Mr Schafer’s continuing campaign to drive a wedge between classic (Kanners) autism and Aspergers Syndrome continues apace. However, those of us who are afficionado’s of Mr Schafers note an increasing use of modified language coupled with more disingenuous ploys. In his latest report he says (and remember the overall goal here is discrediting the link between AS and Kanners autism):
Presently, anyone with a mental disorder can label themselves as “autistic”, presumably to avoid whatever stigma attached to their actual particular diagnosis. Who is to know otherwise who is really autistic? The differential diagnoses in these areas can be quite difficult for the experts (let alone for any amateur.)
Which is all very true but why is he saying it? I could call myself an elephant if I wish but it doesn’t make me one. The ‘who is to know who is really autistic’ line is patently a dig at the autistics who have challenged Mr Schafer but who have refused to publish their private medical diagnosis’ on the internet for his personal approval. Yes, anyone can call themselves autistic and I’ve no doubt that some who claim autism aren’t really autistic, just as some who claim some kind of expert knowledge on diagnostic criteria are also patently inexpert, but really there are bad apples everywhere in every social setting. Attempting to write off an entire section of society as part of a group of decievers is as facile as it is incorrect.
We are starting to witness ugly sociopath and sometimes violent behavior from people who claim to be “autistic”. They display behaviors that have little similarity to any disorder on the spectrum, Asperger’s or autism. The immediate source of concern from myself and other parents over the proper use of spectrum labels is our witnessingn of some of these self-diagnosed “autistics” banding together for political advocacy.
Sounds scary huh? Well, maybe it would if it was representative. First Mr Schafer rolls out his patented ‘Remote Diagnostic’ machine and decides everyone is sociopathic. He then immediately links that very emotive, intimidating and wrongly used word with a group of people who, at worst, disagree with him. I’m in no doubt that Mr Schafer has been on the recieving end of some threats and abuse by some people – some of whom may be autistic, some of whom may not – but the point is this: Mr Schafer is blatantly and quite shamefully attempting to make political gain out of this by associating this almost certainly tiny idiotic minority with the larger advocacy movement. He also interestingly makes a blanket statement regarding how ‘other parents’ are concerned. Well, I’m not. I think the autistics (and yes, Mr Schafer, they are, by every criteria you care to nuzzle at, autistic) have the spectrum labels pretty much spot on – as do every important autism researcher on the planet. The only people who don’t are the CAN/GR/MMR/Epidemic apologists who refute scientific evidence with their own increasingly irrelevant and error-strewn theories.
The thrust of their advocacy is to redefine autism as not being a disability, but rather a lifestyle that society should learn to accommodate and not treat or “fix”. They have already had some success at this in the media, to our horror.
A lifestyle? Deary me, Mr Schafer, if I were a lesser man I would feel myself getting quite annoyed at your patronising, wilfully ignorant stance. I’ve never spoken to any autistics either in person or online who have tried to promote their autism as a lifestyle choice. Yes, they promote acceptance – do you ever wonder why it is that you do not? Yes, they also turn away in horror at the idea of a cure. They are autistic, they are who they are and you want to find a way to stop them being who they are. I find it bewlidering that you can’t see that people would be upset by that – your attitude smacks of those who used to treat Emily Pankhursts supporters as insane and commit them.
I’m personally glad to witness the success they’ve had as it mirrors my own beliefs that society should be more tolerant and accepting of difference (the drive to eradicate what we don’t understand immediately is something I’d imagned long dead in the West’s colonial past) and I think your gross and I suspect deliberate misrepresentation of autism as a lifestyle choice and your further association of those who disagree with you as purveyors of that choice is arrogant, misrepresentative…and a little bit desperate.
No one had problems with anyone on the spectrum calling themselves “autistic” before these exploiters started to take advantage of our loose usage of the term. This is what is behind our fears. Their efforts to make everyone and themselves feel better about autism by redefining it innocuous will come at the expense of everyone on the spectrum
Yet again, more misrepresentation – I’ve never heard any autistic speak of autism as innocuous. A simple look at sites such as autistics.org reveal people who suffer greatly with some of their comorbid conditions or whos autism has led them through struggles that would reduce Mr Schafer to well, maybe appreciate their view a little more? Yet, they refuse to be defined by their struggles and wish to be proud of who they are. They don’t wish to make other autistics feel better by redefining it as innocuous, they wish to make other autistics feel better by standing up and being heard in the face of what is becoming an increasingly desperate and deliberate demonisation and belittling by people who know they are losing the argument.
Left Brain Right Brain 
In a way, I am almost bemused that people still ‘seriously’ seem surprised at the ‘logic’ and tone of his rants. Surely, by now, this kind of thing is what you expect?
In a way I think it is GOOD that he getting so illogical it becomes rather bizarre and blatantly spiteful.
Don’t you think the comments and questions he is getting from parents are indicative that he is beginning to push people away from ‘his cause’?
With a bit of cunning and manipulation, anyone can make us look “bad” to those without sufficient background knowledge.
However, the more absurd, spiteful and irrational the arguments become, the more any ’cause’ takes on the ring of a paranoid’s delusions, and the less people will give it any credit.
