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This inspired me to create a new facebook cause. You can find it here:

http://apps.facebook.com/causes/causes/show/77797

Great! The more the better. Let's cure ignorance.

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Mark Mierkalns
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Today at 6:47pm
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How could you be so negative about my cousin's run across Canada.
You can speak for youself but he is not doing this run for only you. He has been involved with many autistic people in the past who's views about his run vary, very differently from your's. He is doing this to raise awarness and help the FAMILY"S of autistic children. How dare you critisize his efforts to raise money for the mothers and fathers who have to give 24hours care for their child. How dare you take away from the countless medical bills that these parents face. My cousin is doing this to help ease the burden and raise awareness so others can help also. We are not trying to step on you, disgrace you or do any thing negative to you.. Autistic people are some of the smartest people on the planet, that is not the issue.

Please do not post negative material on my cousins website. He is doing this for reasons that will help alot familys. I see you are doing great and that is supperb, so why not let him try and help those who are a little less fortunate that you? Those who have to fly accorss country for tests, weeks on end, those with other children that they are away form. I have friends with autism in their family, I know what parents have to go through, and I speak for them.

It is not always about the 1 but about the many.
I hope the best for you in the future, my cousin only has good intentions I can assure you, I have known him all my life..

Take care
Mark

Samuel Sandeen
Today at 7:32pm
more than half of us aren't low functioning
flying across the country for tests? why to grasp at the straws of a cure that will never come that should never come
Instead of running to cure autism if your cousin could run to cure the ignorance surrounding autism we of wrong planet and ASAN would be very grateful
I don't question your cousins intentions I understand that they are pure however
What medical bills OT and maybe consoling but if they are spending that much money I'd like to know what they are spending it on.
I understand I have a mild case of autism but what I don't understand is where people can spend the money you are talking about.
"Autistic people are some of the smartest people on the planet, that is not the issue."
but it is the issue anyone who supports a cure however naive that support may be is supporting what will amount to genocide those of us who are doing better will not be spared the "cure" 90% of down syndrome babies are aborted we will suffer the same fate your world would be far less "complicated" without us and those who misunderstand us are far more numerous then those who don't.

It would appear that he dismisses my autism as minor or denies that it exists at all

only with the boy

My husband and I both struggle mentally when there is a lack of logic in a coversation. We ALL are on the spectrum, and we do not see ourselves as damaged, just different. Yes, there are some things we don't understand about "social culture", but people from foreign countries may not understand our social culture either and we do not classify them as defective for it - merely different. That is what I would like for others to see.

I believe that neurotypical parents get upset by autistic individuals who want acceptance of their neurodiversity because it shakes their belief that their child is in the grips of a terrible monster from which they need rescued. They want us to be wrong, so they an be justified in trying to fix their children while having people feel sorry for them. If they lose that, they must accept a "different" child (i.e. not their ideal cookie cutter NT) and also not have anyone feel sorry for them or want to help them make their child neurotypical.

This is, and I suspect on some level it always will be, a heated issue. We have to be careful in how we go about making our point. I love a healthy debate! However, sometimes debates can degrade into a flame war, and that doesn't really serve any purpose aside from raising blood pressure.

The guy's newest reply

I wanted to let you know I harber no ill feelings towards you. I thank-you very much for your reply back and I will re-read it over the next few days to make sure I do not jump too anything. You are a very bright person and your opinions I will let sink in, your views DO have merit and there is nobdy else that can give a better opinion on your views than yourself. I just was angry in the moment, my family is good hearted and would never do any willingly harm on any person. Jon has done this for all good reasons and I know it may conflict with (everybodys) stance on the issue but that I can assure you it is not his intention.

I am not one to argue with anyone, we are all equal, race, creed ect.
A debate or talking about issues I am up for but I can assure you I am never always in the right. I wanted to let you know that I did read and take heart in your opinions and expresions and they did mean something to me, they did not go un noticed.

My goal in life in to never make ememies, and I hope I did not come acrooss the wrong way, but I have to stick up for my family as I am sure you can relate.

Feel free to view your opinions to me, I will always listen. And I will always try to look at others views in the future.

I know this is way OT. but the best I can do. My wife left me 4 years ago and I have been a single father of now a 6 year old son Cameron. I have had to go throught so much because of the stereotype of fathers not getting custody of children. Work, babysitters, appointments, is not the normal for a single guy. I know it is not a fair comparison but the best I can do. I do know what is like a little.

I again thank-you for replying, I am not an angry person looking to piss people off. Your reply will take hearrt and I hope mine will be the same to you.

Mark

Thanks DW made your comments into my new reply

The parents you are speaking of need to realize that most of these cross country trips and medical expenses aren't necessary

Perhaps it makes the point stronger to note that most of those trips and money go into UNPROVEN treatments, where as the one we all know WORKS is to GET TO KNOW THE CHILD, one on one. THAT is FREE. It is just so sad, to me, all this chasing after an ellusive cure ... I worry that chase is more harmful to the family than the condition.