Autistic as Monster Advert

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Autistic Monster Ad Campaign

The New Republic Report on the Ad Campaign

There's a seriously dodgy ad campaign from the Action for Children charity:

Autistic Monster Dan (Cured)

I'd like to introduce you to the Autistic Monster Dan (Cured):

[youTube VIDEO]

As you can see, the little monster has been cured of his faulty thinking and behaviour including the gross deficit of giving bullies a good hiding. He has learned that to be Neurotypical is where it's at and is the goal he must aspire to.

Dan was a bad boy before because he didn't realise that all his problems were of his own making. He was a bad son, brother and pupil.

But along came Action for Children and made him realise it was all his own fault. And now he's better.

Meanwhile, the bullies have been tormenting the black kids, the fat kids and the ginger kids.

But don't worry, a crack team from Action for Children are heading for the school right now, equipped with white wash, hair dye and a large selection of salad vegetables and low-fat crisps.

If you find this demonisation of autism as offensive as The Voyage, Action For Autism, ASAN and the London Autistic Rights Movement, please email Gary Day at Action For Children: gary.day@actionforchildren.org.uk

I highly recommend Bev's take on this at Asperger Square 8

We're (The Autism Hub, London Autistic Rights Movement) trying to get a unified response together. Please join us.The New Republic

Last edited by HarryWilliams on 24 Jan 2009, 6:12 pm, edited 4 times in total.

Very disgusting nothing wrong with being Autistic or Nerotypical but their is something very wrong with people trying to turn autistic people in the NTs it is selfish and wrong.

Last edited by philosopherBoi on 24 Jan 2009, 3:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Huh?
Link doesn't work.

Ummm.... I think you've missed the point:


Try reading it again.

Sorry, not V good with BB code:

The New Republic Report on the Ad Campaign

Yeah I noticed that, that is why I edited it.

Yet another blog taken as gospel.
The vid-clip was fine. The blogger took it so far out of context that it isn't even the same storyanymore.
What an idiot.

The idiots seem to be in the majority...

I'm not that offended really. I certainly don't think that Autism is a monster, but I don't think they meant that in the video either. They didn't actually cure him and make him nuerotypical, they just helped him deal with issues rooted in autism.
Being angry and aggressive is a bad thing, regardless of the cause.
(I'm already flinching at the hatemail I'll get for this)

No hate mail here, bud. I agree with you 100%. I just don't think it came across in my initial post.

No, certainly no hate from me, for expressing a different point of view.

I don't think it's unacceptable to for a victim to turn on a bully. But then I'm old and schoolboys scrapping was a part of my growing up. Times have changed I supposed...

Um, it sounded a bit tongue-in-cheek to me, was it supposed to be sincere?

^ I'm with this guy.

Had to watch the video like five times, and I still have no idea what the blogger is talking about...I didn't hear anything about bullies or neutotypicals or being cured or anything like that...just a guy who had some anger problems and managed to get them calmed down a bit.

Nothing wrong with that? I've seen some autism/meltdown/temper-tantrum thingy videos on YouTube before, that's some scary stuff @_@ Heck, I've had a few of them myself =(

Some people definitely read into things a bit too much, and start seeing things that aren't even there

I suppose it's a matter of point of view.

The New Republic is uncompromisingly and militantly "Neurodiverse".

The points are:

"Dan" seems to have learned that wacking bullies is bad; is pathological and unacceptable. I personally think (and I realise many don't share this view) that passivity and toleration of abuse, begats more abuse.

The view of autism as a monster to be quelled. What needs to be dealt with are the attitudes and lack of understanding that led to this boy being so unhappy in his former school. He was unhappy at home, unhappy at school - so they took him away from school and away from home and he was happier...

Ummm... Is there something screwy here?

Thirdly the presentation of autism as monster to the general public is harmful. Most people don't have the same level of knowledge and understanding you'll find on WP. The general public, unfortunately, is susceptible to sound bites, images and emotions.

This campaign is an NT designed play on other NT's emotions and short attention span. With a pet Aspie along for credibility and kudos.

That's the view from militant street. I appreciate that MOR peeps will not agree...

From Aspergers Square 8 by Bev

send in the idiots......