Nick Dubin's arrest for a pedophilia-related crime has generated a significant amount of buzz in some parts of the autism blogosphere as well as on various facebook pages of some persons with whom I am acquainted with, who, to the best of my knowledge, don't have blogger type blogs that they write.
I have been told repeatedly by various individuals who advocate a certain movement called "neurodiversity" that this movement is about dignity, respect and human rights for persons with autism (and perhaps other 'neurologic differences'). One Michelle Dawson is in the forefront of this. In fact, at the time, I first started writing autism's gadfly as well as my article 'neurodiversity just say no' that was the immediate predecessor and greatest influence of my decision to start this blog, Michelle Dawson has stated that because I was an opponent of neurodiversity this meant I was an opponent of human rights for autistic persons.
Ari Ne'eman and ASAN have stated that their autism advocacy is about civil and human rights for autistic persons. Yet they seem to devote most of their time demonstrating against Autism speaks or Ari Ne'eman making insulting and juvenile comments in his role as the newest public member of the IACC.
One of the leading neurodiversity blogs is the well-known left brain/right brain blog whose posts are authored by Kevin Leitch and another individual who calls themselves "Sullivan". This blog seems to devote nearly all of their posts to the question of whether or not vaccines and/or mercury cause autism, an issue that has been dealt upon ad nauseum, with neither side brooking any quarters in their beliefs.
Kim Wombles is an individual that writes the countering age of autism blog and seems to get some sort of bizarre humor posing as some elderly hick Appalachian woman as an alter ego in another blog she authors. In spite of claiming that she believes that persons should be treated with dignity and respect she has referred to Harold Doherty as "an asshat". She condescendingly referred to Jake Crosby as "the puppy" because of his youthful age. Last but not least, she was nice enough to give your humble blogger a plug on one of her facebook pages where she seemed to think it was funny that someone would make fun of me and my disability and also seems to have some sort of schaudenfreude as far as my disability and celibacy are concerned.
We now have evidence that it is quite probable that Dr. Dubin, a psychologist and educator who had regular contact with autistic children, is a pedophile. There is also a strong possibility that the reason Dr. Dubin chose his profession is that he was looking for children to molest and chose disabled ones as they are the most vulnerable, many of them not able to speak and report what happened to their parents or others or because of prejudice they would not have credibility making allegations against the good doctor.
Outside of the right not to be murdered, it would seem the right of disabled children not to be sexually molested would be about the most important of human rights that these august individuals would be crusading for. You would think that they would comment on this latest news story.
Reading Michelle Dawson's TMOB comment board on a regular basis as well as her blog posts, I see no comment by this crusader for human rights of autistic persons. ASAN is also strangely silent. Ari Ne'eman is not organizing some sort of protest against professionals who evidence suggests are pedophiles and trying to protect autistic children from them the way he does with autism speaks. Kevin Leitch, "Sullivan" and Kim Wombles seem to have no comment on the issue. I wonder why that is.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Neurodiversity activist busted for child porn!
In a newly breaking story Nick Dubin, a clinical psychologist allegedly diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome has been arrested for online child pornography of children having sex acts with adults!
As regular readers of autism's gadfly will remember, Dr. Dubin,
wrote a favorable article about the ND movement Dr. Dubin, praised GRASP president Michael John Carley, who has insulted severely autistic persons by saying he does not want to be associated with head bangers and diaper wearers.
What is frightening is that Dubin is a licensed psychologist who up until now, worked with and had access to children. ironically enough, he specialized in the issues of bullying and autism. He has admitted to authorities that he knew the material on his computer was illegal. Dubin has been charged and is out on bail. In the meantime, pending the outcome of his trial, he has been barred from using a computer or having contact with minor children.
Dubin, who claims to have an ASD, yet was not diagnosed until age 27 has written about neurodiversity:
In theory, there doesn’t seem to be a chink in the armor of neurodiversity’s philosophy. Who would argue with the notion that society should take responsibility for how it treats some of its most vulnerable but creative citizens? Or that people with autism have inherent gifts and should be respected by others?
