Speaks video is - it is that they underestimate the negativity and dangerousness of such things.

This was a STAGED video. There was little honestly about this - it's intention was to portray people with autism in the worst light coincidently before Congress was voting for the passage of the Combating Autism Bill. Which funnels tons of money towards research - not towards helping anyone with the condition. This video was not an amatuerish look at autism by some simple parents - this was deliberate propaganda by some very media savvy individuals.

And if anyone is serious about knowing what these people think of this - just go on some of the parent groups that are overwhelmingly curebie. Many do not grasp that they are only promoting stereotypes that will continue the discrimination. They argue about enforcing person first language yet do not see that society is not going to change if they still think of a person with autism as a "defective" person.