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srriv345
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31 Jul 2009, 5:49 pm

The New York Observer has published a bigoted review of "Adam" by Rex Reed. Amongst other things, the review claims that becoming romantically involved with Asperger's autistics is "lethal." We are stereotyped as self-involved and incapable of caring for other people.

If you have the time and inclination, it's worthwhile to send a letter to the editor at [email protected] . Letters should not be more than 250 words and should include your name and address or telephone number.


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MONKEY
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31 Jul 2009, 6:03 pm

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Asperger’s is an incurable neurological disorder similar to autism that turns outwardly normal-looking people into high-class idiot savants.


He's been watching too many films.

And WTF is with that article?? I don't usually get worked up about this stuff but this article is just harsh! Of course aspies show consideration for others, of course they care about the needs of other people. We're not cold hearted robots!
I have friends on the spectrum and they're nothing like what the writer of the article says, I feel like they've showed me they cared, they may not have showed it in conventional ways like they don't hug me or anything. But I know that they are true friends and don't just go banging on about themselves and not giving a s**t about what I think, I mean yeah by all means they do go off on their monologues about interests and things, but it doesn't mean they're cold or anything for crying out loud.

OK rant over


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MONKEY
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31 Jul 2009, 6:08 pm

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His alarmingly empty life is so devoid of passion that he can go to a funeral and feel nothing.


oh and one more thing, who says? I know he's a fictional character and all, but lets pretend he wasn't. Of course he'd feel something at a funeral especially if it's someone he was close to. Yeah he may not have shown in they way most people do, like it was bottled inside or showed a different emotion to what he was feeling but he still would have had the emotion. I think this person is mistaking aspergers for being a robot.

OK rant is now officially over.


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Michjo
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31 Jul 2009, 6:27 pm

I tried posting a comment but it wouldn't let me :?



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31 Jul 2009, 6:28 pm

I especially love this quote: "I know at least two people with Aspergers syndrome...."

Substitute the word "Aspergers" with various other choice groups and it reveals what a brain dead, bigoted, conceited idiot the writer is. Imagine the outcry if someone wrote: "I know at least 2 people with diabetes and they are both obese...", or "I know at least 2 black people and they both went to prison.." or "I know at least 2 women and they were both unfaithful.." or "I know at least 2 American Journalists and they are both greedy, self-centred, unthinking, loud and abrasive war mongers with no conscience".

No, even an Aspie knows that you just can't say those things.


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mgran
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31 Jul 2009, 6:37 pm

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His alarmingly empty life is so devoid of passion that he can go to a funeral and feel nothing.

When I was a kid one of the cruellest jokes that my brother could make about me was "mgran has no feelings." (My real name's not mgran, I'm just using it for privacy's sake.) It used to upset me no end that he'd do impressions of me ... "Hey, look... this is mgran surprised..." followed by a wooden face. "This is mgran really really excited." Blank face. "This is mgran really really sad." Blank face.

The thing is, he was a kid, and he really didn't know that I did have feelings, I just had a wooden face, and kept my feelings to myself. As my brother got older, he realised that I did have feelings, and he stopped making that joke. (He made it because I embarassed him in front of his friends, and he was trying to get even. Eventually he decided I mattered more than that kind of friend, and we get on fine now.)

This journalist, if he's getting paid to express opinions on folks with Aspergers really should take the time to aquaint himself with at least some facts. He's basically making the same mistakes a nine year old boy made... with this difference. He's an adult, and he can actually research the topic, as opposed to blurting out the first thing that comes into his head.

And for the record, even when folks have thought I'm wooden, I feel just as much at a funeral as anyone else.

Well, I know you guys know that... I just wanted to get that off my chest.



Aoi
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31 Jul 2009, 7:08 pm

Indeed a very bigoted, biased, and blindingly uninformed description of AS. For those who can't find the New York Observer review, here is the key paragraph:

Quote:
Far from just another exotic Disease of the Week, Asperger’s is an incurable neurological disorder similar to autism that turns outwardly normal-looking people into high-class idiot savants. I know at least two people with Asperger’s. They are incapable of thinking of anyone or anything outside of themselves. Challenged by social interactions and given to obsessive routines that revolve around a single subject of interest, they do not like to be touched, they feel incapable of explaining things and they cannot cope with people in general. Emotionally blocked, they say things that hurt and sting without meaning to be rude, and are weak at understanding, receiving or exchanging the emotions of others. They cannot look you in the eye. Adam is a fascinating study of a rare affliction in which all of these qualities are evident, in carefully researched scenes that are humorous and touching. It is lethal to get involved romantically with any person with Asperger’s syndrome, since they care nothing about other people’s feelings, needs or priorities. Almost without exception, they leave you perplexed, riddled with doubt and totally depressed.


