Autistic people protest Autism Speaks (ASAN - Central Ohio)

[MyTotalRemedy]

You're not allowed to think for yourself. I have Asbergers syndrome and I hate it so much. I understand it messed up my life. I didn't ask for it, or choose to be defined by a life debilitating disease. I have no problem with Autism Speaks, and think the people thinking there's no problem and are bigoted against and look down on "neurotypicals", people who have it much better and can choose their personality and to live their life, regular people, are just deluding themselves. There, I said it.

[lu4y4pants]

@MyTotalRemedy As an Aspie, I very much disagree with you. The protest is about equality with "neurotypicals," not superiority over them. Apergers and autism isn't a death sentence, no matter how people portray it to be.

[MyTotalRemedy]

You're not allowed to think for yourself. I have Asbergers syndrome and I hate it so much. I understand it messed up my life. I didn't ask for it, or choose to be defined by a life debilitating disease. I have no problem with Autism Speaks, and think the people thinking there's no problem and are bigoted against and look down on "neurotypicals", people who have it much better and can choose their personality and to live their life, regular people, are just deluding themselves. There, I said it.

[dancedancedani]

I am confused. Wouldn't it be more productive to integrate autistic people into a movement that already leads the nation in resources, advertising, awareness, support, etc. for people with autism instead of saying they're bad because they aren't autistic? Also, I think I missed the part about wanting to eliminate and eradicate people with autism.

[cdymi]

i am so confused.

[Xadreos]

My IQ is around 140 and I was one of the youngest to graduate from my nursing program. I was student health sciences leader voted in by over 530 people, I spoke publicly at a conference in front of over 70 new professors, and lastly, I paid for my college program with over 10k in scholarship and bursaries.

So I have a question: How many of you neurotypicals have done that? I'd love to see you tell me I'm socially damaged as an aspy when I can do things some of you can only dream of.

[TheEthereallotus]

@Xadreos My son is an aspie..... I wish he had your motivation!!!!! :)

[Xadreos]

@TheEthereallotus Thanks. I'm not a very arrogant person btw, I just get really bummed out when people talk down about aspies, because I'm proud of who I am, and of what I am.

The autistic part of my mind I believe allows me to focus on my interests better than others would. It's disheartening however, how with prenatal testing they are trying to eliminate people on the autistic spectrum before they have a chance to speak for themselves.

Anyway, I wish your son the best. =)

[rekka0077]

remember boys and girls Just because someone is different than 'normal people' does not necessarily mean that the person is any less of a human than any other person. Autism Speaks DOES NOT speak for me

[vaslittlecrow]

@green5562 We want accommodation, we don't want extermination. The latter is what Autism Speaks advocates.

[cu601]

@vaslittlecrow I agree

[minagelina]

Umm, you all are very capable people with Autism, and I understand why you would be upset. However my child is not faring as well as you all are, and she has Down Syndrome on top of it. In my daughter's case, the Autism is far more debilitating than the Down Syndrome. Please just realize that there is a huge range of affectedness in Autism with some people who are very capable of becoming independent and others who can barely function like my child. I say this as a person with ADD.

[cvsshred7]

dude autism speaks sucks

most top buisiness man and other specialist are autistic

autisctic people dont cost money we make it

those ignorant people dont know most american income (as for my belives) comes from autistic people

[cvsshred7]

Fuck Autism speaks

im autistic i play four fucking instruments in 3 years time

im a composer in two totaly diferent music styles

all people whit autism have their own tallents

[MrFordDoesNotLikeU]

Fake, all a fake.

[creekangel121]

I want to yell at the Austism speaks people for thoughs sings , i dont have friends or family with Austim but i have a mild form or it and thats really offensive

[AnnieVampire13]

BTW I mean the Autism Speaks signs. I'm really against those people. >>

[AnnieVampire13]

Oh my god....>< This pisses me off sooo much. If I was there and saw all those signs. ;D...I would really go to town destroying them.

[AdvMineCraftTuts]

Look up Autism Speaks with Lies!! It's a rant some guy did because of me about Autism!! Yay!

[SLGmania]

Autism Speaks is not saying there is anything wrong with autistic people or that they need to be cured. They are just trying to inform people about autism and spread awareness and support for those who have it and make it a more acceptable and less feared personality trait. I think it's ridiculous to fight an organization working toward the same cause you are. You telling me I don't get it because I am not autistic is just like me saying you wouldn't understand because you are autistic.