Well perhaps one chink is that there is credible evidence that at least one of its adherents is a pedophile, very possibly not above actually having sexual encounters with small children. I realize that Dr. Dubin has not been charged with an actual sex act and as far as his charge on possession of online child porn, he is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. However, this story does indeed give food for thought and perhaps one could rethink the neurodiversity movement and the apparently ever increasing unsavoriness of its adherents.
As regular readers of autism's gadfly will remember, Dr. Dubin,
wrote a favorable article about the ND movement Dr. Dubin, praised GRASP president Michael John Carley, who has insulted severely autistic persons by saying he does not want to be associated with head bangers and diaper wearers.
What is frightening is that Dubin is a licensed psychologist who up until now, worked with and had access to children. ironically enough, he specialized in the issues of bullying and autism. He has admitted to authorities that he knew the material on his computer was illegal. Dubin has been charged and is out on bail. In the meantime, pending the outcome of his trial, he has been barred from using a computer or having contact with minor children.
Dubin, who claims to have an ASD, yet was not diagnosed until age 27 has written about neurodiversity:
In theory, there doesn’t seem to be a chink in the armor of neurodiversity’s philosophy. Who would argue with the notion that society should take responsibility for how it treats some of its most vulnerable but creative citizens? Or that people with autism have inherent gifts and should be respected by others?
Well perhaps one chink is that there is credible evidence that at least one of its adherents is a pedophile, very possibly not above actually having sexual encounters with small children. I realize that Dr. Dubin has not been charged with an actual sex act and as far as his charge on possession of online child porn, he is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. However, this story does indeed give food for thought and perhaps one could rethink the neurodiversity movement and the apparently ever increasing unsavoriness of its adherents.
Mr. Robison goes to Washington
I see that looking at John Elder Robison's facebook page, that he is on his way to Washington, D.C. to review 106 research proposals for autism related things and he gets to help pick who does and who does not get funded at taxpayer expense.
So, the taxpayers are funding decisions being made by someone who at one time claimed no cure was needed for certain autism spectrum disorders, who has seriously suggested studying geek success as a solution to helping persons with autism, and keeps company with wrongplanet.net founder Alex Plank, who has blanketly stated that most autistics don't want to be cured and has autism=good as the slogan for his website.
In addition to being a scientific advisor in the public sector, Robison is also on the scientific advisory board of autism speaks, possibly to placate some noisy neurodiversity advocates, who insist that persons on the spectrum be appointed to positions of power in autism speaks. upon looking at Robison along with his fellow advisory board members one cannot but help noticing the incongruity of Robison, a high school dropout, being included amongst all these Ph.D. and M.D. scientists. Apparently notoriety and commercial success as an author trumps scientific acumen as a qualification for making scientific decisions in both the public and private sectors. Likewise it also trumps federal law as someone who repeatedly engages in dialogue and activity undermining the noble cause of finding a way to prevent and cure autism as has been passed by the combating autism act.
Of greatest concern to this blogger is the possibility that Robison may go to Washington hat in hand and ask for some taxpayer dollars for his own personal use and be given a handout by the federal government. We have seen Robison has done this in his capacity as an advisory board member of autism speaks. Apparently Autism Speaks has no scruples about this Robin Hood in reverse stuff. Neither Robison nor AS see any ethical lapse or conflict of interest in such things.
With the federal government's track record, Gadfly can't help thinking that history could repeat itself.
Along with Ari Ne'eman's participation in crafting autism public policy at taxpayer expense we see another fine example of our tax dollars at work.
So, the taxpayers are funding decisions being made by someone who at one time claimed no cure was needed for certain autism spectrum disorders, who has seriously suggested studying geek success as a solution to helping persons with autism, and keeps company with wrongplanet.net founder Alex Plank, who has blanketly stated that most autistics don't want to be cured and has autism=good as the slogan for his website.
