Who do I petition to ban this sick book?

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The name of the book is called "I Wish My Kids Had Cancer: A Family Surviving the Autism Epidemic".

This author, Michael Alan, has two autistic kids, and he talks about how he wishes they had cancer instead of autism. Obviously, he thinks autism is worse than cancer. Now, I have asperger's syndrome, and it's not that bad at all. I have friends, because I'm nice to people. Sure, I'm not popular, but I'm happy with the friends I do have. All my condition means is that I'm more comfortable being on my own than being around others, and I have some organization issues and social problems. A lot of my people overlook my awkwardness because I'm nice. So I know that what this author is saying is B.S.

I've never had cancer but you don't have to to know how horrible it is. You could DIE, and you feel like crap. Autism is just mind-threatening. Someone without either cancer or autism should be able to figure out autism is not worse.

Why was such a sick book allowed to be published? Did the author not think parents of kids with cancer would see it? I'm appalled that the book hasn't been pulled yet. How do I petition to ban it?

I suppose it can't be banned because of free speech, but it could be a harmful message to give our if people agree with it.

Wow.
In this case, get a Tumblr account and post about it there. The users will do all the work.

You don't. Civilized countries don't ban books. (Well, once in a while a book is suppressed because it is blatantly plagiarized, or libels a specific individual, or reveals government secrets. None of those applies here.)

This is the age of social media and if somebody writes an awful book you don't have to write and publish your own book to rebut it. Does the author have a Twitter account, a Facebook page? Make comments. Don't forget Amazon reviews.

I feel so bad for the kids. I hope for their sake his abusive behaviour ends in venting in this book and he doesn't try to kill them. Some people just shouldn't be allowed to reproduce and if they do should have their kids taken off of them and given to someone who physically can't because they're infertile or something. Someone who will actually love them and not hate their existence. That's just awful.

I was diagnosed severely autistic when I was little and still have pronounced autism traits. I don't talk, I don't respond well and I have meltdowns etc. I know my dad loves and likes me very much and would find the title of that book repulsive and disturbing. I'm sure it will get a lot of very negative reaction from both the parents of kids with autism and parents of kids with cancer. Garbage will be recognized as garbage. There are people that go out of their way to adopt autistic and special needs kids that would be glad to take that man's kids off his hands for him I'm sure.

Edit: Here read the 265 negative reviews it got: http://www.amazon.com/Wish-Kids-Had-Can ... 1606720708

This is an old book anyways, published in 2008.

Last edited by EzraS on 14 Jun 2015, 3:42 am, edited 2 times in total.

I completely agree, Ezras. This is an admirable and very perceptive comment.

As I read your opening post about this book, "Autism $peaks" came instantly to mind. This sounds like a sock puppet for Suzanne Wright to me.

Is it self published? Surely no respectable publisher would go so low. The title (God knows how much more offensive the actual content is) is not only offensive to the ASD population but also to people struggling with cancer. He is implying that these are the two worst fates that could happen to anyone. (Wrong on both counts, sock puppet, far worse things can happen and I am tempted to hope you discover that quite violently).

Is this an American book? How did you learn of it?

^ Apparently it's published by America Star Books/ PublishAmerica. I'm happy to say that it has received a lot of 1 star reviews on Amazon and was also met with disgust on Good Reads.

Google search reveals he is a member of TACA "Talk About Curing Autism Now" and (no suprise here) they are one of the groups being promoted by Autism Speaks on this list from AS:

https://www.autismspeaks.org/family-ser ... anizations

Altho I haven't read the book I agree with the father.

This video kinda sums it up, would you want to be "forced" to take care of this kid? He will forever be a burden on his family and contribute nothing to society.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_23z9yJAq0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHRE_hrUkzU

Now I feel like watching more of these louis theroux videos, and remember folks what kind of adults will these children make?


We need to stop enabling each other and admit autism is something that needs to go, these behaviors arn't acceptable and these children will only bring pain and suffering to those around them. To be honest all autistic children are a burden on their parents and I'd feel safe saying all parents wish there children weren't autistic.

A spectrum is a scale between two extreme points. The first video you are promoting is merely one of the extreme points. You then lump everyone in together and imply everyone on the spectrum is devoid of human worth and value. I find your post extremely offensive.

How are they forced? The parents choose to bring these children into their lives. That doesn't mean they have to like everything about that child, or about raising that child, but the parents are choosing the responsibility of parenthood. Children can have difficulties or disabilities which aren't detected in the womb. Anyone who chooses to be a parent takes on that risk, and if it's something they haven't considered then that is not the fault of the child. It's a sign of bad parenting and lack of preparation. Focusing on the parents's struggle also assumes that all of this is easy for the child, and I'm sure it's not. Through my job I deal with parents who have children with disabilities, and some of them are bitter and angry people. They often think that they are owed a certain life or kind of family, and I think that sense of entitlement and that unrealistic viewpoint makes them far more unhappy than anything their child is doing. They will always be angry if they are trying to have something which isn't possible. Many of them also believe in God. Some accept their situation as God's work and are happy and well-adjusted. Others curiously have issues with God's plan since it hasn't gone their way. It's the attitude that causes most of their negative feelings.

You don't.

All you would accomplish is to draw more attention to the book. If you don't want people to pay attention to the book, the last thing you want to do is to ban it.

I know Asperger's and Autism are s**t to be inflicted with, but I still wouldn't wish cancer upon anybody.

"I wish my disabled child had a deadly disease!"

Now that statement just doesn't make sense on any level. I suspect that his autistic children may be wishing that he had a deadly disease himself. What a poo-fungus.