Autism Speaks U

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Sorry, but that is not right. Aghogday brought up my name of his own free will and deliberately misrepresented the position associated with that. Once that "talk" appears on forum, at all the person he chooses to name has every right to deflect and deny that distortion...Unless you are prepared to demand aghogday edit his references to me out of his post.

Are you prepared to do that?

I don't mind not mentioning your name anymore, or referencing your opinions at your request, but I do mind you suggesting I deliberately misrepresented your position and will be happy to defend the fact that I did not.

I referenced that you provided a link to the Guidestar organization that provides information on charitable organizations.

I referenced that you identified that the salaries that are considered legally acceptable for non-profit organizations, are not personally acceptable to you.

And, finally that you voiced support for the AANE organization.

I told you I was careful not to misrepresent any facts and would provide quotes if needed, and now you state here that I deliberately misrepresented your position.

Here are the quotes from the record, since your are suggesting I deliberately misrepresented your position when I did not:

http://www.wrongplanet.net/postxf168459-0-135.html







http://www.wrongplanet.net/postxf168459-0-195.html

What a pity, because I will not be discussing that, or anything else with you, as I have told you before, and adhered to, because I insist on avoiding being trapped into the very kind of constant circular argument that turned this forum into a bear garden in the first place.

You claim that you did not misrepresent what I said, I know that you did...

....a total impasse there is no point in discussing, but easily resolved by you never bringing up my name in any thread again, let alone one that I have not chosen to participate in like this one.

There was no necessity, nor rational reason, for you to bring my name up in the first place, there will be no need for you to do so in future.

The problem can now be considered permanently solved unless you chose to drag my name into a discussion again.

Your call.

The "I am Autism" video made me cringe, because I imagined how a child might feel if they were exposed to the dark portrayal of autism, with the child sitting there helplessly. I was glad to hear that it was presented soley at a conference, and not put into the mainstream media, however, the fact that it was available on the website, provided potential access for children to see it.

It also offended adult autistics in the same way I thought it might disturb a child. Although the individuals at the conference accepted the video, in the portrayal of the negative aspects of Autism, I was glad to see it removed from the website.

The portrayals of Autism, that Autism Speaks has presented in the past are those with regressive autism, which is a much more serious condition than the symptoms that some others experience related to autism. That was the type of Autism that was presented in the "I am Autism" video, and it reflects the experience of the founders of "Autism Speaks" grandchild that had regressive autism.

People with Autism that are criticizing this type of portrayal, as far as I know, do not have "regressive autism", so it's not a portrayal of the way that they experience Autism. The focus of Autism Speaks has been on the developmental disabilities associated with those autistic children that experience them, and a portrayal of that.

Other than the possibility that some higher functioning autistic people are in some of the "happy" photos on their internet site, I haven't seen much attempt of portraying Autistic people without developmental disabilities. If they are going to accurately represent the full spectrum for proper awareness for the general public, it is an area where I think improvement is needed.

I contend that most people in the general public have hardly any understanding of Aspergers, other than there was a show on TV about it a while back.

There is no possibility of better acceptance of the condition without a better understanding of it within the general public, and it is going to take a great deal of effort to even get peoples attention, to provide a better understanding.

Marketing professionals understand how to do this; it is Autism Speaks area of expertise, and it will require much greater effort among many organizations, along with the government to make it happen.

Beyond all of that, is the low numbers of Adults with Aspergers that have been identified as diagnosed. Current research into the demographics of Adults with all type of ASD's, and affordable avenues for diagnosis, are the first step, because many people at this point in time that have an ASD, have no idea that their difficulties in life, are associated with any neurological condition.

I defended your statement that I deliberately misrepresented your position. Your voice in the quotes presented, speaks for itself, and needs no assistance from me. If you continue to state I deliberately misrepresented your position, as they exist in the record, I may continue to defend that I didn't; other than that I wish you good luck in your future endeavors.

Last edited by aghogday on 19 Sep 2011, 2:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I do not like Autism Speaks.

I do not trust Autism Speaks.

I do not like that Autism Speaks portrays itself as speaking 'for' autism. It does not speak on behalf of autists. It certainly does not speak on behalf of me.

I think that fighting Autism Speaks is a good thing to do, and that its destruction (by legal means) would be one of the best things to happen for people with autism.

As I learn more about Autism Speaks, my revulsion grows.

That is exactly how I felt as I discovered them too...

