Elliot Rodger killings- attempt to link autism

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Yes. Unfortunatly since the vast majority of such killers usually take their own lives afterwards, society is left finding trivial or irrelevant things to blame.

I agree that there is a problem with the media and it's relation between Autism/AS and Psychopathic tendencies. I agree that the public needs to be informed. But we start to disagree on the approach. You say that Gay Rights Activist have made their point by saying that anyone who disagrees is a homophobic and that Feminist make their point by saying that anyone disagrees is a sexist. These maybe politically driven arguments but they only create a huge divide in the public on the issue. What the Gay Rights Activist need to do is openly accept that their behavior is not a healthy but that they are willing to embrace it anyway. Same for women who want to be accepted in ?The Man?s? industry. They need to accept that due to biological limitation they will be different from men. By accepting their limitations and still working hard towards their goals I believe in the long run they would have better acceptance into the general public. The last thing we need is to put a fear on the public forcing people to accept Autism/AS. That may fly politically but it will create even more resentment in the long run.

You know this reminds me of that Lady Gaga song - Born this Way. Gay Advocates have used that argument countless times to make their point to be accepted. However has it ever been considered that just because you were born a certain way doesn't make it right? We as Aspie's are born this way. But I'm not going to go out to the public and force them to accept my quirky behavior. I will work to improve myself to integrate into society. Although I may not be able to completely be normal people will notice my efforts to fit in and I would be more socially accepted.

I read in a book on body languages that we as human beings make sub-conscious efforts to develop rapport with our peers. In doing so we mimic behaviors. This is so ingrained in our DNA that even our physical appearance will ever so slightly change to the environment around us.

Now I do think government should come into play in policies however not in the public perception. I do agree with Gay Advocates in that policies should not discriminate on preference or predisposed position. I do not believe that the government should engineer public opinion by giving special treatments though.

I just read this article in Forbes by Emily Willingham that should serve as a source of reassurance and balance...

http://www.forbes.com/sites/emilywillin ... had-anger/

worth the read IMO...and a refreshing thing to see.

What is wrong or intrinsically unhealthy about being gay? Having Aspergers is not intrinsically wrong. There are parts of it such as Executive Functioning or sensory that will be disabling for many on the spectrum. There are some things that could be disabling because the difference is not understood or feared. I agree that long dissertations on Autism will only bore people but criticizing a misperception or a negatively slanted ideas is the right thing to do.

If you come to me and say I am born wrong but don't discriminate me because of it , I will see you as a negative and discriminate against you if need be.

The gays won because they became less threatening in the eyes of the public. Just 10 years ago most people would favor not allowing gays to teach children. Gays said 1. I only want the same rights as you do. 2. My marriage does not effect yours one iota. And there was positive images on TV. Gayness as a difference, we were born this way, it is not wrong was used . I don't recall them saying we know we are wrong but you should not discriminate against us anyways.

"What is wrong or intrinsically unhealthy about being gay? Having Aspergers is not intrinsically wrong. "

Response: I'm not saying being gay is unhealthy nor am I saying being Asperger's is unhealthy either. If you search the forum there is a good article that challenges the "mental illness" misconception.

"If you come to me and say I am born wrong but don't discriminate me because of it , I will see you as a negative and discriminate against you if need be."

Response: I have, in similar words, said this and I was not discriminated against. Discrimination cannot be helped. People will do it regardless of mental health.

"The gays won because they became less threatening in the eyes of the public."

Response: No the gays have not become "less threatening" they've only become politically correct. That said they have more legal support or bias in their favor so now they can easily throw the gay card. If Asperger's become politically correct I would never use my disposition to my advantage. It is ethically wrong.

"Just 10 years ago most people would favor not allowing gays to teach children. Gays said 1. I only want the same rights as you do. "

Response: I agree and government has stepped in to challenge these in justices. This is when I agree government should step in. However I don't agree when they start making special provisions for gays to put them at a better advantage. Throughout history government has been doing this for minorities. I am a minority race and even I feel this is wrong. It only creates more resentment.



I guess I was bound to get someone defensive on the topic of gay being a mental illness. Yes I've done enough research to see that it has been challenged and some agree that it is not a mental illness. I still beg to differ though. The only reason it was challenged was because it being classified as a mental illness created a stigma in the general public. A stigma that gays did not want to have. Truth is, it's not that gay being placed in that category being the problem. It's the perception of mental illness that is the problem. People act like if you have a mental illness you can't integrate into society. WRONG! People with mental illness with treatment can integrate into society. Now I'm not saying that treatment for gays means that we have to convert them straight. No what I am saying that even now gays have placed themselves into a sub category in society and has forced others to except them. I don't agree with that concept. American's already suffer enough with categories and labels with racism alone the last thing we need is more categories to further divide our nation. Quite frankly I think our nation suffers from a mental illness even those who don't have that label. Stop trying to place labels, stop forcing the world to change for you and stop creating boundaries. If we want to make significant improvement for whatever it is we are going through we as a nation need to put aside our differences, accept our limitations and embrace our similarities.

Edit: Stolen from Ivanhoe!

Here ends the sermon / rant

Disagreed. Just because he wasn't diagnosed doesn't mean he doesn't have an Autism Disorder. I've read his manifesto, well skimmed it, and I can see some slight Autistic traits. Just because he showed "executive function and social dissembling skills" towards the latter part of his life does not mean he is not Autistic. Autistic people learn to adapt and develop skills that they lack early on in life. Autistic people also struggle with social cues and acceptance. One of the many reasons he aspired to fit in with the "cool" kids. Let's not try to deflect some obvious characteristics to save face for the Autism community.

One of the reasons this article bothers me is because Autism especially High Functioning Autism and Asperger's are seriously under diagnosed. I think it is shortsighted to say just because one doesn't fit the cookie cutter mold of Autism then that person MUST not be Autistic. This inevitably leaves some people untreated. I'm not sure if the person who wrote the article is Autistic but this is a seriously damaging article.

one does not need a DX to have aspergers,many milder aspies fly under the radar.but severe aspergers will get diagnosed fairly early.

ERGO it would be diagnosed if he has severe aspergers and i doubt mild aspergers would cause a psychotic episode.he sounds more borderline personality with some aspie traits then severe aspergers

Oh absolutely, I agree that Autism did not make him go on this rampage. My problem with the article is how she invalidates his Autism with a misdiagnoses in the media combined with attributes. I find it more troubling that she says "obsessed with being ?cool? and styling himself are not at all like the experiences most autistics have in childhood". That couldn't be more incorrect. Which leads me to believe she is nothing more than an analyst and has never struggled with Autism herself.

borderline PD sounds more like it.if someone who is mentaly ill has a socialy awkward personality that could superficialy mask autism.
lots of N.T's are socialy awkward at times

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/06/02/us ... m=homepage

I know this is a mobile, but the title is correct. I don't have a computer to get the desk top version.

Aspergers is brought up more than once, and one doctor said Rodger's writings are not the ramblings of someone with psychosis. The article does not say that he didn't have Aspergers. I think it's pointing more that way, than anything else.

Enjoy or not....

This article is much more accurate and I like how it sources more information than asserts opinions.

Hmm well no links to sources but they quote a lot. Can anyone find out the accuracy of those quotes?