Autism Speaks at my school!! !!

Post Reply New Topic

Ma'am, you have totally misread what I have said. You have also misread what the medical school scientists whom I quoted stated. What these people have stated speaks for itself. I have no further comment. These people are authorities in their field, which is highly technical. Next to their opinions, in the minds of all reasonable people, the opinions of laypeople mean nothing.

What's all this about mercury and vaccines? I never said that vaccines or mercury trigger autism. The words "vaccine" or "mercury" never appear in my posts. The same sort of objective scientists who made the statements that I have quoted have studied this issue and have concluded that vaccines don't cause autism. "Environmental factors" is not synonymous with vaccines. I am not John Best, okay?

"Presenting proof for the idea that someone who is ALREADY autisitic COULD have their situation aggravated by the introduction of mercury poisoning or some other environmental factor does not now suggest that someone who is NOT already autistic is about to BECOME so just because they get a vaccine or live beside a mercury mine."

Frankly, I can't even make sense out of what you're saying here, and I can't see that it has anything to do with what's being asserted in the Discovery article or on the ASA website, or by me.

I am withdrawing from this, because I know it's just going to be more of the same if I don't. Good day, and I mean that sincerely.

I misread what you said, huh? Gee, I wonder if I did. I see, so the opinions of the people who actually are autistic mean nothing? Cool theory that one.



Frankly, I don't know who John Best is, and I don't care. I asked you to provide some back up for the idea that environmental factors trigger autism, it was I who mentioned the rats and the vaccines by asking you not to use them as your support. Of course you did. Did you actually read the articles you linked?



Like I said, did you actually read the articles you linked or do you even know about where the reasons behind the eugenics program came from.

I'll go back to saying "do your homework", since you obviously haven't.



Toodles, it's been a slice.

Good for you. I'd probably take action more drastic than that... the kind of action people end up in jail for. Thankfully, I don't expect to see them soon.

if i saw those guys i would say something like "Hi, i am on the spectrum and you don't speak for me" and point out the flaws in their plans. it is dumb that they don't have autistic people address their events, there is no good reason for that, that just attempts to sweep autistics and AS people under the carpet.

i would like to blow their place up but i would not do it as it would make heros of them (they could play the innocent victim card) and turn spectrum people into violent trouble makers, and they could use that to demean us even more.

I don't like the whole invitro test idea, seems like it is just one big conspiracy to wipe us out.

Aboslutely not, and I repudiate the accusation outright.



It doesn't alter the fact that it is simply a "difference" - at it's root. Yes there are differences beyond that and LFA's in particular need a great deal more help than Aspies do. But it is still a "difference".



No, it's not a result of the condition by itself. Those things happen only when there is no help or support, or there isn't enough, or the help and support is completely misplaced. That's the system at fault, not the condition.



The point that you are missing is that the ROOT problems are the same. The routine needs (which vary in degree), the need for autonomy (ditto) and a few others which I can't remember off the top of my head. All POSITIVE factors - IF they are treated with respect.

There are other ways to liberate those with major issues like you have described without "curing" them. It's a long hard job, but it can be done. You're talking like it can't - and that's an attitude that I can not reconcile at all.

And remember - there was a time that blacks thought being black was a massive negative and submitted to things ranging from American slavery to South African Apartheid. Put down after put down because of a lack of positives - which was a lot of rubbish. It's no different for those on the Spectrum. We are not animals - we are human beings (apologies to the Elephant Man for the theft of his line).

I would go along if they turned up somewhere and swear the whole way through then blame it on my Tourettes! I know it is wrong but I am a complete jerk after all!

Autism speaks: I have no love for that organization. Perhaps because I joined in with Aspies in communities like this one first, lol, but I agree that their focus seems to be everywhere but on learning to understand the person who is affected, and what that person really needs. The organization seems to perpetuate the frantic desire for extensive treatment that may or may not do anything, and I am finding that today's parents of young toddlers are obsessively observing their little ones for "scary" signs of autism. New parents are terrified. As one friend told me, "you don't know what it's like to have a toddler today. Everyone is so worried. It's all they talk about." That over-heightened sense of awareness is actually negative and dangerous, and I don't see Autistm Speaks having even a glimer of a sense that they are contributing to it.

And yet ...

I have to believe that these people are well-intentioned. Perhaps in a open and honest dialogue, that is not combative, a better understanding could be acheived. I would listen to what they had to say, and then ask a LOT of questions. The difficulty that exists, from this fight being led by Aspies themselves, is that this isn't exactly a community known for it's negotiating skills (although from what I have seen, Alex is really good at forming his approach - he has definitely learned how the world works with this). I apologize to anyone who is upset by that statement, but the reality I have seen, and that I think is very refreshing in most situations, is that Aspies say what they think and believe, period. The subtle art of winning trust first, and maybe being a little manipulative, isn't an Aspie style. The community needs an advocate that can communicate with and get through to Autism Speaks at their level.

Yes, I worry about what pre-natal testing would bring. It has occured to me that it isn't impossible that God choose to increase the incidence or severity of autism because mankind started aborting all the Down's children He created, and He knows that we need nuerodiversity for our world to thrive. Lol, that is a rather out there idea, but it isn't impossible, is it?

I do believe that environmental factors have increased the severity or obviousness of spectrum symptons. I am totally onboard with the genetics being the cause, but there has to be something else, some reason that the cases are increasing so alarmingly, that goes beyond better diagnosis. Two generations ago Aspie's were simply quirky, but able to get by in the world, to somehow learn during a normal life the accomodations they needed. They went undiagnosed because the need for it wasn't that strong. For children like mine the hurdles have gotten too high. Why is that? How can we NOT ask that question? I am not talking about "curing" or changing the fundamental nature of anyone, but if my son could make a small change in his life and find himself able to focus on his homework without stress he would take that trade in a heart beat. I know, we've talked about it. Sometimes you don't need a scientific study - sometimes instinct and common sense are the better tools to arrive at truths. Because the more I listen, the more I read, the more I compare, and the more I observe, I can't deny that something (or, most likely, multiple somethings) are working to make our children's conditions more of a disability than they need to be. I don't know how you prove it, scientifically, because I suspect so many variables are at work (from noise and denser living, increased C sections, to toxins), you simply cannot create the pure scientific environment that is needed.

And one of the links on that discovery site; now I have another reason to not like Bush. Well it's all very well putting in more money for support and research, but "prevention, and treatment"?

Is it just me or has an entire series of posts gone missing from this thread?

[quote="Smelena"][quote="shaggydaddy"]I need to get some Positive Autism shirts, because I am not confident/outgoing enough to outright protest, but I will wear a t-shirt for sure.[/quote]

This site has some t-shirts: [url]http://www.cafepress.com/buy/aspergers/-/go_1/pg_5[/url]

If Autism Speaks came to my sons' school I would protest for sure!

I would hang a banner saying 'Acceptance, Support and Understanding NOT cure'.

Helen[/quote]

Is it a dichotomy? They don't support acceptance, support and understanding?

Creedy: Die! Why won't you die?

V: Beneath this mask there is more than flesh. There is an idea, Mr. Creedy - and ideas are bulletproof.