In addition to being a scientific advisor in the public sector, Robison is also on the scientific advisory board of autism speaks, possibly to placate some noisy neurodiversity advocates, who insist that persons on the spectrum be appointed to positions of power in autism speaks. upon looking at Robison along with his fellow advisory board members one cannot but help noticing the incongruity of Robison, a high school dropout, being included amongst all these Ph.D. and M.D. scientists. Apparently notoriety and commercial success as an author trumps scientific acumen as a qualification for making scientific decisions in both the public and private sectors. Likewise it also trumps federal law as someone who repeatedly engages in dialogue and activity undermining the noble cause of finding a way to prevent and cure autism as has been passed by the combating autism act.
Of greatest concern to this blogger is the possibility that Robison may go to Washington hat in hand and ask for some taxpayer dollars for his own personal use and be given a handout by the federal government. We have seen Robison has done this in his capacity as an advisory board member of autism speaks. Apparently Autism Speaks has no scruples about this Robin Hood in reverse stuff. Neither Robison nor AS see any ethical lapse or conflict of interest in such things.
With the federal government's track record, Gadfly can't help thinking that history could repeat itself.
Along with Ari Ne'eman's participation in crafting autism public policy at taxpayer expense we see another fine example of our tax dollars at work.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Ari Ne'eman disenfranchises pro-cure and nonverbal autistics yet again
I see that once again, neurodiversity spokesman, Ari Ne'eman is
shooting his mouth off yet again yet again, claiming that the "autistic community" takes offense at eradicating autism. I have to wonder, yet again, does the "autistic community" include me? Does it include Jake Crosby, Stephanie Keil, Oliver Canby, JediKnight, Tom McKean, Sue Rubin and numerous others on the spectrum who have expressed desire for a cure? How about Connor Doherty who may not be in a position to speak for himself. What about Sean Lapin, Dov Shestack, John Belmonte and many other autistic persons who have limited to nonexistent speech who are incapable of rebutting Ne'eman's nonsense and asking him to butt out and speak for himself and and not for other autistics.
Ne'eman also stated in this diatribe at Harvard that autism should be looked upon as a disability and not a disease, yet neglects to explain the difference between a disability and a disease.
As has been meticulously documented in numerous posts on autism's gadfly, Ne'eman has repeatedly stated that he does not believe that autism is a disability in spite of claiming he never said anything to that effect. We have to wonder why he is now backpedaling and now stating autism should be looked upon as a disability. Could there be political reasons?
Ari Ne'eman and ASAN, I resent you trying to speak for all autistic persons. Almost all of us, myself included, are lower functioning (or more impaired for those who express distaste at the low functioning high functioning dichotomy) than you are. There are others who can't speak and say that they would like autism eradicated. There are others, besides me, who have expressed a desire for a cure. Their numbers seem to be ever growing.
Remember, Ari, nothing about us without us.
shooting his mouth off yet again yet again, claiming that the "autistic community" takes offense at eradicating autism. I have to wonder, yet again, does the "autistic community" include me? Does it include Jake Crosby, Stephanie Keil, Oliver Canby, JediKnight, Tom McKean, Sue Rubin and numerous others on the spectrum who have expressed desire for a cure? How about Connor Doherty who may not be in a position to speak for himself. What about Sean Lapin, Dov Shestack, John Belmonte and many other autistic persons who have limited to nonexistent speech who are incapable of rebutting Ne'eman's nonsense and asking him to butt out and speak for himself and and not for other autistics.
Ne'eman also stated in this diatribe at Harvard that autism should be looked upon as a disability and not a disease, yet neglects to explain the difference between a disability and a disease.
As has been meticulously documented in numerous posts on autism's gadfly, Ne'eman has repeatedly stated that he does not believe that autism is a disability in spite of claiming he never said anything to that effect. We have to wonder why he is now backpedaling and now stating autism should be looked upon as a disability. Could there be political reasons?
Ari Ne'eman and ASAN, I resent you trying to speak for all autistic persons. Almost all of us, myself included, are lower functioning (or more impaired for those who express distaste at the low functioning high functioning dichotomy) than you are. There are others who can't speak and say that they would like autism eradicated. There are others, besides me, who have expressed a desire for a cure. Their numbers seem to be ever growing.
Remember, Ari, nothing about us without us.
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