I see from a perusal of the latest post on autism speaks' blog that the combating autism act is up for reauthorization and AS is supporting this and the bills in both houses of congress which will do so. This is interesting in light of the fact that they have given rogue scientist laurent mottron a half million dollar grant when he has not only stated that the notion of curing autism is nonsensical but has gone even further, saying along with morton gernsbacher and michelle dawson that autism is a harmless condition. It is also strange in light of the fact that they have John Robison on their scientific advisory board, in spite of his questionable qualifications and Mr. Robison has referred to them, one Alex Plank and has talked to autism speaks and gotten them to cough up money for this individual's films. Mr. Plank has stated in the past that most autistics don't want to be cured and has stated that autism is a good thing in the title bar of his website, wrong planet. Plank partners with Robison's son.
To digress, gadfly wonders if Ari Ne'eman and ASAN will vociferously protest the combating autism act as they have done in the past along with inconsistencies pointed out by autism's gadfly. As has been stated before on this blog, neurodiversity fought this law tooth and nail when it was first being debated in congress as a bill. After they lost that battle, they took the if you can't beat 'em, join 'em perspective so rampant in the neurodiversity movement. Katie Miller, Ari Ne'eman and other ND's presented their agenda before the IACC, claiming that individuals such as myself should be crippled and sick when it completely contradicted the intentions of the new law.
This was not good enough for them. They were able to get ari ne'eman appointed to an actual seat on the IACC. The combating autism act specified that at least one individual on the spectrum would be a public member. Along with Ne'eman, conference superstar Stephen Shore serves in this capacity also. Shore, is an individual who is barely affected by his autism if at all. In addition to his prolific conference presentations, he has a doctorate, is an assistant professor and has published numerous books. He is also married. He opposes a cure for autism in spite of serving on a government board created for that specific purpose. To date, the number of pro-cure autistics who have been appointed as public members of the IACC is zero. Alex Plank and others may want to deny that we actually exist, but we are definitely out there. Gadfly wonders if the intent of this law and the creation of the IACC was in order to combat autism and find a cure, then why have there never been any pro cure autistics appointed but two anti-cure autistics.
If neither bill passes congress, the CAA will be sunseted and cease to exist. Isn't this what Ari Ne'eman and ASAN wanted prior to 2007? Yet, if Ne'eman and company again take to the streets with placards, he will be depriving himself of one of his two government posts to get his agenda across. Is this what he wants? Only time will tell.
Public members don't even have to attend meetings, they can just do a video phone-in thing on a website. What sense is there having an agency like this?
Well, once again, folks, welcome to another circus sideshow without a tent. I will be interested in what Ne'eman and ASAN do about the reauthorization of the CAA.
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7 comments:
"gadfly wonders if Ari Ne'eman and ASAN will vociferously protest the combating autism act"
Of course he will because Ari Ne'eman only knows and associates with the self diagnosed and the most highest functioning people with autism. Ari Ne'eman has never been exposed to the low functioning. He's been invited to "view" them, all expenses paid, but he has actively declined such invitations. I'm unaware that he has ever met or set his eyes on a low functioning autistic person.
@ Fauxtist: I don't doubt you are correct. However, why would he and ASAN protest the CAA when it has helped elevate him into a policy making position? Gadfly wonders about this.
"why would he and ASAN protest the CAA when it has helped elevate him into a policy making position?"
Logic, fair play, honesty, take your pick, have never been obstacles for Ari Ne'eman nor his cult followers at ASAN.
This bill was always a scam, it never tried to cure autism, admit that people had already been cured or addresssed the truth about autism in any manner. All it ever did was support obsolete methods of dealing with autism behaviorally and wasting money on proposing studies on genetics. It's just a redherring for liars from both sides to argue about. As always, autistic people lose.
I get suspicious that Ari Ne'eman has so many important positions in the government, especially since he is so young. Perhaps, since he is from quite a wealthy family, his wealth has to do with him having so many important positions for a naive 22 year old. I wouldn't doubt that wealth has something do to with all his important positions. Doesn't his mother work for the Iranian/Isreali goverment or something of the sort? Should a person of such wealth and prestige be allowed to speak for people who receive disability checks and who are too disabled to attend college? Shouldn't the money perhaps spent on getting Ari Ne'eman positions be spent on actually helping people in need (possibly millions of dollars)?
Anonymous: Ari Ne'eman's mother runs a translation service and one of her clients is the primeminister of Israel. I don't know how wealthy Ne'eman's family is or how much influence they had in getting him positions. I agree he is quite young and quite naive.
I also agree that the money spent on his being on the NCD and IACC could be spent more constructively.
I'm tired of Ari Ne'eman and his posse accusing everyone who disagrees with them as "baby killers." For example, wanting to "cure" Autism has absoloutely nothing with having abortions or desiring abortions. Perhaps wanting to cure Autism has is a desire to alleviate others of their suffering and pain, especially the LFA. It has absoloutely nothing with "killing" anyone, like they claim. If I was pregnant and knew my child had Autism and/or Down's Syndrome I would NOT have an abortion even though Ari and his posse claimed that I would (which is a lie). If my child was severely disabled I would obviously desire a "cure" for my child, mostly to alleviate their suffering because the disabled can indeed SUFFER, physically and mentally, especially LFA people who smear/eat feces, bang their heads all day, etc.
These mildly disabled people need to come down from their pedestals and $150,000 degrees and face the reality of many POOR disabled people who live off SSI checks. Sending a person with Down's Syndrome to college is cute but it doesn't solve concrete problems about disability, especially the profoundly disabled.
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