DW_a_mom wrote:
NewportBeachDude wrote:
Alex, I love that cup! I love it! I'm happy about all of this awareness and that people are waking up to Autism. So, the next time many of us parents are out there in public and our children are stimming or over-stimulated, when we tell people, "They're Autistic," at least they'll have a frame of reference.
It's a new day for Autism.
I confess, Dude, that I have mixed feelings about the "awareness" that I am encountering. It is great to have people understand when a child has a melt-down in public, that is a very positive thing, but I found it so unnerving when a friend of mine, whose son is 3, was telling me how terrified toddler parents are about Autism. The awareness is feeding fear in parents more than hope, and that is a very negative thing. We really need to be careful HOW awareness is promoted, because fear bears very heavy costs.
Did you read Alex's speech from last weekend, the last few paragraphs where he spoke about policies of hope v. policies of fear? That really struke a chord with me. Too much of this awareness has been built on fear.
SW_a_mom, where is Alex's speech? No, I didn't read that.
I don't see it as fear. Many organizations do advertising like this. But, Autism was probablyh at the bottom of the barrel. I'm glad it's risen to the top and people are taking notice. Breast Cancer Awareness has messages everywhere you turn, but that doesn't make women walk around fearing they have it. It just makes them aware and do their regular checkups or mammograms when needed. That's how I see it.
I'm thankful for all of the awareness. However, it's a little late coming for many parents.
Can you post a link to the speech you're referring to?