Sheriff deputy understood stimming

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Back in May, different people campaigned outside my local library during early voting for the Democratic and esp. Republican primaries. And sometimes I could get some good conversations going.

After talking with a sheriff deputy campaigning for a particular sheriff for about 5 to 10 minutes I shared with him that I self-diagnose as being on the Asperger’s-Autism Spectrum. (Usually when I self-disclose, it doesn’t work that well. The person typically thinks I can’t possibly be autistic and doesn’t understand why I would even be saying that.)

He talked about a young man who sometimes liked to crunch leaves, that he seemed to find it soothing. That is, this deputy seemed to understand and be open-minded toward stimming.

Now, we still need to make the point that most ‘normal’ people also stim (and no such thing as ‘normal’ anyway! ), but their ways of stimming are somehow considered more socially acceptable. And we still need to make the point that most people on the spectrum are neither high-functioning nor low-functioning, but rather middle-functioning.

good
on two diff. times i've had to explain it to cops and they played dumb(or was?)
you think there would be more education on the subject for cops?

Yes, one would certainly think so.

It might need to be our organizations for self-advocacy which help to educate police officers. (and the UK may be about three years ahead of the U.S. as far as self-advocacy and activism)

I'm glad things kind of went okay for you on those two occasions.

A couple of weeks someone started a discussion making autism cards to possibly show to a police officer if and when needed.

Help designing an Asperger's card, what would you put on it?
http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt204974.html

My idea is this:

This reminds me of a section on dealing with the police that I read in an autism book (maybe one of Tony Attwood's?). It said that if you get in trouble with the police, you should always tell them that you're on the autistic spectrum, because they might be more understanding towards you if they're familiar with the condition.

Telling them might be better than not telling them.

But having a card (again, immediately behind your ID) may be better still.

If someone merely verbally tells the police officer, the officer might view it as a drug addict just spouting off and saying a bunch of crap. Especially with the common stereotype that autistic persons cannot talk.

Or, the officer might be reasonable.

'Officer, I am on the autism spectrum.'

'I have sensory issues and processing issues.'

'I cannot always understand questions.'

And speaking slowly and pauses are your friend. I think they get the odds more on your side.

'Can you please call _________ [my wife, husband, brother, sister, mother, father, friend, neighbor, caretaker, job coach, teacher, etc]'

And just repeat this request as need be. And not a bad thing to repeat.