[ciindywilson02]

This is all well and good for those of you who say that you are autistic and yet you are in college. Perhaps you have asberger syndrome which is actually very different from most of the others who receive this diagnosis. My son is 21 and though he has come a long way in his life he can not at this time go to college and he has tried to get a drivers license and has failed to do so. My nephew who is 4has been diagnosed with it and can not speak yet. I think that Autism speaks represents them.

[kishakisha17]

no one has said that autistic people are puzzles this i find ignorant

[theamazinj]

We are who we 'Aut' to be!!

[angrybear86]

Autism Speaks IS GOING DOWN.

[chibicat13]

Good for you people! I am autistic, and autism speaks, does not speak for me!

[sardukars]

the only way to defeat autistic people is to touch them.

[haveaniceday121]

@sardukars sry I voted up.

[haveaniceday121]

@sardukars I voted up. youtube is messing with me. I hit wrong button by mistake.

[haveaniceday121]

@sardukars I voted up. youtube is messing with me. I hit wrong button by mistake. I guess I shouldnt support youtube then.

[foresam]

You assholes aren't autistic so shut up.

[purplewowies]

@foresam And you would know this how?

[haveaniceday121]

@purplewowies Because I'm a single parent of two children with autism that I raise on my own. I MUST say I have absolutely no help or physical support or family or husband to help me and I'm here and helping them and I believe they are humans and deserve love and respect and encouragement. I guess you are not educated enough yet?

[haveaniceday121]

@purplewowies Because I'm a single parent of two children with autism that I raise on my own. I MUST say I have absolutely no help or physical support or family or husband to help me and I'm here and helping them and I believe they are humans and deserve love and respect and encouragement. I guess you are not educated enough yet?

[haveaniceday121]

@purplewowies Because I'm a single parent of two children with autism that I raise on my own. I MUST say I have absolutely no help or physical support or family or husband to help me and I'm here and helping them and I believe they are humans and deserve love and respect and encouragement. I guess you are not educated enough yet? My children may have autism but they have an innocent pure honest heart. Something to think about.

[purplewowies]

@haveaniceday121 Actually, I have been dx'd with Asperger syndrome, which is on the autism spectrum. I have read plenty about the spectrum and also regularly babysit an autistic child.

I am quite sure that at least some of the people in this video have AS.

They're not saying there's anything wrong with you or your kids but that there's something wrong with Autism Speaks. Frankly, I agree with them. Autism Speaks, with or without realizing it, is marking autistic kids as worthless/a burden.

[PinkPunkyKat]

I'm autistic myself and possibly might be going to vet school there. Maybe I should go to Iwoa State instead now.

[hoboboxerjoe]

Wow, this shit is really offensive. I'm autistic and I now consider it a gift, one that took me many years to accept. The first 15 years of my life WAS HELL because not only did I not know I was autistic, my parents neglected me in helping me figure out what was wrong. Eventually I was finally diagnosed, when I was 23, I'm 24 now. It blows my mind how little people care or know about it.

[christschool]

ASAN refuses to protest against the Judge Rotenberg Center. JRC students don't have the luxury of attending Ohio State.

[AnElephantThatPaints]

you are wrong about ASAN, kentie kent kent.

[christschoolprivate]

@AnElephantThatPaints Care to see Ari Ne'eman's email to me stating ASAN won't be protesting against JRC? Yes, my name is Kent. Kent Adams to be exact. What is yours? I use to be called Kent Kent as a child because I never answered to Kent as that was also my father's name so they had to double it up for me to recognize they were talking to me.

Perhaps I'll make a Youtube video with the screenshot of his email to me. Would you like to see that?

[AnElephantThatPaints]

@christschoolprivate yes I would like to see it. I prefer not to give out my full name but my first is chelsea. but i know for sure that ASAN does not approve of the JRC. I have been making a poster about it, and it got a lot of internet attention, so you cannot say that I don't give a scat. I would like to know why Ari is not protesting.

[christschool]

@AnElephantThatPaints Ok, your wish is my command. I'll be posting it to youtube. By the way, check out my other video channel, autisticsspeak. You can see how I was greeted by ASAN after giving them a hard time about not protesting against JRC.

[christschool]

@AnElephantThatPaints Check tonight for the video on my channel and proof out of Ari's own mouth why he won't take a primary role in protesting against the JRC.

[JOM123456]

As a person with Aspergers syndrome, I ask that you do not donate one cent to autism speaks. Instead support the Autism Society

[iheartInuyasha07]

As a born autistic, Im on their side. Autism is NOT a disease! Nor is it a problem to be solved. To us, it is a way of life!

