That is the logical conclusion of the false dichotomy Kevin Leitch creates when he accuses Bob Wright of opposing the interests ofautistic adults. Mr. Leitch has his knickers in a knot because Mr. Wright commented on the activities of a few autistic adults in disrupting a benefit and therefore in Kevin's mind he is opposed to the interests of all autistic adults. Using Kevin Logic, in attacking Bob Wright for defending a benefit for autistic children, Kevin Leitch opposes the interests and well being of autistic children.
Autism is a spectrum and some like the ASAN supporters who stepped away from their keyboards to try and disrupt a benefit to help autistic children, have abilities lacking in many severely autistic children and adults. Bob Wright said, much more politely than I would have done, that he wished his more severely impaired grandson had their abilities. That is all he said.
The protesters subscribe to an ideology promoted by a few high functioning adults with autism and Aspergers who oppose the idea of curing autism. They are not content to oppose cures for themselves. They oppose cures for other people's children and for other adults more severely impaired then them. Mr. Leitch also subscribes to this ideology and is opposed to Autism Speaks and Bob Wright. Kevin Leitch is so tied to this anti-cure ideology that he is willing to shred whatever remains of his credibility and accuse Bob Wright of being opposed to autistic adults.
Kevin Leitch's comments about Bob Wright are nonsense, pure and utter nonsense, and should not be taken seriously. Give your head a shake Kev. You are losing it.
autism
Who's Kevin Leitch???
ReplyDeleteDifferent subject Harold (don't even get me started about Kev-there is seriously something wrong with that man) but have you seen this one yet??
ReplyDeleteGlaxoSmithKline Recalls H1N1 Vaccine in Canada Over 'Life-Threatening' Allergy Risk
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Print LONDON — The pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline says it has advised medical staff in Canada to not use one batch of swine flu vaccine for fear it may trigger life-threatening allergies.
GlaxoSmithKline spokeswoman Gwenan White said Tuesday the company issued the advice after reports that one batch of the swine flu vaccine might have caused more allergic reactions than normal.
She says the affected batch contains 172,000 doses of the vaccine. She declined to say how many doses had been administered before the advice to stop using them was given.
White says GlaxoSmithKline wrote to Canadian healthcare professionals advising them to stop using the batch on Nov. 18. She says a total of 7.5 million doses of the vaccine have been distributed in Canada.
While they were protesting AS and getting shunned those in the State of Mass.... were attempting to hold onto what little services they have... http://susansenator.com/blog/2009/11/stop-bleeding.html
ReplyDeleteYep... ASAN gives a dang about autistic adults.... NOT!!!!!
I see they are all writing about it in their blogs, lobbying gov'ts, getting themselves in the news.... NOPE... NADA...
Don't you think Autism Speaks should consider the possibility that adults with autism should have a place at the table?
ReplyDeleteThere are adults on the spectrum with all sorts of perspectives, so this isn't a "neurodiverse" question. But imagine if the American Cancer Society specifically did not include cancer survivors among its advisors... it just seems very strange - especially since I, at least, can't seem to even get a comment on the issue from Autism Speaks.
Lisa
Kev should really take another Blogging "holiday" and leave it to his Anonimous friends to run his "news" site( how LBRB ever got listed on google as a news source is a greater mystery than why all these kids have autism)
ReplyDeleteKev do really want to be do this for the rest of your life??
Lisa
No Don't think they should have a place at the table, they have created their own seperate organisation, when NT parrents with opposing views are sitting as directors of their group, they can complain.
Lisa Jo Rudy,
ReplyDeleteAre the adults that you have in mind dedicated to finding the cure and prevention of autism - stated goals of Autism Speaks? Would the Cancer Society take on board cancer survivors who are against preventions and cures? And then in the interest of fair play, should bio-med parents of autistic children demand a seat at ASAN's table?
Just to be clear: I'm not advocating for ASAN and Autism Speaks to somehow join forces!
ReplyDeleteI am saying, however, that Autism Speaks is now addressing the needs of autistic people of all ages with grants, programs and advocacy - and I can't imagine why adults with autism (who, of course, would be selected by Autism Speaks) shouldn't be included in the process of guiding that work. Their experiences and perspective would be invaluable - and their inclusion would be a much-needed mark of respect.
Lisa (www.autism.about.com)
Autism speaks member Jon Shestack weighed in on a comment on my blog about how members of ND help no one by serving on the board of AS. I wrote a post about this on my blog. Autism speaks has an autism in the workplace promotion yet has no paid employees with autism in their organization nor for that matter has ever contributed to finding employment of anyone on the spectrum. Talk about neurodiversity's screwed up priorities, go figure!
ReplyDeleteAri Ne'eman nor other high functioning persons don't have insight into what persons like Jon Shestack's son, Dov who can't speak or dress himself go through, so claiming having autistics on the board of AS because they can relate to someone like this makes no sense.
I really only think it's fair that ASAN let an NT parent with opposing views onto their board of directors if they want a high-functioning autistic person on Autism Speaks board of directors. Otherwise, they can't complain.
ReplyDeleteThis is another double standard for ASAN: protesting Autism Speaks because an autistic isn't on their board of directors but not caring one bit that everyone on their board of directors holds the same views as they; the group is starting to become too fickle for me to take seriously.
First it was Dr. Mottron and Michelle Dawson taking half a million dollars from Autism Speaks for research and saying it is okay, even though Michelle has stated that she detests Autism Speaks, but "science isn't politics," according to Michelle. Now they complain that Autism Speaks has no autistic people on their board of directors but ASAN doesn't seem to care that there are no NT parents of opposing views on their board of directors. What next?
Maybe someone should organize a protest towards ASAN to get an NT parent with opposing views on their board of directors.
Nothing about us without us.
As I think everyone has said clearly: ASAN is not the sum total of adults with autism!! There are many thousands of adults with autism, who have many different levels of challenge and many different perspectives.
ReplyDeleteObviously it wouldn't be helpful to have a non-verbal adult with autism on the Autism Speaks board. And having an ASAN member would only create a time sink of debate.
But there are many adults on the spectrum who are capable of advising on issues such as housing, community programs, family issues, employment, etc. What is to be gained by excluding (and, IMHO, disrespecting) the very community for whom you are working?
Lisa
ASAN is more interested in preventing Shiny Aspies from being aborted, even though that is not anywhere in the near future, than saving those with Autistic Disorder in institutions (e.g. JRC and state institutions) from severe psychological and perhaps even physical and sexual damage in the present that will leave them scarred for a lifetime (as in, they will be "permanently scarred.")
ReplyDelete