Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton on Autism and Disability

From Hillary 2008 website:

Disability rights are civil rights -- the right to be treated equally. They are human rights -- the right of all people to fulfill their God-given potentials. And they are an urgent issue for America -- because America will never achieve our potential until all Americans can achieve theirs.
Now obviously we have come a long way in this country. But, we have our work cut out for us if we're going to keep the promise that we should -- that we will continue to work for a more perfect union that includes Americas. For the past seven years, it's as though people with disabilities have been invisible to this President and his administration.
If you're a child who can't get the special education classes you need -- you're invisible.
If you're a citizen who wants to vote, but the polling place doesn't have the right equipment or the right help -- you're invisible.
If you're a worker wants a job, but can't find one that accommodates your disability -- you're invisible too.
Well, people with disabilities may be invisible to George Bush, but they are not invisible to you, and they will never be invisible to me.
This is a cause I've been involved with for throughout my 35 years.

For more, read here:
http://www.hillaryclinton.com/news/speech/view/?id=4045

The National Autistic Society of America does not endorse any candidate.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• autism
• aspergers
• pddnos
• autistic
• autismspeaksvids
• obama
• clinton
• guiliani
• romney
• huckabee
• edwards

[treitmaniac]

It's interesting to note how parents of autistics tend to support a cure, whereas autistics themselves are more inclined to remain who they are. Perhaps it's time for parents to stop telling their children what they're supposed to want, and let them figure it out themselves.

[aspie182]

*laughs* Someone needs to find this speech and save a copy so we can show it to our children and their children years from now. I can just picture myself in 2030 or so with my hyperlexic grandchild sitting next to me in front of the screen.

"See this, my boy? This is from a time when people thought you and I were not human beings. This mean old lady thinks you are not a human being."

[jarred160788]

Ms. Clinton, you're a good woman overall, but you are so fucking misguided here. I'm an Aspie and while I know my CONDITION ultimately affects those around me also, it's just one part of my person. Like everyone else we have many strengths and weaknesses, and also like everyone else often our flaws take over. But we DO have many strengths, just like all other minorities. This is why, although we may need medical help to cope - again, just like everyone else - I say fuck finding a cure. The end.

[chernobleman]

Hillary Clinton has autism.

[tattedpixie]

i hope you never love someone with ASD.

[tattedpixie]

Well that is a fine and dandy point of view, but I have had four kids, three boys and one little girl. My daughter is autistic. I am autistic. I am female as well. It's not just a point of more being discovered right now. It is an outbreak. The amount of people with it has risen in numbers.

[sisalo]

Correlation does not equal causation

[CCAWOOOD]

Research the timeline of Autism,

then compare it to timeline of Pesticides

[rph5555]

There's no epidemic, we just identify it now. ASD goes up with more awareness, other disabilities go down. Coincidence? Think not. I have 2 sons with autism, 2 brothers & a grandfather, all boys. My daughter's typical. It would affect genders equally if it were not genetic.

[Locke1217]

THEY make us suffer. there is nothing about aspergers innately which makes us suffer. they are inferior to us. kill em.

[purplemutantas]

Why should Kanner syndrome be cured? Even if there were good arguments for curing Kanners, it wont just be that. Cures and prevention will impact ALL of us on the autism spectrum, not just the "low functioning" people with Kanners. By the way, Dr.Temple Grandin has Kanners. According to Dr.Grandin, if Nicola Tesla were around today, he would be diagnosed with Autism, not Aspergers. So some of these "extreme cases", go on to do great things, like inventing the AC electricity.