Ari Ne'eman Opposes Freedom of Choice of Persons with Autism Disorders and Their Families

Ari Ne'eman, and all of those persons who oppose research aimed at finding treatments and cures for autism  disorders,  oppose the right of choice of autistic persons and their families.  Mr. Ne'eman and his supporters oppose the right of other autistic persons to seek to be cured of their autism disorders.   

In Mr. Ne'eman's case he has clearly stated that HE does not want to be cured of his Aspergers Disorder and I respect that right as I am sure everyone does who is involved in debates about his disability council appointment.  Unfortunately Mr. Ne'eman takes it a step too far and asserts that not only does he not want to be cured but other persons with autism disorders do not want to be cured, should not be cured and should not have the option and right to choose not to be cured.  

When Mr. Ne'eman says to his many high profile media contacts that WE do not want to be cured he purports to represent all persons with autism disorders, even those much more severely affected by autism than he is, which is almost everyone with an autism spectrum disorder.  He has no such authority to speak on their behalf.  When he makes such statements he is attempting to prevent the research from being done that  is necessary to finding treatments and cures for autism disorders thus hoping to deprive autistic persons and their families of the option and the right to choose to be cured.

When he protests parent driven organizations seeking to raise funds for research aimed at curing autism disorders Mr. Ne'eman is again seeking to prevent that research and to deprive other persons with autism disorders of their right to choose not to be cured.  When he describes as morally reprehensible, as he has done, efforts to cure autism disorders, Mr. Ne'eman, the high functioning university student with Aspergers is trying to deprive other persons with autism disorders, or parents rightfully acting on their behalf, of the option and right to choose to be cured of their autism disorders.

Mr. Ne'eman does not respect the rights of other autistic persons to choose to be cured, to overcome the limitations of their autism disorders. He does not respect the right of parents acting on behalf of their autistic children, some with severe Autistic Disorder, to overcome those deficits through treatment and cure. 

When it comes to cure oriented autism research Mr. Ne'eman seeks to deny to other persons with autism disorders the same freedom of choice ... to be cured or not ... that he asserts on his own behalf.

I am astonished and disappointed that US President Obama, who I greatly admire for so many other reasons, would appoint to an important disability council position a person who opposes the right of choice of other persons with autism disorders and the parents who often, by necessity and by law, act on their behalf.

Obama Disability Nominee Ne'eman Says Curing Autism Disorders is Morally Reprehensible

The Autism Action Network has called for its American readers to contact their Senators to voice their opposition to US President Obama's disability council nominee Ari Ne'eman. I wish them success although from what I understand the nomination is unlikely to be disturbed.  This Canadian father of a severely autistic son  is very disappointed that Mr. Ne'eman will ultimately be approved and will be in a position to influence autism policies in the US and consequently around the world.  

I have followed with great interest the US Health Care debate and President Obama's historic struggle to bring health care to all Americans.  I am perplexed that the great US health care president would, at the same time, appoint  to an important disability council  a very high functioning person with Aspergers who does not believe that autism is a medical disability or disorder and  is opposed to curing autism spectrum disorders.  

Mr. Ari Ne'eman does not view autism disorders as disorders in a medical sense  notwithstanding his own medical diagnosis of Aspergers Disorder.  Nor does he restrict himself to  rejecting a cure for himself, or for other very high functioning persons with Aspergers Disorder.  He tells the world that all autistic persons do not want to be cured.  

The Autism Action Network has gathered a number of Mr. Ne'eman's more outrageous and offensive statements:

"June 10, 2008 on Good Morning America, Neeman said, "We do not think to aim for a cure is the right approach to take."

 

December 10, 2009 interview with the CBC, "Autism is currently viewed as a disease of the medical model---Something to be cured or eliminated. That doesn't reflect how we view ourselves, that doesn't reflect our realities."

 

In his essay Equality Demands Responsibility, 2006, Ne'eman wrote, "But if we are to demand equal legitimacy, if we are to assert that a 'cure' is not only unnecessary and undesirable but morally reprehensible, then we must accept for ourselves equal responsibilities.""

This very high functioning gentleman does not seem troubled by his Aspergers disorder but there are many low functioning persons with severe Autistic Disorder who do suffer. Some never survive to the age of 12, the age at which Mr. Ne'eman apparently received his Aspergers diagnosis. Some are lost forever in local traffic, neighborhood pools or snow storms. Some require intensive therapy to prevent dangerous self injurious behavior.  Some live their lives in institutional and residential facilities  dependent on the care of strangers.  The young university student with  a very mild variety of Aspergers disorder opposes curing those with more severe, restrictive types of autistic disorders and purports, with no common experience and no legitimacy,  to speak on their behalf.

Mr. Ne'eman speaks about "our" views, "our" realities, how "we" view "ourselves".  My son has an Autistic Disorder diagnosis, assessed with profound developmental delays. He is severely autistic.  Mr. Ne'eman the high functioning young university student with Aspergers, and the abilities to interact regularly with the New Yorker magazine, the NYT and Canada's CBC AND negotiate socially in Washington DC political circles  does not know how my son thinks or views himself. Mr. Ne'eman does not have any knowledge whatsoever of my severely autistic son's realities.  When he claims to speak on behalf of all persons with Autism Spectrum Disorders he is misrepresenting himself, and autism disorders, to the world.

Personally, I find Mr. Ne'eman's opposition to curing the autism disorders that afflict so many children and adults to be morally reprehensible and I am very disappointed in US President Obama for appointing him to a position from which he can influence the lives of so many persons with autism disorders.