What I am posting I hope doesn’t become a heated topic.

I’d love for people to “listen” to any autistic, high functioning, low function moderate functioning etc. Leave your politics at the door and see how I stand for autism without any help of any “advocacy” organizations.

I do not believe in Autism Speaks, but I also believe there are other views out there and those people should have a right. I am talking about individuals, I am talking about teachers, I am talking about support professionals and families as well. And I am not scoping this to just one side of the autism spectrum or the other side. The problem is its very political and there is money, power and political capital that is in stake. This would make AIDS and Cancer advocacy groups jealous! 

My view on Autism Speaks is that they do not speak for all or any autistics at all. I am not saying the obviously high functioning groups that called them out on that, I’m also talking about people who I know who aren’t as verbal and not as bright as the higher functioning.  They are pouring money to find a “cure” and I do not think autism will be cured. They’ve said that with cancer.

Autism is short for the Autism Spectrum Disorder, which is a wide varieties of inability and abilities, just like every other developmental disorder.  ASD can be dually diagnosed in medical conditions like Cerebral Palsy and psychological disorders like depression, bipolar, etc. Whether it’s right or not, that’s not today’s discussion.

Autism Speaks markets the disorder as a tragic burdon of families impacted with autism, according to the advocacy groups. This is half true; the stressors of families trying to seek help desperately and often causes things like divorce to occur. Autism Speaks was founded by the former NBC Universal president, Bob Wright (who also Jack Welch’s right hand man for the TV division of General Electric and was the co-founder of CNBC and MSNBC) who started up this organization likely as a good intention as one of his grandsons was diagnosed with the disorder.

Since the startup, the organization had major support by Wright’s former employer, the other major networks, the Federal government and most recently the Catholic Church and the big Silicon Valley companies. To me its celebrating a “cause” they themselves have no idea what the disorder is nor would they want to live with them. (just my assumption)

Autism Speaks also had fingerprints on a documentary produced by some prominent big market journalists, who let the clip of a whiney mother with a smirk saying  that she would drive off a bridge – the George Washington Bridge with her autistic daughter running around in the background. Um, how can you a) drive off such bridge without driving a big rig truck and b) say this in front of your kid you think she’s stupid? (See below from a recent visit to the City at the Top of the Rock)

These stereotypes do not help the matters if someone like me wants to be in the community and have a reasonable level of tolerance or acceptance (such as having a “real job” in the real world without being threatened that I’m going to do the “wrong thing”.)  The power of Autism Speaks and their inappropriate messaging could be messing the minds of paraprofessionals, teachers, adult service professionals, caretakers and ignorant leaders on special needs.  Sadly no one wants to say that, its easier to say “tragic burdons” and to demonize autism.

The reason why I avoid any advocacy groups, and remain independent as just “an individual with autism” or “an autistic”  is that autism advocacy groups are no different than the liberal special interest groups. Some of their politics often are mixed into their autism views. I really do not care about gay marriage or “income equality” or other liberal view points. If you are going to talk about autism, to steal a phrase from my speech therapist “Stick to the Topic.” Another problem is they think they shouldn’t be cured at all – even if they have clear problems with social skills. They think they are above everyone else and in fact their “special interest” can come back to bite the cause as a whole. (I am referring to “twitter bombs” and the “Boycott Autism Speaks” movements and jamming up the social media pages forcing account owners to stop following Autism Speaks. These types of actions in the packet-world is no different than causing arson in Baltimore or Ferguson)

I’ve never had a brother like (not even a true “best friend” figure in my life, so I am so used to people with differing views so when there is an agreement, it throws me off guard. I wished this was the case for all the “autistics” that speak for their group. While I may be stereotyping, the ones who weren’t born with it and got diagnosed when they were 6 after noticing signs of abnormal social behavior very likely have no idea what people like me gone through. I was non verbal till I was almost 5, and I was 50x slower against my normal group of peers. (I refuse to use the word nerotypical or NT, since this site is IT focused, and I use that to describe Microsoft’s enterprise offerings. In fact its a registered trademark of the late Nortel)

With that being said, I’ve always meshed well with lower functioning people. They are nice groups of people. How can I know via the packetwaves that the Aspergers types have any understanding of people well below their IQ, social background and pay grades?

These groups glorify autism instead of having someone who can talk say that he lived a tragic life on the autism spectrum disorder. This actually is against their “group think” mentality, you must be positive, if not – then screw you!

The said groups also believe in self advocacy. No one else should talk about autism other than the ones who have it. Humm, hows that not racism or discrimination? I am offended that Autism Speaks doesn’t have anyone knowingly on the spectrum on their board, but having a bunch of happy spoiled rotten brats with Aspergers running a special interest group is offensive to the teachers, paraprofessionals, and or other leaders.

Two wrongs don’t make it a right.

If I am the only one that will speak about autism in an objective, fair, honest and non glamorous way – then so be it!