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.
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