But otherwise the review is generally positive. So people should see the film (if they want to) and ignore Rex Reed's ignorance.



dustintorch
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31 Jul 2009, 7:50 pm

ManErg wrote:
I especially love this quote: "I know at least two people with Aspergers syndrome...."

Substitute the word "Aspergers" with various other choice groups and it reveals what a brain dead, bigoted, conceited idiot the writer is. Imagine the outcry if someone wrote: "I know at least 2 people with diabetes and they are both obese...", or "I know at least 2 black people and they both went to prison.." or "I know at least 2 women and they were both unfaithful.." or "I know at least 2 American Journalists and they are both greedy, self-centred, unthinking, loud and abrasive war mongers with no conscience".

No, even an Aspie knows that you just can't say those things.


I agree, it's especially true when you say it about someone with Asperger's. That's the number one thing I've always read about. "No two people with autism are alike. If you've met one person with autism...you've met one person with autism."



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31 Jul 2009, 7:55 pm

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It is lethal to get involved romantically with any person with Asperger’s syndrome, since they care nothing about other people’s feelings, needs or priorities. Almost without exception, they leave you perplexed, riddled with doubt and totally depressed.


:lol: This has nothing to do with reviewing a film. This writer is in love with an Aspie who has rejected him/her. :twisted: Poor schmuck. Lucky Aspie though - who would want to be involved with such a hateful, vindictive snipe?



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31 Jul 2009, 7:59 pm

OMG, I love the comments on the review. WHO is writing these... I commend you. Some fine writing going on there from us "passionless" Aspies! I guess if anything proves we need some advocacy, this is it.

Oh, here's the link for any who can't find it:
http://www.observer.com/2009/movies/hug ... perstardom

Some highlights from our people:

Quote:
This paternalistic, dismissive tripe would be like describing American Indians as gambling-obsessed drunks, and hardly capable of being part of normal society... but they are very charming. (His "admittance" that he knows two aspies sounds like the old like: Hey, some of my best friends are black!")


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This isn't journalism of any recognizable kind. It is an ignorant and deeply offensive caricature, belonging in the bin with Blackface Minstrels.


Join in the fun!


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Rainbow-Squirrel
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31 Jul 2009, 8:01 pm

Uh, I thought the New York Observer was a serious newspaper...was I mistaking it with another one ? :roll:

Edit for quote:

almost without exception, they leave you perplexed, riddled with doubt and totally depressed


He's talking about NT's, right ? Because if that's the case he would be right, at least in this line. Ops, let me check again...he's talking about Aspies, total failure :cry:



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31 Jul 2009, 9:12 pm

I tried to comment but it told me it was spam, then when I typed in the code it said "FATAL ERROR".



theQuail
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31 Jul 2009, 10:55 pm

:lol: Agreed, she certainly has had personal issues with the two aspies she has met... I was surprised that the review was generally positive, though. A romantic comedy actually worth seeing, maybe?



MsDoubt
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31 Jul 2009, 10:59 pm

Yea, I don't understand where people get this view of people with Asperger's and Autism having no feelings and being robots. idk, i dont pay any attention to biggots. they are all over the place, i just ugnore them. Aspies do have empathy. how can sensitive people not have empathy. give me a break



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01 Aug 2009, 12:08 am

Oh ! "I know at least two people with Asperger’s." that sounds like a new version of the code phrase

"Some of by best friends are..... black, jewish, gay, white, catholic, students or something else..... but ....."

which means the person is about to say something bigoted.

I might write into the paper and give them my point of view on the matter.


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01 Aug 2009, 12:43 am

MsDoubt wrote:
Aspies do have empathy. how can sensitive people not have empathy. give me a break


I'm not sure if this applies to other Aspies on here, but I have trouble showing empathy. It's not that I don't have it (I'm a sensitive person too), I just can't express it.