"Autism Speaks" Response to Autistic Input

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It would be nice if other self-advocates challenged ASAN on just a few issues to find better solutions on certain key issues where they would tolerate others speaking in the best interest of myself.

Isolation advocacy in this news piece.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oouMQG3Oh6c[/youtube]

The abortion and asking for money at the same time was in this protest but the video now changed.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUBfyfjIccA[/youtube]

I am also against people being offended by the puzzle piece as they seem to go against it simply because some organizations that are popular that they disagree with use it. Autism was and is a puzzle others were trying to figure out to help. So now I use a 3d autism puzzle as the logo of my organization to create solutions as the solution are pieces of the grand puzzle of change.

I disagree with being overtly offended to get my way when others seem to be trying to help. I think some people are just trying to control and gain power and it helps no one. For that reason I object and use the puzzle piece in my logo.

I did know he wouldn't answer either question before I asked them...

Well I agree with pretty much everything in the first video and cannot for the life of me identify anything that could be correctly described as "Isolation Advocacy" in it...did you perhaps set up the wrong video?

I also agree with the second video, but as you claim it has been changed I have no way to know if I would agree with it in it's original form.

As far as the puzzle piece is concerned...by nature I do not let other people define me, so I cannot take being defined as a puzzle piece by idiots who do not even know me seriously, let alone personally.

HOWEVER, I do not think ANYONE has the right to define a group of other people against their wishes and without consulting them. A huge number of autistic people find the puzzle piece offensive and the fact that Autism Speaks genuinely couldn't care less about that is very telling.

The puzzle piece was, in fact, chosen by an ad agency to maximise the impact, influence and turnover of "Autism Speaks", and I think it should be pretty obvious to anyone that Autism Speaks is all about power and control, and nothing about genuinely trying to help at all. (This also applies to a great many other organisations)

What is not obvious to me is why you have more faith in "Autism Speaks" than you have in yourself, and I believe that is a serious mistake on your part.

As someone who has been around a long time, I learned of autism through Alex, correcting some of Autism Speaks errors. I was near sixty when I first learned it was not just me.

Without Autism Speaks I would never have learned, I am functioning but odd, and that does not lead to high earnings.

My view of autism was the disabled, I never identified.

Autism Speaks started the public discourse, faults and all they brought the subject up, and explored it.

The first problem was Autism Awareness, it was a standard public relations action, and it worked.

Without awareness nothing could be done, in education, disability, no one knew much.

As far as cure, it is just marketing, at least for those now living. Treatment? I think it would be wasted on me, but should be developed, and become a standard for the young, for I got nothing. Anything seems better than nothing.

Awareness brought up that autism costs billions a year. Almost all funded by families, with some government support. The government does not care why people are disabled, all are treated the same.

To get their attention takes two things, money and social power. Autism was marketed as a disability that might be avoided with more study, private money, and reduce government costs.

If I did not know, Congress knew less. Just making them aware what autism was costing, and the future cost, got their attention.

Government funds studies on why birds fly. They have no idea about Science, and as directed by government, science has no direction. Grants go out by quota to various groups that have political connections and a grant appliction. Some strange things have been studied, that did not advance the body of knowledge.

What I like about the Autism Speaks Machine is it's focus. While it all may be related to autism, it is a tight body of work, ever expanding the edges of knowledge.

This is the grunt work of science, filling in the blanks and not getting a paper published. It is like the Fire Department, going room to room, looking under beds and in closets, and proving there is no one there.

What Autism is not has been well covered.

The focused brainpower is impressive, as is the clarity of their reports. This is not some University trying to convince their Government they are on to something and need another grant.

Autism Speaks research is glad to say where they proved there is nothing to report.

Science is loaded with politics, the Autism Speaks research is free of that.

Before Autism Speaks, there was not an Autistic Community. Without them, no Wrong Planet.

Yes the Autistic have needs, and there is not enough money and magic on earth to supply it. We are also not sure what needs could be met, the order of operation to reach goals, or even what the problems are.

Many of us are in America, lacking the European view of taking care of everyone. There I can see the autistic forming a political party to lobby for more. That will not work here. All disability is underfunded, and it is the same with education, health care, but we do have a War Machine that is the largest of any of the Inner Planets.

To do anything in America, you need a Champion with money and political clout. It is the only way to be heard. You have to develop Brand Identity through Marketing.

In Autism Speaks we have a Corporate Headquarters. Selling Social Entitlements does not work in America. The only thing that sells is long term cost reduction.

Autism Speaks has built a funding machine, does have the support of parents, government, science, and and many autistic people who live in the possible reality. It is the best deal we are going to get in America.

Even ci who is from the Left Coast, the most Euro-Socialist part of America sees that the way to get more services is involve the business community, then sell the idea to government as cost reduction, and some sales tax generated, income. He is not making the wax, does not run the shipping company, and is expanding the economic base.

We have no choice but to join them. It is crooked, but it is the only game in town.

Counting the fringe, autistic but not legally disabled, there are about three million of us. Many not now disabled might be in the future, when family and other support systems disappear. It is in our enlightened self interest to plan for a better future.

Autism Speaks is the only group alined with our long term best interest.

We also have an obligation to show that we wish to be less of a burden, more productive citizens, and do our part to reduce future costs of autism.

Sometimes we do have good ideas that work. They will never be heard unless we have a way to reach a national audience. Workshops and residential farms are ideas the general public can understand, and being self run reduce costs, which they the tax payer bear.

We have to help them help us.

This is America, I have a lot more faith in the goals and ambitions of Autism Speaks than of Republicans or Democrats.

Zeraeph Wrote:

1. I have a "great deal to do with" my postman, doesn't mean I am "with" him...his wife might not like that.
2. You have not actually produced any evidence, just asserted that it exists, then produced an odd, barely relevant, commercially biased source and announced it was evidence.
3. I cannot answer your question at all because it is too rhetorical. I have never seen "Autism Speaks" fund or support any research of any kind that is even likely to have an equivalent beneficial effect without a detrimental effect that outweighs it. So it is like asking me if I would join the Klan if they came out in support of same sex, interracial marriage

This conversation has turned into twisted propaganda based on opinion rather then fact. Frankly I am tired of some radicalism points of view that seem more like an autism form of the tea party then points of view that actually seek individual rights and choices of real people with autism in day to day life. Instead others attempt to push myself and others into an ideological direction or we as people with autism are just one of the "bigots". My suggestion is to change the argument style because most people if they receive an explanation will understand that some are overusing the the "your discriminating" and you are an "autism bigot" to get their way on other political matters.

Under state and federal law all that matters is individual choices. Those t hat seek to enhance individual choices have my respect. Those that just have an agenda and dis-value what is otherwise true discrimination when it takes place by overusing such claims of discrimination do not have my respect. It is clear the above poster does not want fact nor persuasion in any middle moderate consideration.

Those that disagree with certain organizations will never like them until they hand over all power and say to those that disagree. It is no longer about constructive means to achieve quality of life but hardened ideologies. It's not much about happiness or well being it's about pride and pride's propaganda as the central importance and the only way and means to achieve progress to them is with that.

If your going to make claims be prepared to back them up with fact as people are learning to filter out the propaganda and falsities more and more.