...but, in relation to the OP...I don't know how things work socially, in the states, but we are the same species here, and over here, various charities go through a period of being this seasons "must have" affiliation, with the very young and somewhat pretentious (bless them). They usually don't have a clue what the charity is really concerned with, let alone the reality of how it operates. Animal welfare tends to be a perennial...

They probably don't have a clue about autism, let alone "Autism Speaks" and are young, selfish and silly, and a little bit cruel...they will likely move on to something else next year.

I would also like to ask that Zeraeph and aghogday stop derailing the conversation. I am here to learn about different people's opinions, and would like to maintain an attitude of relaxation if at all possible. I understand the issue of quote attribution may be difficult and cause a certain amount of anger, but please discuss any future parts of the matter with each other via PM.

I am currently contacting administration in order to see what might be done, to the best for all people involved--yes, everyone.

They have been informed as to the opinions I have read here from aghogday, and from LFA people on other websites, as well as my own feelings about their marketing and its psychological impact on members of the student body, detailed notes on the club meeting and behaviors of the students involved, and links to discussions on the Autism Speaks videos--"I am autism" and "Autism Every Day," specifically in reference to the mother admitting homocidal feelings and suggesting that all parents would feel similarly.

I have attempted to be impartial, and of course said that I advocated the research into regressive autism cases, and that at the moment it appeared that they weren't doing the eugenics work their marketing team and general PR might suggest. Therefore, most of the issue in this case is as to student impact. They will have to be the decision-makers in this case, but I have really done my best to say that I am not advocating shutdown so much as change from the inside.

I hope this works.

Sorry about that, as far as I can see that issue has been resolved.

It seems to be a reasonable approach you are taking here. Good luck, hope everything works out for the best.

i think they did a good job descelating a tense sitiuation

Are you accusing vermontsavant of having the wish or will to edit aghogday's posts as part of some campaign of manipulation?

Did what? And where? Also just because you say something doesn't make it true.

How is using someone's name Zeraeph somehow wrong? It's like how you considered it offensive that I might know your ideas after you told me them in PMs. Talking about other people, using their name, there is nothing wrong with that.

I am sorry Quadratura but I am afraid the ideological opposition and personal antagonism between Aghogday and myself is so extreme and irresolvable that communication by PM is not a viable option for either of us. This is also why I do not engage with Aghogday in any public discussion as it will just go round in stressful and abusive circles that are largely irrelevant to the topic at hand.

Also, you really have to appreciate that the only way to correct a significant public misattribution is in public.

However, if he keeps his word, and desists from naming or referencing me in future posts (for which there is no reason anyway) there should be no further problem.

I won't be around for much longer anyway. I only came back because of the Autism Speaks interview thread, and I am truly sorry that your thread was derailed. If you look you will see it was already well derailed by the time I said anything at all, which actually was part of what made me so furious.

The reference to me was in a context that was already totally irrelevant to your original post as far as I can see.

I honestly wish people could stick to the actual topics in the forum, it would be far more interesting for everyone, but, instead, there are a few people who insist on trying to append their ongoing arguments onto every single topic, and this just drives away people who might have something new and interesting to raise. I often wonder if they have read the original post at all.

Well to be honest so far all I have seen is you abuse aghogdaylong after you said that you were going to leave the forum, for the third time. That you can't look past your own beliefs and talk to a person sensibly is your fault as much as it is anyone else's for not doing the same, not that I have seen aghogday drop at any point a sense of high decorum even if what he says can be called in to question regularly. So far your only tactic has been to accuse him of using your name, for which I have no context as to why using your name somehow constitutes doing something wrong unless you are a deceased chinese emperor.


This is the third time you have said you would leave and you have used this trick of 'just having to respond to this last post' twice now. The other is in the UK state persecution thread. Naming or referencing you by the way is not wrong unless it is inaccurate. Since you haven't explained any inaccuracies you have no right to complain about it, at all.

A few people who appent ongoing arguments unlike you who in the Uk state persecution thread accused pianorak of being delusional, and then you started speaking in the third person to some unknown audience, both things of which are highly patronising, the first of which was just unproven libel. Not that we need to overstate that you always drag up hilariously self-righteous and unfounded criticism of other people who you don't agree with and can't argue with properly.

Correction: Fourth

Last edited by Gedrene on 21 Sep 2011, 7:32 am, edited 2 times in total.

how was the autism speaks interview post derailed.i read the whole thing.if anything people did well ending bickering before it got out of control