Definitely, but the pedant in me just can’t let it go unchallenged ;o)
“Definitely, but the pedant in me just can’t let it go unchallenged ;o) ”
Yes, I know exactly what you mean. I am pleased to see parents responding more AGAINST his rants than in favour if them though!
What is this? Lenny says:
—
“We are starting to witness ugly sociopath and sometimes violent behavior from people who claim to be “autistic”.”
—-
I don’t think “we” are “starting” to see any such thing. I think that autism spectrum people who have been bullied or led to believe that they should do something by others (and gullibly followed) are already in jails and have been for years.
This is not to say that people on the autism spectrum are more likely than others to be violent or break laws. I believe we are far less likely, in general, to do such things, but it can happen, and when we do such things we are far more likely than normal people to get caught and then to admit to doing whatever it is.
It’s also very possible that autistic people “admit” to doing things that they did not do.
I seriously doubt anyone has threatened Lenny or come close to harming him. I doubt that he gets many if any truly rage filled emails. I send him cranky emails telling him he is wrong, but they are not threatening or volatile. Except, one time when he wrote an editiorial about people like me (with an AS diagnosis who use “autistic” to describe ourselves) and said that he was pretty sure we were all “borderlines” and liars… I told him he better hope no one read his letter and then came up to me in real life and called me a liar and a borderline based on what he had written. I implied that he would then be liable to answer a charge of defamation of character.
He backed off and said that he didn’t say anything of the sort about ME in particular. No, of course not, he might get sued.
I have explained very nicely to him, as have others, why we use the term “autistic”. He just doesn’t like it.
I think Lenny would like people to see him as a victim of the mean, nasty hoardes of (imaginary) sociopathic wannabe autistics.
I think what “we” are “starting to see” is Lenny getting backed into a corner by the logic of “acceptance” and the fact that his favorite therapies are starting to look like abuse …and now he is behaving…hmmm… desperate? I think maybe you have that right.
One last word…there are NO autistics (or AS folk) who are saying that autistic children need no help or therapy. This is a lie that people like Lenny are trying to spread. If anyone can show me ONE autism spectrum person who is saying this I would like to see the proof.
Camille
I have a problem that Lenny exists.
He claims to be a journalist but I have never seen his qualification: if he wants to see my daignosis I can show it (Asperger syndrome), as well as enough evidence to show that I am a reasonably competent psychologist.
He has yet to show the world anything expect that he as a bitter mysogynist, with an axe to grind on everyone who might fidn his diatribes less than appealing.
Part of me wishes to ignore him, but it’s impossible to do so: he hunts Aspies down. He haunts us. And he tries to provoke us.
Sad, pathetic man he is.
David Andrews wrote:
>>>>He claims to be a journalist but I have never seen his qualification: <<<<<
Oh yeah? Take a look at another of his rants
"Editor's note: Here is my question: By clinical definition, Asperger Syndrome and Autism are two related,but distinct diagnosis. One can be clinically labeled "Asperger's" or"Autistic", but not both. Yet, why do some people with Asperger's callthemselves "autistic"? Is this a dysphemistic attempt to make Asperger'sappear to be as serious as autism, or is it just slang?. This causesconfusion. For example, your mission statement starts out "The mission ofAskAnAspie is to build a bridge between the Autism and Autisticcommunities." How does the same word get split into two differentcommunities? How does one build a bridge between the same place? If thereis a real difference between the two, then why use the same word? Perhapsyou can explain this to those of us in both the neurotypical and theneurotypicalism communities. We like bridges, too. -LS. "
If he's a journalist, I'm a monkey's uncle
I had a shot at answering those.
1.Asperger's folks call themselves autistic because they share the same deficit/difference – a disconnect from the human race. It was what led both Hans Asperger and Leo Kanner to independently call their patients 'autistic'.
2. Autism Communitries – set up by and for the parents of autistic children with a liberal sprinkling of professionals usually in advisory positions.
3. Autistic Communities – set up by and for autistics. No need for the professionals, they are the professionals.
Reasons for the distinction between 2. and 3. include:
a) Marty Murphy
b) Sabrina Freeman
c) Kit Weintraub
d) Gina Green
e) Autism Canada
f) Autism Society of America
g) James Mulick
h) Boyd Haley
et al.
Capisce Lenny? …..and it's a spectrum
Al
Yes, and they can be diagnosed as one now.
And HFA and AS are seemingly being used interchangably.
“One last word…there are NO autistics (or AS folk) who are saying that autistic children need no help or therapy.”
Well, I wouldn’t want to make any statements about what “autistic children” need or don’t need, so in a way yes I do say “autistic children do not ‘need’ therapy”.
I certainly do not think it is possible to make a statement about whether or not all autistic children need therapy, or which therapies they need.
So I would rather say “Many do need specific help or specific therapies, all need understanding and support on some level (but then so do all children, IMHO), some may need more intensive therapy than others, some may need gentler therapy than others, some do well with little to no intervention”.
But I do not say “Autistic children need therapy” or “Autistic children don’t need therapy”. There is no one rule for all, in this case.