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Autism Speaks Student Organizations (Uh-oh.)

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Yellow-bellied Woodpecker
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30 Oct 2011, 9:40 pm

I posted this on AspiesForFreedom a short while ago. My apologies to anyone who's seeing this again.

So, Autism Speaks now has chapters in 36 universities across the United States. The list of schools that have AS chapters can be found at the following link: http://events.autismspeaks.org/site/c.n ... apters.htm

If anyone is at or near these schools, you may want to focus your advocacy there.


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Nexus
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30 Oct 2011, 10:03 pm

Heh, I'd love to go up to one of these Autism Speaks people with a fake smile and say, "Oh you're trying to speak on my behalf are you? Well please don't, I can speak for myself as I'm actually Autistic." Then I'd say aloud to any bystanders, "If you really want to know Autism, ask me about it, I have first hand experience and be glad to explain things. These people will just give you fearmorgering rhetoric on how horrible and ret*d we are so they can profiteer off your donations" and walk off nonchalantly unless someone is interested to talk to me about Autism. The key is to not make it sound like a threat, but friendly banter. :D


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30 Oct 2011, 11:27 pm

Nexus wrote:
Heh, I'd love to go up to one of these Autism Speaks people with a fake smile and say, "Oh you're trying to speak on my behalf are you? Well please don't, I can speak for myself as I'm actually Autistic." Then I'd say aloud to any bystanders, "If you really want to know Autism, ask me about it, I have first hand experience and be glad to explain things. These people will just give you fearmorgering rhetoric on how horrible and ret*d we are so they can profiteer off your donations" and walk off nonchalantly unless someone is interested to talk to me about Autism. The key is to not make it sound like a threat, but friendly banter. :D


Have you thought of submitting a blog to Autism Speaks "In Their Own Words?" They haven't censored anything I've submitted, and one of my articles even discussed the pointlessness of a cure.

What better way to reach people who may be misinformed then through Autism Speaks own website?


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Nexus
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30 Oct 2011, 11:41 pm

No thanks, if I advocate, I'll do it independently. Besides I'm naturally against all advocacy groups, even Autistic managed ones as I feel the sense of authority/organisation corrupts people. The bigger problem is what I call "moulding", applying an absolute to a relative phenomena as each Autistic individual has different requirements and needs to help them.

Nah, talking to a few strangers here and there is how I usually do it. Just giving people a good impression that some of us can be quite enlightening and speak for ourselves is enough to slowly turn the tide. Ordinary people tend to gossip about experiences they've had, so it does contribute in its small way. :)


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31 Oct 2011, 12:56 am

Nexus wrote:
No thanks, if I advocate, I'll do it independently. Besides I'm naturally against all advocacy groups, even Autistic managed ones as I feel the sense of authority/organisation corrupts people. The bigger problem is what I call "moulding", applying an absolute to a relative phenomena as each Autistic individual has different requirements and needs to help them.

Nah, talking to a few strangers here and there is how I usually do it. Just giving people a good impression that some of us can be quite enlightening and speak for ourselves is enough to slowly turn the tide. Ordinary people tend to gossip about experiences they've had, so it does contribute in its small way. :)


Very true. Very true. Word does get around.

I wear a bracelet that says, "I have autism." People ask about it, thinking it is a bad joke, and I explain to them how broad the spectrum is and and tried to expand their understanding.


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You may know me from my column here on WrongPlanet. I'm also writing a book for AAPC. Visit my Facebook page for links to articles I've written for Autism Speaks and other websites.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/JohnScott ... 8723228267


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31 Oct 2011, 1:03 am

Nexus wrote:
... These people will just give you fearmongering rhetoric on how horrible and ret*d we are so they can profiteer off your donations"...

Yeah ... horrible and ret*d ... yet they value our contributions so much that they will pay us NOTHING for our efforts.



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31 Oct 2011, 3:54 am

Tambourine-Man wrote:
Nexus wrote:
Heh, I'd love to go up to one of these Autism Speaks people with a fake smile and say, "Oh you're trying to speak on my behalf are you? Well please don't, I can speak for myself as I'm actually Autistic." Then I'd say aloud to any bystanders, "If you really want to know Autism, ask me about it, I have first hand experience and be glad to explain things. These people will just give you fearmorgering rhetoric on how horrible and ret*d we are so they can profiteer off your donations" and walk off nonchalantly unless someone is interested to talk to me about Autism. The key is to not make it sound like a threat, but friendly banter. :D


Have you thought of submitting a blog to Autism Speaks "In Their Own Words?" They haven't censored anything I've submitted, and one of my articles even discussed the pointlessness of a cure.

What better way to reach people who may be misinformed then through Autism Speaks own website?

I'd like to see that article before I make a judgement please. Then I'd like to mull everything over with a glass of cointreau.



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31 Oct 2011, 3:56 am

Tambourine-Man wrote:
Nexus wrote:
No thanks, if I advocate, I'll do it independently. Besides I'm naturally against all advocacy groups, even Autistic managed ones as I feel the sense of authority/organisation corrupts people. The bigger problem is what I call "moulding", applying an absolute to a relative phenomena as each Autistic individual has different requirements and needs to help them.

Nah, talking to a few strangers here and there is how I usually do it. Just giving people a good impression that some of us can be quite enlightening and speak for ourselves is enough to slowly turn the tide. Ordinary people tend to gossip about experiences they've had, so it does contribute in its small way. :)


Very true. Very true. Word does get around.

I wear a bracelet that says, "I have autism." People ask about it, thinking it is a bad joke, and I explain to them how broad the spectrum is and and tried to expand their understanding.

Generally if I were to make any sort of organisation involving autistics I'd have to be clear on everything, and not have a pro-anything agenda. I'd just have to seek wanting to make lives better. That wouldn't suit any traditional advocacy group I am sure.
And of course a lot of people would accuse me of playing for the other side a lot because I didn't think in black and white, a dichotomy of cure or difference. But although we people have been thrown in the same boat together, the boat of autism, we might as well help those who have actual concrete issues that need to be fixed.