What is the truth about Autism Speaks??

Post Reply New Topic

There's nothing wrong with voicing a different opinion on things, but some of his posts seemed like he was taking our views completely out of context, as if he's going out of his way to aggravate us instead of voicing an honest, constructive opinion. Though I see that his last post has improved on things.

NewportBeachDude, even if I still don't agree with you, I apologise for calling you a troll if you're not.

Yes please.


Ah! So you admit it! You're already helping at least one aspie.


I see no reason why not. You're here, you're listening, you're thinking, you're maybe even beginning to understand ( ).



PS. NewportBeachDude, when I use the terms "autist", "autistic", "autism" and so on, I mean them to be inclusive of the whole spectrum. I feel that "Asperger's Syndrome" versus "High Functioning Autism" is largely an illusory distinction. I don't like to use "ASD", because that is taken as the official "Autism Spectrum Disorder". It would be nice if we could change that to "Autism Spectrum Difference", but so it goes.
I even blow hot and cold over calling myself an "aspie", but I wouldn't feel comfortable to encroach on the "autie" familiarism.

That's one of the things that bothers me the most about them and similar groups, the obsessive focus on "cures" and "prevention" rather than on accepting all those on the spectrum, recognizing their unique gifts and talents, and, especially, on combatting public misinformation, disinformation, misperceptions, false beliefs, stigmas and discrimination in most areas of life. THAT is the real problem and NOT autistics themselves. The main reason autistics, Aspies, and their parents and families have such problems is precisely due to the stigma and discrimination and misperceptions. It's society and the culture that need to wake up and grow up, not autistics.

So Autism Speaks' attitudes about "changing" and "curing" don't do any good at all, they do much and great harm. I am not "broken", my teenage son is not "broken", and my husband is not "broken", we do not need to be "fixed." We need acceptance and understanding and recognition of our gifts and contributions.

They also say nothing of the unique contributions those on the spectrum have made to history, science and the arts throughout the centuries. This world would be a much darker, harsher place without such contributions.

AS is nothing more than a kinder, gentler version of that horrible hate group, FAAAS, which should be shut down immediately.

Exactly. It's like with FAAAS, which makes it quite clear that Aspie adults are most assuredly NOT welcome at all. Screw them both.

And I apologize for treating you like one. Some of the things he said just put me off (not having a different view, but some of the ways you phrased your comments).

Last edited by morning_after on 21 Mar 2008, 9:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I think Autism Speaks is well-intended, but I disagree with their attitude towards autism. Deep down I kind of wonder if they may actually not be much more educated on the NATURE of autism than the general population is in some ways.

Sorry, just a bit confused with the 'you-he' switch; you're talking to NewportBeachDude?

Whoops. Okay, I just fixed that switch.

Now, I know this is off topic, but I thought this would be appropriate to share here.

I used to post on the imdb (http://www.imdb.com. The imdb has several boards, basically a board for every genre of movies ever made, as well as one for every single movie ever released, everyone that has ever been in a movie, etc.

Which makes for a lot of boards, especially since the admins admit to not policing their site.

Some of their boards are known for being a magnet for all sorts of people, especially trolls and cyberbullies.

They have a general discussion board there called "The Soapbox". That was the one I called home.

For a while, until about a year ago.

The board was filled with all sorts of anti-social people. They would do things like cyber-sex on a public forum, curse, harassment, cyberbullying, and anything you could think of, and I wound up seeing death threats, comments about how I should die, people who talked about why they liked to rape or molest people (including one that said they thought I should be raped), porn, and basically all sorts of nasty stuff.

if there is one thing I learned, it's that discussions on the internet are arbitrary. As a result, I learned that if someone's comments rub you the wrong way, for any reason at all, whether or not they are a troll, the best thing to do is to make like it wasn't even posted (at least at first).

Sometimes the person might be in a bad mood. Or maybe they are not aware as to how to say what they have to say in a way that isn't anti-social. Maybe they like to post disgusting stuff to get it out of their system. Then, maybe, they're doing it to be disruptive.

But whatever happens here is not likely to come and haunt any of us in real life unless we let it.

So, if anyone posts something that seems wierd or angering (or just plain offensive), the best thing to do sometimes is to treat them like they're trolling and not give them the time of day, even if they are not a troll.

I am not saying this to anyone in particular. I just thought it should be said.

I contacted Autism Speaks to find out if they had autistic representation on their board of management. No acknowledgement, no reply.

Their name should be Autism Silenced.

I wonder if many people on the board like them. I mean, it's not like the numbers are posted where I could see them. hahahaha

Autism Silenced, is a good one.