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Recently, the organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) launched a new ad campaign entitled, "Got Autism?", misleadingly implying that the consumption of milk is associated with the cause of the autism spectrum. PETA is misinforming the public about autism and thus joining a long line of unscrupulous groups that have sought to try and spread fear about autism as a means of pushing their particular agendas.
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As many of you have already heard, this past week talk radio personality Michael Weiner, better known on the air as Michael Savage, made several outrageous remarks in regards to autism, including, "Now, you want me to tell you my opinion on autism, since I'm not talking about autism? A fraud, a racket
I'll tell you what autism is. In 99 percent of the cases, it's a brat who hasn't been told to cut the act out. That's what autism is. What do you mean they scream and they're silent? They don't have a father around to tell them, 'Don't act like a moron. You'll get nowhere in life. Stop acting like a putz. Straighten up. Act like a man. Don't sit there crying and screaming, idiot."
Remarks like these spread ignorance about autism and threaten to return us to a previous era where parents were blamed and labeled as "refrigerator mothers" for having autistic children. Not only have Michael Weiner and Talk Radio Networks refused to retract these outrageous comments - they have added to them by claiming, unsupported by science of any kind, that the autism spectrum is an overdiagnosed medical condition. This is part of a broader pattern of statements attacking people with disabilities and our families.
Wrong Planet has joined a coalition of disability rights organizations calling for the sponsors of Talk Radio Networks and the Savage Nation to pull their support. Read on for the joint letter regarding Savage's remarks.
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After the negative publicity Autism Speaks received for threatening to sue a 14 year old autistic girl for her perfectly legal parody website, you would think that the organization learned their lesson. Unfortunately, they're at it again, this time threatening an autistic blogger's t-shirt company with legal action for a shirt that read "'Autism Speaks' can go away. I have Autism. I can speak for myself." The organization claimed the t-shirt was a violation of copyright, despite the fact that such a t-shirt is protected as free speech.
Autism Speaks, which claims to speak for autism, has no autistic employees or board members with autism and is viewed as a bully by many autistic individuals who feel that the organization engages in tactics that marginalize their voices and contribute to an environment that hurts the lives of those with Autism. Their most recent move certainly supports such an argument.
Read on for the details and links.
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Autism Western Cape (AWC) of South Africa is launching a fundraising campaign next week called Jail4Bail. The executive director of AWC plans on locking himself in a jail cell at a local mall until $128,000 dollars is raised. The promotional material for this event depicts a young girl locked in a jail cell followed by the text 'Help raise $128,000 dollars for Autism.'
Please note that I do support fundraising campaigns for autism if their purpose is to better the life of autistic people and if they ensure that the lasting image of autism left in its participants minds furthers the acceptance and inclusion of autistic people in society. Unfortunately, Jail4Bail does not meet this criteria and actually feeds a negative stigma in the media that hurts autistic people and their families.
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I recently read a review by David Kirby of Autism: The Musical published in the Huffington Post. You've likely never heard of him but Kirby is the author of a factually dubious book attempting to link the mercury that was once in vaccines to a perceived increase of Autism diagnoses. While Kirby is not a doctor, he claims to be an expert and has a habit of writing incredibly misleading articles about autism and frequently compromises any semblance of journalistic integrity he once had. Consequently he's not the type of person I'd usually respond to.
However, in his review of Autism: The Musical, Kirby is worried that people might be concerned that the movie's depiction of "the two high functioning boys -- so bright and charismatic... will leave the mistaken impression that most children with autism are like this."
He then made the exceptional claim that most individuals with autism are not "high functioning."
The question I'd like to raise is, "really?"
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There are a lot of misconceptions about Autism floating around. Consequently, many people with Autism remain undiagnosed, countless autistics are misunderstood, and millions of dollars are donated to nonprofits who don't speak for those with Autism.
This is a troubling time for people with Autism (and I speak as one of those Autistics) because the media focuses a considerably large percentage of their Autism coverage on stories told by those who do not even have the condition. I've put together a list of only ten misconceptions that have been born out of the lack of an autistic voice in the media.
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When kids are little, they go to all these birthday parties, first for the kids of their parents' friends, then for their classmates, then for children they actually have something in common with (or who's parents made them invite them). And of course, if one is invited to a party, they have to invite the birthday kid to THEIR birthday.
This is when birthdays START being for everyone else. Most autistic kids really don't care for watching other people open presents-anyone who understands this, really, enlighten me, it's so...voyeuristic-and party games are pointless.
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Yes, they actually said that to me, after I had a seizure after I had a meltdown because my stupid airline made me miss my flight-I suggested, via someone reading what I was typing (I am always nonverbal post seizure. ALWAYS) that perhaps their front desk people needed some training re: invisible disabilities. The title is her response. Mine, which vocal proxy did not read was "My ass" followed by "either they did a piss poor job or they need to do it again."
Read on for Kassiane's entire article!
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A single mother says her only son, who had Asperger's syndrome, lost his life because the authorities did not understand his disability.
Glennys Jones' son, David, 23, was found dead on December 31 last year, following an overdose of prescription drugs. Last week, a coroner recorded an open verdict at an inquest into his death.
Now Miss Jones is calling for more awareness of his condition.
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Edinburgh, Scotland: A civil servant with Asperger's syndrome was fired by tax office managers after union representatives labelled him a health hazard, a tribunal has heard.
Patrick Roberts, 48, was sacked from his job with Customs and Excise when representatives from the LTS union described his behaviour as "a health and safety risk" to his fellow workers.
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Friday, July 29, 2005
By Moustafa Ayad, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
UNIONTOWN -- An 8-year-old boy who told authorities he was bribed by his coach to throw a baseball at an autistic teammate testified yesterday that after he hit the teammate in the groin, the coach ordered him "to go out there and hit him harder."
Entire Article
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Google News reports: KOMO, WA - Jul 6, 2005
... freaking out. Sarah's spent the past five days locked up there. And she has Asperger's Syndrome, a mild form of autism. "She was ...
Link to article
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Google News reports: Portland Press Herald, ME - Jun 15, 2005
... Jan's parents say that his behavior was a manifestation of Asperger's syndrome, which is a form of autism, and his suspension was a violation of his civil ...
Link to article
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Kalamazoo County, April 29, 2005, 4:51 p.m.) An autism advocacy group announced Friday it will be filing a lawsuit against the Parchment School District in regards to the death of a student.
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