So why exactly do we hate Autism Speaks?

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Can you prove that their goal is abortion based on prenatal test? Who said that such elimination would be a way to cure? I think they're looking out for the future interests of the pharmaceutical and medical device industries who want to profit from largely unhelpful autism treatment which involves drugging and other crap. They can't continue to gain recurring income from that if abortion is resorted to.


I think that's obvious.

What would be wrong with such a takeover?

Anyway, I think Autism Speaks has clearly become too large and influential to just stop with a competing organization that would be genuine in devising a cure. They have already sucked up so many resources/money and continue to hoodwink so many celebrities and prominent people into endorsing and funding them. Change may have to come through gaining real representation and control within their organization to make them better perform according to the interests of the majority of autistics.

You can't diagnose someone based on Youtube videos and vague criteria like "he likes computers." Diagnosing someone through the Internet or second-hand sources is usually frowned upon.

Feel free to frown all you want, then

Here is a link to a website talking about the pre-natal test for autism that several groups including autism speaks is working on

http://www.ventura33.com/clock/

make sure to read the article in the link

As far as socialism goes...I have not seen to many grand examples of it working... history has shown that lust for power takes over the greater good. I dont think capitalism is great either...I just want democracy back. But democracy always ends in dictatorship at the end of its life cycle which is why I am wary of socialism.

I read the article they cited, and it didn't say anything about abortion as a result of a prenatal test. Actually, it mentions a pre-natal test, but said knowledge of the genes would lead to drug interventions and better diagnosis. This induced paranoia over a small chance someone would want to abort is getting stale. What is it that you want Autism Speaks to do with their resources?

Even if it is not mentioned, the whole point of a pre-natal test is to decide whether or not a family wants to keep the baby.

I would like Autism Speaks to work mainly on early introvention and support services for parents and non profit clinics for those who discovered their dx later in life. I dont think autism can be cured in a medical sense, but that if they focused their energy on adjustment and helping folks with autism with social skills training, then I think they would be more respected in the autism community. They also need to drop this autism is a disease attitude...it is a difference. If we did not have to deal with NT's on a regular basis, then we would not be as impaired, but a disease is constant no matter who you are around.

I reckon Autism Speaks ought to take all this money they've amassed and give it to the ASAN.

You haven't proven that. I don't accept these scare tactics.


That ain't even close enough to guarantee a decent life.



Prove it can't be cured. Considering with today's technology and all they currently can do. Look at some of the research coming out. Adjustment? All that stuff is not enough unless all basic abilities can be guaranteed to be provided. Who cares if it's a "difference"? The majority are very mentally disabled and that's not a difference. It's a miserable deficit. This isn't about your precious identity, but about issues of ability and independence. I'm sure it's about not continuing to let some rise above others in society in that way. I don't like how you try to patch up the lack of credibility by complaining about NTs. What would things be like if the impaired autistics had only to deal with you successful high-aptitude ones on the spectrum? What difference would it make, when there is such a huge gap in ability? How would they feel about a small group of you hogging up all the "gifts" for themselves, while they live in humiliation and dependence?




I wonder what that demagogue Ari Ne'eman and the phony thugs of his would do with it.

What's wrong with Ari Ne'eman now?

can someone please answer me?

Do you have a point about why you are in favor of policies that only would prioritize the highly fortunate, placing them in power, while they keep the benefits to themselves?

Come again? What policies are these?

What's with this attitude you're pulling with me?

lolwut? Social and cognitive therapies and the right education can do wonders for an autistic person. Compare someone like Temple Grandin, whose parents were able to get her the support she needed, to someone like Chris-chan, whose parents had no idea how to deal with his autism and have pretty much given up on him.



We barely know what causes autism. How can you cure something if you don't know how it's caused? And most "cures" for autism (i.e. special diets, chelation therapy) have been proven to be BS. For now, the best way to treat autism is through therapies and improving autistic people's quality of life.




So we actually have someone with autism advocating for us on the National Council of Disability, and you're complaining that he's too high-functioning? I'd rather have a high-functioning autistic person advocating for autistic people than someone who doesn't have it.

If those therapies are enough, why is anyone pushing for cure? Where is the proof that all who receive them improve enough, that all impairments are eliminated and independence made possible due to them? Two anecdotes aren't proof. Stop acting like all on the spectrum can be like Temple Grandin. Even she doesn't have a pure anti-cure for all viewpoint. Chris-chan is a lunatic who I bet would better be helped with a lay person as a mentor rather than some crappy therapist.


Read up about some research. They're getting closer to understanding the various causes and some of the pattens of what they commonly see in neuroanatomy. The technology they use to do the studies seems to be getting stronger too. I don't get why you mention alternative treatments, which Autism Speaks has virtually nothing to do with, whose goals I'm talking about now, so I consider that slightly off topic. Treat autism through improving quality of life? You can't cause a desired effect with the effect. Helloo! Quality of life is the goal, not a strategy. Try all you want to make the current therapies seem sufficient, but all functioning and aptitude depend upon the nervous system, and it is undeniable that impairments are caused by deficiencies within it. So the brain would have to be changed in some way to repair it, to cause a gain of functioning. External therapies apparently aren't leading to enough improvement within the brain.


And on the IACC, and he sure ain't advocating for the lower-functioning there. What am I supposed to expect from someone as high-functioning as him who shows so little regard for those on the spectrum who aren't brilliant? He's not the only one on the spectrum who could represent us. I realize it's becoming apparently necessary for someone on the spectrum to look out for the interests of the majority of those on the spectrum. But I think the lower functioning should look out for their own interests, and not just trust the high-functioning on the spectrum. I think those who are similar in mental capability are those who have lots in common. The spectrum isn't just some single group with common interests within.

It's just a question. You're making accusations about someone and I'd like you back them up with facts.