“I would like to pound your skulls with a hammer you clueless, arrogant pieces of shit.”

Who is an arrogant piece of shit, and why?

“Better yet, put you in a room with 5 autistic kids and see how you react.”

I’d react in my usual way: as I have done for nearly five decades… autistically… not making much of what is happening unless it was really important to do so.

“You are so negaitive that some logic does not register.”

Actually… who was being negative? Apart from you?

“For you assholes to actually make fun of autistics makes you pond scum.”

Who is making fun of autistics? Incidentally, I happen to be autistic myself…

“I hope none of you scumbags work in the medical profession.”

I don’t; I’m an applied educational psychologist, with a known and respected better attitude towards autism and autistic people than the vast majority of people in the net…

Now, what’s your problem?

David

I for one take advantage of the ‘epidemic’ talk. I mention the word ‘Autism’ with a wry nod when my son’s behaviour is unusual or inappropriate. I watch looks of disapproval and irritation turn to looks of ‘understanding’ and embarrassment. I get some satisfaction out of that.

They would not be “devastated”, or “destroyed”, or “caught up in a holocaust/tsunami/tornado/anything-else of autism”, knowing that their child is autistic; rather they would be happy to know that their child does not need to be medicated out of his/her mind, and instead needs to have his/her special educational needs clearly understood and appropriately met.

I was not distressed over my daughter’s diagnosis any more than I was over mine (I celebrated mine for a week!).

What is wrong with these people?

Maybe they all need to grow up.

Careful, it’s not good for Tabby to be so upset, (she’s beautiful by the way)

So we’re all holocaust deniers. You know, with all these epithets flying around – tsunami and what not it’s easy to become despondent and sort of shell shocked. When the glum wears off, and the brain returns to normal (i.e. a good as it’s ever going to get) I’ll have a little think about what to do about Lenny and it won’t be as simple as a metaphorical upside the head with a large and cold fish.

Al

SafeMinds: No Depths Too Low To Plumb, No Barells Too Depraved To Scrape.

Mr Blaxill is Vice President and Research Chair of SafeMinds.

Personally, I have a feeling that his claims to love his son are not mirrored well in his abilities to respect other autistic people, and this suggests to me that the hatred he feels for us is a hatred he also feels for his son. I can’t really see it any other way: he hates anything “autistic”. Has to include the lad, then. And if, as autistics feel, the “autism” is a very strong part of who we are, then it’s part of his boy too… and Lenny cannot possibly like that. Lenny is probably in more denial about things than anybody.

My message to Lenny Schafer is ( as it has always been): “Grow up, and shut up!”