tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8353442983052145851.post3568854883511517065..comments2024-03-14T18:26:18.208-07:00Comments on autism's gadfly: Autism speaks kowtows to neurodiversityjonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14972394536850151087noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8353442983052145851.post-15096000786170659422009-12-06T09:08:50.966-08:002009-12-06T09:08:50.966-08:00Right on, brother.Right on, brother.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8353442983052145851.post-29438358401943042672009-09-28T22:27:21.826-07:002009-09-28T22:27:21.826-07:00Ian, neurodiversity says they don't want autis...Ian, neurodiversity says they don't want autistics to be cured, no matter how severe their autism. Their alternative to cure is "acceptance". No sane or logical person believes that "acceptance" will enable an autistic person to talk, care for themselves, hold down a job, or have a spouse, so I don't buy that acceptance is an alternative. Until the ND's come up with a real alternative to the lack of language, nonverbal aspects of severe autism and the inability to hold down a job or relate to people that befalls higher functioning autistics, I will stand by my statement that these people don't care at all about the pain and suffering that autism really does cause. They fact that they would complain when people would talk about real problems of at least some autistic people and they find this offensive, and intimidate the nebbishes at autism speaks into making even a half hearted apology and removing it from their home page shows that I am correct. <br /><br />Until they come up with a real alternative to the problems (real problems) caused by autism, then I stand by my statements about ND. If you have any alternatives to finding a cure, I certainly welcome them. However, I would be curious as to how an autistic person could truly function adequately in society without a cure in spite of Ari Ne'eman's "being anti-cure is not being anti-progress" baloney.jonathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14972394536850151087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8353442983052145851.post-28907205070642278342009-09-28T22:12:31.740-07:002009-09-28T22:12:31.740-07:00I'm surprised to read that there is a "fr...I'm surprised to read that there is a "fringe cult who don't want autistics and others with related disorders to have a shot of living a decent life and want the pain and suffering that autism causes to continue." I've been reading a lot over the past year and haven't run into that viewpoint yet. In fact, from what I've seen, the one point in common among all different viewpoints is that everyone wants to end the pain and suffering.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8353442983052145851.post-60505397174318359402009-09-28T22:07:22.174-07:002009-09-28T22:07:22.174-07:00Jonathan,
I don't remember those exact words, ...Jonathan,<br />I don't remember those exact words, but I certainly agree with them today. My son can't get dressed himself, speak, drive a car, cook himself a meal or even have friends without the help of someone else.Work is unlikely, privacy unattainable; so many of the things we take for granted are unavailable to him because of his autism. He does not like it. HE wants to be rid of it, the way someone else might want to be rid Parkinsons or MS.He does not believe that it defines him.<br /><br />I am always stunned by the small-mindedness of the neurodiversity crowd and their hang-up over semantics.My son and the ND people do not have the same disease and certainly not the same challenges and limitations in life. Why they would begrudge me my work in support of my son's freedom, I do not know.<br /><br />Normally, I wouldn't give two thoughts to these folks, but recently they have gotten attention from the press, who thinks that it is newsworthy that a<br />few people got their dignity wounded.This is not a story. A story is that probably over half of people with autism remain non-verbal--smart, but practically helpless and unable to communicate. Yet<br />NIH does very little on this subject and Autism Speaks not nearly enough and the Simon's foundation nothing. This is a story. This is a crisis. <br /><br />As for the video, I have to say , it was a bit over-the-top.Tough messages are needed, but this did veer towards self-pity and no matter how tough or inconvenient autism is for me, I know it is much worse for my son.<br /><br />Thanks for letting me rant,<br />Sincerely,<br /><br />Jon Shestack<br />founder of Cure Autism Now,board member of Autism Speaksjon Shestackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03544357515225881698noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8353442983052145851.post-90093978092272635682009-09-28T15:52:54.233-07:002009-09-28T15:52:54.233-07:00AS and Neuroinsanity are both anti-cure. They jus...AS and Neuroinsanity are both anti-cure. They just promote the same message in different ways.John Besthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03133970669787632440noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8353442983052145851.post-20020462690490915272009-09-28T15:31:30.604-07:002009-09-28T15:31:30.604-07:00Jypsy: I corrected your surname in the original po...Jypsy: I corrected your surname in the original post.jonathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14972394536850151087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8353442983052145851.post-29349104062399289852009-09-28T15:23:35.842-07:002009-09-28T15:23:35.842-07:00Okay, thanks, Jypsy, I stand corrected, from this ...Okay, thanks, Jypsy, I stand corrected, from this point onward I will refer to you as "Norman-Bain". <br /><br />I think we are sort of on the same side on this one though as I think we are both in agreement that autism speaks has been disingenuous in their response to those interested in autism and the issue of the controversial video.jonathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14972394536850151087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8353442983052145851.post-30266491334361479252009-09-28T14:54:33.309-07:002009-09-28T14:54:33.309-07:00If you're taking corrections, my name is my la...If you're taking corrections, my name is my last name is "Norman-Bain", not "Bain".jypsyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01105669108222678038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8353442983052145851.post-54342025201683796612009-09-28T12:53:11.045-07:002009-09-28T12:53:11.045-07:00You are right Jonathan, Autism Speaks has bowed be...You are right Jonathan, Autism Speaks has bowed before the Neurodiversity "autism is beautiful" crowd.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05838571980003579163noreply@blogger.com