When I wrote a response to the Age of Autism blog piece, Pass the Maalox: An AoA Thanksgiving Nightmare, I specifically left out mention of a particularly disgusting comment by Kim Stagliano, “managing editor” of AoA. If you wonder what I’m talking about, Orac, Skepchick and Countering Age of Autism have all discussed it.
I figured, well, Ms. Stagliano has coughed up a big enough hairball for now, she should be quiet for a bit.
Not so. In a recent blog post on the Huffington Post, Ms. Stagliano responds to the Amy Wallace piece in Wired with personal attacks. Does she take on Ms. Wallace? No. That would make too much sense. Besides, her fellow AoA blogger already embarrassed them with his efforts.
No, Ms. Stagliano attacks Dr. Paul Offit.
Does she use facts? Does she use science? Does she have anything of real substance to bring to the table?
No.
Here’s her opening paragraph:
I grew up in Boston, and am old enough to recall when the Catholic Church adamantly denied the sex scandal. Priests harming children? Sex abuse? No one wanted it to be true, and so it was easier to swallow the denials than to believe the children and adults whose lives were altered forever and who had the courage to speak out. That is, until the injured parties brought forth so much proof that the Church had to do its own digging and Catholics had to open their eyes and say, “My good God, the children and parents were right.” The Church has survived and programs are in place to avoid going back to those dark times.
(emphasis added by me)
Does this have anything to do with autism, vaccines or Dr. Offit?
No.
But, hey, a good smear job doesn’t need logic.
I’ll say it again: Dr. Offit isn’t your enemy. Your lack of science is your enemy. Kim Stagliano, grow up. The autism communities deserve better.
(note: minor edits were made shortly after this was published)
Left Brain Right Brain 
On rereading this, I see that the “hairball” comment was not appropriate. I extend my apologies to Ms. Stagliano for that.
I’m probably benumbed or something, but I can’t see how the innocuous hairball comment was remotely inappropriate. If anything, it was too kind as a euphemism. Her crassness is beyond anything I’ve seen in a very long time, not only for that offensive and deeply disturbing comment but also for trying to draw an analogy between pedophile priests and Dr. Offit. I urge her to continue speaking and writing on behalf of Age of Autism and the debunked vaccine myths. Please.
Emily,
when calling someone out for using personal attacks, I figure anything that looks like a personal attack is out.
Besides, what a good chance to demonstrate that an apology is easily given. Perhaps Ms. Stagliano could offer one for the comment she made?
I grew up Catholic, and everybody knew that some priests were molesters. The mistake parents of abused kids made back then was going to the church with concerns–a result of fear, denial, and shame–rather than going to the police. In the case of vaccines, it’s the qualified scientists, not the hysterical bloggers and worried mommies, who are the “police.” But for those who think science, government, and pharma are part of one big New World Order Top Secret Conspiracy, there’s really not much anyone can do.
BTW, she has neglected to mention the many false accusations against Catholic priests. Here’s just one from her hometown: http://www.boston.com/globe/spotlight/abuse/stories3/112402_foster.htm
That would be an example of people who want so badly for something to be true that they start to lose touch with reality.
I can see that. But really, “hairball” refers to what she wrote, not to her. Although I guess the inference could be that you were calling her some sort of cat. Rowwrr.
Point taken, though, on the clear demonstration of how one apologizes. Certainly a skill worth acquiring.
As the crazy cat lady (thanks to a troll from a month or so back on LBRB), I personally feel that any potential reference to Kim Stagliano as a cat coughing up a hairball is offensive to the cats and the hairball. 🙂 Sullivan, offering an apology on it, though, was classy; however, you still owe the cats and the hairball an apology!
Stagliano isn’t even from Boston. She grew up in the affluent suburbs. With a maiden name like Rossi, she’s probably a Mafia chick.
Whoa–the “mafia chick” statement is not cool.
I realise ‘Mafia’ has the connotation for some Americans to mean someone who is related to a ‘Mafia’ family by heritage rather than criminal activity of themselves or partner, but calling Kim a ‘Mafia chick’ would probably not be read that way by the majority of observers.
As such, it’s a dicey statement to make outside certain contexts, and not cool at all.
I’m actually a bit encouraged by all the frenzied blogging of even-more-meaningless-than-ever junk by AoA supporters. They have had an extraordinarily bad run of PR lately, and what they’re shoveling out there smacks of panic.
Moreover, while the kind of stuff they’re writing now will likely garner only kudos from their staunchest supporters, it exposes their true colors to fence-sitters and casual readers.
Kim Stagliano is dangerous. She presents herself as an advocate for autistic individuals. She is nothing more than a zealot for the DAN! cult.
Case in point, Sky Walker whose aggressive behavior resulted in the death of his mother earlier this year.
AoA comments show a mother who suggests to get a group together to fund assessments for Sky by the Geiers/Buie/Krigsman.
An advocate of the disabled would reply that Sky has guardians, attorneys, court appointed representatives to protect his rights and interests. These decisions do not come from other parents of autistic childen. Instead, Ms Stagliano replies that Sky does not deserve to move ahead on the wait-lists for these docs.
Another parent comments that a well-publicized recovery for Sky would promote the biomed community and save autistic children whose parents are not convinced of biomed’s validity.
An autism advocate would reply that Sky has certain rights not to be the subject of medical experiments for the promotion of a cause, or that the privacy of his medical history and treatment is protected by law.
A rational thinking person would consider that Sky had possibly received biomed treatments in the past or at the time of his aggressive episodes. Perhaps Sky was already a patient of these mentioned physicians. Perhaps biomed did not alleviate Sky’s aggressions.
Instead, Ms Stagliano comments that there are enough biomed recovery stories.
People who speak like this, who fail to truly advocate for autistic individuals and their rights, do not speak for my child.
I appreciate the time and energy this website puts in to exposing the dangers of this propoganda.
Well said, Mary Jo. The AoAers are their own worst enemy. They provide all the ammunition one needs to discredit them. They are mere drones, of the collective. There is no clear individual thinking going on.
“A friend” wrote:
“Stagliano isn’t even from Boston. She grew up in the affluent suburbs. With a maiden name like Rossi, she’s probably a Mafia chick.”
Besides being “not cool”, A friend seems to be all turned around. “Rossi”
is a Neapolitan (from Naples) name, but “Stagliano”, that’s a Sicilian name.