[haveaniceday121]

@iheartInuyasha07 THANK YOU. YOU ARE GREAT.

[SnojetSteve]

I am on the higher end of this so called "spectrum" with high IQ. It is easy for more mildly affected people to talk like this. There ARE autistic people who can't speak for themselves or even go to the bathroom without flipping out and trashing it when the wrong colored toothbrush was used on them at the wrong time of day. <<<just an example) I have seen severely autistic people before and believe me, they pretty much do need someone to speak for them.

[AnElephantThatPaints]

@SnojetSteve but they need the right people to speak for them. Or should I say, speak UP for them. most of the people at AS have not been the right people.

[thisusernameistaken2]

@SnojetSteve Do lower functioning autistics need people to speak for them? Well, not all of them. Amanda Baggs is a low functioning autistic but a very strong advocate. However, aside from her, it's true that there are many low functioning autistics who still have not found a way to communicate effectively their wants and needs and opinions about autistic support and representation. But then, they are the minority, just like there are a minority of non-autistics who cant communicate their needs.

[nutsndoltz]

@thisusernameistaken2 Baggs is not low-functioning. That's been known for a long time. The autistics with communication impairments are not the minority.

[thisusernameistaken2]

@nutsndoltz What do you mean she's not low-functioning? What kind of FUD is that to discredit those who oppose Autism Speaks?

The autistics with communication impairments are not the minority. You're right. I have communication impairment. You have. NTs have. Everyone has. Nobody communicates perfectly. I said that low-functioning autistics are the minority, and that's a fact.

[nutsndoltz]

@thisusernameistaken2 I'm not going into detail about her, but anyone who knows of her, knows she isn't low-functioning. Not everyone has a communication impairment. Don't dodge the issue like that. The low-functioning are not the minority. And not all in the category of high-functioning function that well.

[bobipineman]

@nutsndoltz so explain why in france only 4 on 10 000 are diagnosticed autism(remember the autism must enough low functionning to be diagnosticed)

[vent5]

These people are not even autistic, they are just ugly women who want attention.

[miciso666]

great people who care bout autism ^^ i got it to had a rough school time -.- every called me names and never picked me during stuff like dodgeball my autism has been progressed so far i can go to shopping malls while a few years back i kinda panicked in rooms with many people but im steadilly getting used to it friend of mine has it to but he has it worse we got trough school together cant believe some people are assholes we had only 1 friend the rest called us gay and retards -.- damn school

[Skymaker69]

No disrespect but you do not represent people with autism who are a lot more affected than you are- you probably have no knowledge of the issues faced by these individuals. Your message does not help autism, it propagates illusions.

[AnElephantThatPaints]

@Skymaker69 she is not trying to represent everyone on the spectrum, she is just trying to stop the real autism propaganda that never helped anyone, just scared people into rushing for a cure.

[Skymaker69]

@AnElephantThatPaints Real autism propaganda, you mean the propaganda against real autism? Currently there is a large proportion of children with autism that are very affected and sick, if you guys think these children do not deserve help and treatment, then you are either totally unethical and unkind in your stance or simply grossly misinformed of their very own existence and the issues they face.

[AnElephantThatPaints]

By the way, ALL autism is real autism.

[AnElephantThatPaints]

@Skymaker69 We never said we were against treatment; some of us are against a cure, I personally am neutral. What we are against is neurotypical family members acting like they can speak for any autistics, low functioning and high functioning. It took AS 5 years to recruit ONE autistic representative John Elder Robinson. He has an excellent point saying that when autism is described as a horrific disease, it really hurts autistics and only causes NTs to pity them.

[Skymaker69]

@AnElephantThatPaints -Right now there is no cure of autism. The children who have "recovered" or greatly progress to the point that they are able to function independently had been affected environmentally in their development. Improving their health and assisting them intensively in their learning is what has assisted them. Parents will always want the best for their children, it is in their genes. You see you child sick, you act. You see your child excluded, you act. Of course you do!

[AnElephantThatPaints]

Of course sicknesses should be treated. They have nothing to do with autism, however, they can make kids seem more autistic-like, only because they have trouble communicating their pain, so therefore withdraw further. Parents need to be wary of this. And they should also give their kids interventions. ASAN never had anything against these procedures, nor do I, especially since I have received some myself. I still think AS is 99ed up, because they don't give a cowpie what autistics think of them.

[treitmaniac]

Great job, guys. Keep on fighting!