Stop Bashing Autism Speaks!

Post Reply New Topic

oh com'on T man didnt mean anythng like that,seriously."as autism speaks winds on down the road there shadows taller than there soul"

The neurodiversity movement works great if you're a person whose primary problems with Aspergers or High Functioning Autism are the way that society treats you. If your main problem is being discriminated against, being exposed to unfair stereotypes, or having others not fully understand you, then that type of advocacy is probably closer to what you need than research to find a cure for behaviors that probably don't severely negatively hamper your daily life. That's probably closer to where I stand right now, and the idea that I might have a hard time finding a job, particularly in the field that I want to go into (policy analysis) is something that does bother me.

At the same time, some people with autism are not that lucky. Some of them can't speak more than a few words from the day they're born to the day that they die. Even some more high functioning individuals with autism are only "high functioning" in a cognitive sense and have a hard time with the daily business of making friends, keeping a schedule, and holding down a job. For those people, therapies to treat problematic autistic behaviors and are both necessary and useful. Research into which ones are more necessary and more useful is important, along with research into which ones end up being like dog training with no real positive impact for the individual and quite a bit of emotional harm. I don't know what Autism Speaks has done in the past, so I'm not going to speak in favor of a group that I don't fully understand, but organizations that exist to benefit those who struggle with problems from autism are necessary, as are groups that seek to increase public knowledge of ASDs.

Am I a good guy or a bad guy? Am I black or am I white?

Can't you see that it isn't that simple?

Is it not better to have someone with AS, who knows it from the inside, working with Autism Speaks, working to change things, rather than leave them to their own devices and wrong ideas? NTs are not the enemy, but they often need to be shown what the Autism world really is like. They can only see it from the outside and act accordingly. It's up to us to show them when they are wrong, and change any false perceptions they are professing.

i agree

True, you do not get it.

The place for constructive progress, communication, understanding, was when Autism Speaks started. Only after they failed have they tried to recast themselves as supporters of the community that their original intent was to find a genetic marker and eradicate through abortion.

30% of the population has autistic traits, 1% meets DSM criteria, that is over three million people. Perhaps 1% of them do meet the, is going to spend life in an institution or group home.

Their started intent, Eradicate Autism, would have taken at least the 99% who meet DSM standards as collateral damage.

Like all Eugenics programs before them, they showed the worst to justify getting rid of all.

Science and Medicine have long known that all birth defects are the result of the parents Genomes combining, and in a small percentage of cases that brings out the worst of both. Some religious minorities know of risks, and pre marital genetic testing is the response.

It is a reasonable way of reducing risk.

Something found in 30% of the population cannot be called a defect.

Many people think there is something wrong with the other 70%. At least half of them are Social Excessives, and sell used cars and insurance. They are also common in Media.

They may be a majority, but life is not a democratic election.

If you produce films like "I Am Autism," Living with Autism Everyday," of course film buffs will say it is derivative of prior work, citing "Lives Not Worth Living." Autistics had some staring roles in that one.

Those who knew the Science told them early on that it was not a simple genetic defect, and got banned. Marketings was bringing in money, Science be damned!

As predicted, Research shows it is caused by 30% of the population, The parents genomes combining to produce a few disabled offspring.

Not being a single marker, like other conditions, even genetic screening would not work. We do not know enough about genetics.

It is true most autistic people have no idea they are.

Even today, Tamborine Man, an obvious. Something is going on, only recently discovered. It has been in the DSM since 1994, he went to school, no one thought he showed a Differance of Thought and Perception?

No doubt, Autism needs treatment. Just a little would have changed my life.

So we do have a large group that will just get by, a smaller group that could get by with some help, and a very small group that nothing will help except full time support.

Standard medical practice, Triage, those who will survive are left to do so, all effort is expended on those who with some help can live, and hopeless cases are made comfortable.

Autism Speaks picked group three, and was willing to get rid of them, and groups 2 and 1. They claimed that Asperger's, HFA, were not the "Real Autism," they were out to eradicate.

Children do not chose to be born, and some come with lifetime problems. Some join the Service and defend the country, they do not chose to get blown up. In both cases they deserve support, and to be made as comfortable as possible. It is Ethical Human Behavior to do so.

If Autism Speaks had done what most Charities do, provide comfort and support to the afflicted, I would have no problem with them. Profound Autism is a tremendous burden on parents, the government, and their needs are unmet. Building state of the art group homes for the disabled would solve some problems for many. Parents do not live forever, group homes and institutions are not up to the need.

I would think the same of providing direct support to parents. They need help.

Asperger's, HFA, it will have rough spots, but Tamborine Man will make it, grow up by forty, just like the rest of us always have. Help would be good, just a little, Temple Grandin says Mentors work.

Autism Speaks chose and funded a Eugenics Program.

