"In the Name of Love"

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I know I haven't been on here in a long time, but I have been doing a lot of deep thinking. While the organisation Autism Speaks is generally disliked amongst the autistic community, we do have to remember that even though they're doing it in a misguided way, they are trying to help us. I would describe them as if the NAACP were run by white people who thought that the solution to racial inequality in the United States was to change the genes of non-white people so that they are white. While this approach isn't that great, they don't see any other way. Remember, a mother's brain is wired to provide what's best for her child. Since autism is portrayed so negatively in the media, she thinks that autism is the cause of the problem.

That being said I strongly feel it is important to be civil when we advocate for ourselves. Remember, Gandhi wanted the British to leave India as friends and Nelson Mandela got out of prison forgiving the Afrikaners for putting him there. In the same way we need to remember that the people who are campaigning against us are people as well, and we should be respectful toward them when we try to change their opinions toward autism. We cannot let our emotions get the best of us.

I don't think comparing Autism Speaks to NAACP is accurate. Being black does not make someone unable to do something. Their race effects them because other people may not give them the opportunity to do something which they are able to do. If Autism Speaks were simply advocating for rights and against discrimination, that would be a similar comparison. Autism, in some people, does make them actually unable to do some things. Some things they are able to learn to do, but some people with autism aren't able to learn to do certain things for a variety of reasons, depending on the person and how the autism effects them and depending on the extent that their autism effects them.

Advocating for a cure for something that makes some individuals unable to do things that are required for basic self care or survival or interaction is not the same thing as advocating genetic engineering to make someone socially acceptable. A black person would not benefit from taking a drug that made them white, others who are bigoted would benefit by feeling more comfortable around him. A person with autism who cannot speak or cannot brush their teeth or make their bed, etc, would benefit if there were a pill that would help them be able to master these things.

I don't believe there is a cure for autism, but I do believe that eventually, somewhere in the future, there may be meds that will help those with severe autism be able to do the things that they cannot do now. I don't believe that those meds would effect the way we think, or our feelings, etc. There may be a med in the future that helps with executive function, or with the ability to communicate what you want to get across, etc. I think that something like that would have to go hand in hand with other kinds of therapy as well, to teach the skill etc. The same way that many people are able to function with their social phobia by the use of antianxiety or antidepression meds, along with therapy to overcome preconceived ideas about interaction. I see nothing at all wrong with a med that can help an autistic do something that they couldn't do without it. A cure would most likely not be some sort of permenant one time treatment or surgery. It would probably involve meds, therapy, and simply treat the symptoms. I think that would be a good thing to have available. I am probably more prone to depression and worry and anxiety because of my AS, and antidepressants certainly help my depression and give me a more positive and confident outlook on life. I have been off them for a while, but I plan on going back on them within the month. They don't change who I am at all, and they don't get rid of my AS, they simply help me feel better and have a happier life. If there were something that did the same for others, why try to deny them that only on political reasoning?

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I'm giving it another shot. We will see.
My forum is still there and everyone is welcome to come join as well. There is a private women only subforum there if anyone is interested. Also, there is no CAPTCHA.

The link to the forum is http://www.rightplanet.proboards.com

When I used that analogy, I wasn't trying to imply that being black makes people unable to do things, it absolutely doesn't. I'm sorry if it came across that way. I was referring to how Autism Speaks doesn't really seem to care what we on the autism spectrum think, they just want to "cure" us.

I'm not saying you were implying that. I didn't even think you were. I'm saying that the comparison doesn't work because they are two very different situations. Being given more opportunities will not make someone with AS/ASD able to do something that they are unable to do.

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I'm giving it another shot. We will see.
My forum is still there and everyone is welcome to come join as well. There is a private women only subforum there if anyone is interested. Also, there is no CAPTCHA.

The link to the forum is http://www.rightplanet.proboards.com

In the analogy I was using I was trying to talk about how Autism Speaks is an advocacy group that doesn't let the people it claims to advocate for in the organisation to advocate for themselves. Sorry about the confusion. However, regardless of what the analogy was, it is not the point I was trying to make with my post. I was trying to say that when advocating for themselves and challenging the organisatioin that we in the autistic community need to remember to be respectful of all people.

Isn't Autism Speaks more concerned with the lower functioning ASD people rather than AS? I'm not trying to be argumentative at all, I had just assumed they were really mainly concerned with them, and many of them can't advocate for themselves. I've never seen Autism Speaks say anything about AS, but then again I don't really keep an eye on them.

_________________
I'm giving it another shot. We will see.
My forum is still there and everyone is welcome to come join as well. There is a private women only subforum there if anyone is interested. Also, there is no CAPTCHA.

The link to the forum is http://www.rightplanet.proboards.com

I HATE HATE HATE those people that don't hold parents accountable because they are parents who are "wired to do what's best for their child". So it's okay to kill your kids, as long as you delusionally feel it's what's best for them?


To anyone who disagrees: I'm sorry, but I'm never going to be friends with Karen McCarron.