If you search for anything related to autism you always come across parent/family led groups who describe autism in increasingly demonic terms. It used to be that someone was simply autistic but nowadays we have the ‘hell’ of autism or the ‘abyss’ of autism being used to attach negative emotion to autism.
Nowhere is this more apparent than when social commenters talk about the autism epidemic. This ‘epidemic’ revolves around the idea that 1 in 166 kids in America are autistic and of course, epidemic is just another emotive word tool designed to elicit the maximum amount of scare-mongering from people.
Every so often the ‘ante’ is upped and another emotive word tool is used that is more fear-mongering than before. One such idiotic phrase coined after 26th Dec 2004 was ‘autism tsunami’. In a breath taking lack of respect for the 200,000 dead and an even more breath taking lack of respect for autistics themselves, autism was portrayed as a phenomenom equal to that which killed nearly a quarter of a million people. I wonder how the families of those who lost loved ones on Boxing Day felt about that comparison?
Very recently that ante has been upped again. From terrible yet local natural disasters to pure human evil. In a mind bogglingly tasteless recent Schafer Autism Report, the man himself said that:
Autism holocaust deniers lack the science.
This was made in reference to the Danish study that debunked the link between Thimerosal and autism. I haven’t read the article itself but this incredible reference left me open mouthed. Apparently we who follow the science on this issue are akin to holocaust deniers. Thats right – we’re apparently the same as some snivelling little shit with a skinhead, Docs and a swastika tattoed on their imbecilic skulls. Wow, thanks Lenny. I can see how you could easily draw a comparion between those who don’t believe you’re right about the thimerosal/autism link and the Nazi genocide of over 6 million people. Jesus fucking Christ man – get a sense of perspective. How utterly disrespectful to the memories of those who died in the Second World War than to have some jumped up little man sully the concept of free speech with appalling comparisons to those people who veterans all over the free world died to save us all from.
But then we’re dealing with the same loose affiliation of people who label autistic people as mad or fakers or who think their best chance for a cure lies with a quack with some sun cream that cures autism, old age and cancer.
Oh and the autism epidemic? I think you might want to have a read of this.
Left Brain Right Brain 
Oh shit – these comments from so-called ‘experts’ are getting more and more absurd! There’s no way on earth that Autism should every be compared to evil events in history (such as the Holocaust) – that is disgraceful on the grandest scale. Anyone who makes such a comparison lacks any rational, sane, or coherent insight into what Austism actually is.
I can only partially empathise with you Kev, as you know (not being Autistic myself, and not having any children who are Autistic)…my empathy is based on my own objective viewpoint – but I still understand why such comments would draw a strong response from you.
Hey, I’m all for getting thimerosol out of vaccines, even if all it does is make these idiots shut the hell up! Five, ten years down the road, it will be obvious to everyone that it didn’t solve a damned thing, and their reputations will be destroyed. Wait, that should be obvious already! Oh well, eventually, they will have to admit they were wrong, and I can wait.
Lenny got his science degree from… which university was it? Given that he wants all autistics who can contradict him to prove that we’re autistics, maybe he should be made to prove his abilities as a scientist. Ah, but he’s a journalist, isn’t he? Well, so he claims…. but then, we have yet to see his credentials for that too.
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!”
Some time ago, Mark Blaxill, MBA, described autism as a “silent holocaust”. See http://vaccinationnews.com/dailynews/May2002/LettersToTime.htm
Mr Blaxill is Vice President and Research Chair of SafeMinds.
“Silent holocaust”. I haven’t heard that one before. Thats just as shitty as ‘autism holocaust deniers’.
SafeMinds: No Depths Too Low To Plumb, No Barells Too Depraved To Scrape.
Kev
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
Very strange seeing the phrase “Finding out that he had autism nearly destroyed me” in an article when I am currently in the process of making a referral to a diagnostic centre in the UK, specialising in autism, for a family who have always gotten on well with their child’s “oddities and peculiarities” (this child fulfilled the criteria for Asperger syndrome, using Gillberg & Gillberg’s ASDI). The parents of this child adore that child. Their reason for wanting a diagnosis is purely in order to get the proper educational help for this child.
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.
I would like to pound your skulls with a hammer you clueless, arrogant pieces of shit. Better yet, put you in a room with 5 autistic kids and see how you react. You are so negaitive that some logic does not register. For you assholes to actually make fun of autistics makes you pond scum. I hope none of you scumbags work in the medical profession.
I think you might have made a mistake Alexander. Everyone who’s posted here is either autistic themselves or parent of an autistic with the exception of Matt. I’m very curious as to where you think autistics are being made fun of especially.
Alright, it has nothing to do with the holocaust, but I can’t resist posting a link to Oddizm’s Odzilla picture.
Dear God, the autistics are coming!
Hide your babies!!!
http://www.geocities.com/autistry/epidemic.html
Leaving aside the journalistic hype and scare tactics of talk of the so called ‘autism epidemic’ I believe it can do some good. Bringing Autism into the spotlight will lead to a wider public knowledge and even maybe understanding of autism. There will be an increase in funding for research. A downside is the more people categorised into the autism spectrum,funding for education etc will get stretched, individuals getting less.
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.
For Alexander there…
“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