They failed, their Science reached a dead end, they produced nothing.

Now they stand, like Custer at The Little Bighorn, saying, I will be Chief of your tribe.

Like the Americans who overthrew the Taliban, who years later say, put down your weapons, submit, and we will include you in our government.

Well, we know how the first one turned out.

The only group of autistic that can be helped, besides Humanitarian Duty, are like Tamborine Man, almost in the world, could make it, the boy needs a good talking to. I saw what he posted on Autism Speaks, and on behalf of Kat and HP, he needs some Social Development.

He has been behaving as badly in the world as Autism Speaks does in the Autistic Community. Him I have hope for. His disorder is not self inflicted.

Autism Speaks is a failed Eugenics Organization, that has produced nothing for the most disabled, failed to support their parents, the many more who could make some progress, and is now talking about giving keyboards to people in institutions.

Genetic study has advanced a lot. The Human Genome Project, The Neanderthal Genome Project, and Medical Science has been quick to pick up on genetic relationships to many conditions. It is good work, sound Science, and I do not think I have ever seem a study funded by Autism Speaks in the bibliography.

The simple reason is the study of Autism is going at it backwards. Eugenics, yes, that might work, but knowledge takes a broad study, something other people are doing, and doing it well. Real Science.

Autism Speaks does not build the needed support systems, does not support the disabled autistic, their parents, has disowned the Asperger's HFA group, funds junk research that no one else cites, and have fully disproven their own reason for existing.

They started a dirty War on Autism, and lost. It is not time for us lay down our arms and submit to peace talks as they direct.

The war ends when they run up a White Flag.

Autism Speaks! You are out of ammo, there is something that can be salvaged, but not on your terms.

It is better, and it is what has been suggested in the past. The neurodiverse view that Tambourine Man has presented on the site there has been extremely well recieved.

If there was any evidence that he was doing any harm, I could see some cause for concern, but none has been presented.

The interview was a joint effort with his peers, and approved by them, in advance.

His peers have already expressed that his writing is a positive message.

And in the latest effort to ask for change in the epidemic slogan was also a joint effort here.

All of this is evidenced in the record.

Yes it does. He said the problem with self-advocacy. That suggests all. If he said the problem with some self-advocates then I wouldn't mind. But it blatantly does suggest all of a particular group.



See above for how you're wrong.


It's not an 'ideological' term, whatever that is.


Yes it would. Unless you qualified who it was then it's a general statement referring to all.


Then why did he make the point if he didn't think it didn't matter?


Yes it can. People can just use this as an excuse to interpet something in a way that it doesn't make sense to interpret it though.

And then you go off the point.

He didn't say that.

He said 'don't you feel like a traitor?'

Well do you feel like one?

See? Tambourine man is using black and white thinking in the way I feared he would use it. He used it when it wouldn't make sense at all to use it. As in there is no reason how you explain how this is black and white thinking Tambourine man. This is a bad argument I know, but the fact remains that you can't then make a bad argument in return. Welcome to reality.


Whethere you're being sarcastic doesn't effect this argument.


This true enough. But what other obvious comparison can one make? Do you like ratting out your own people isn't really an example.


Like claiming people think in Black and White and not explaining why? For someone who isn't giving a calculated response you sure are making a calculated response.


Aye? Calculated.

"Autism Speaks = Nazi" is pretty obviously black and white, guy. They aren't doing what you'd like them to do so they must be evil and slaughtering people. Nothing in between.

Is that a sufficient explanation?

Riiight.... Hitler was misunderstood

Casting aspersions on aspergians black and white thinking tendencies

wont polish a turd called Autism Speaks

Stop trying to confuse good people with your 'turn them to the dark side'

psychobabble and whorish desire to be at the kings table feeding off the poor and downtrodden

He was comparing Tambourine man to a Jewish collaborator in the concentration camps. That isn't right, but it isn't black and white thinking and it aint calling Autism Speaks Nazis. That's a leap of convenience.

Black and white thinking is part of the all-or-nothing principle. Unless he stated that a person who supported neither Autism Speaks nor, for example, ASAN was a judekommando then we can't say he's black-and-white because he wont be all-or-nothing.

Don't come at me saying I don't know who and who isn't being called a Nazi. I have been called a Nazi before. I have been accused of comparing the USA to Nazis before. I know who is being called a Nazi.

Okay that's it. That first sentence is too far. Your insane accusatory psychobabble is making it harder for people with real criticism to get their voice heard. Back off Tambourine with your emotionally-charged Argumentum ad hitlerum you nutjob.

i dont get your post however i do believe the last line in stairway to heaven to be a reference to themselves."to be a rock and not to roll".another analogy could be"to be a car and not to drive".or "to be a balloon and not to fly"hence a lead zeppelin.