Latest Mercury Malicia Target: Ari Ne'eman, ASAN president.

In an act of true and desperate crazy, the Mercury Malicia have truly outdone themselves.

Not to be content with threatening doctors and their children, libeling them, and calling them extraordinarily derogatory names behind their computers, they've moved on to an ultimate act of BATSHIT INSANE: "Let's get Newsweek to assassinate Ari Ne'eman!"

What. The. Fuck.

People. Get the hell off my planet if you think this is ok. Now. Do not pass go, do not collect $200. AoA, this isn't acceptable. You know that you're associated with John Best, and either he knows he is so far in the wrong he has gone to plaid, or he needs professional help about 10 years ago.

I don't give a flying FUCK what you think about neurodiversity. This is wrong. Jake Crosby--if you're defending this, know when you speak up, they know where you live. They're not above threats and have proven it before.

Any ideology that can move someone so far to hate as to threaten a young man for advocating for himself and for others like him so they can have better lives is, frankly, terrifying. The cult of AoA is an internet-religion of hate, disgust, and loathing.

I mean, not only is there some internet law that says "the first side to degenerate to death threats loses" because it indicates a lack of strength of evidence, but there's also the whole lack of ethics thing. The lack of legality thing. The WHAT THE BLAZING FUCK, YOU DO NOT THREATEN TO KILL SOMEONE OVER DISAGREEING WITH YOU factor. I mean, if you wanted to make people who were utterly uninvolved, or even sympathetic to your hysteria mongering, run SCREAMING from you, acting like psychopaths is the way to do it.

I don't care what side you're on. Anyone with any sense of ethics can see this is unacceptable behavior (and furthermore, exactly the kind of thing we want to avoid if that's what neurotypicality causes. No thanks. I'll stay me. I'm above death threats).

ND activists, do not return their fire. You all know that. Many of us are socially impaired, but we're BETTER than that.

Ari, we're behind you.

Our protests may be symbolic, but they will reach someone nonetheless

Been away from the blog for a while. Life happens.

But this is important.

As most of you know, Lindt partnered with Autism Weeps to fund eradicating autism. They're having an unsung heroes of autism contest thing, in which they are taking essays nominating "unsung heroes who've made personal sacrifices in the name of fighting autism".

Well screw the whole fighting autism thing. But we should--no, in the name of Nothing About Us Without Us, MUST--nominate our own, nominate autistic advocates who've fought the bigotry that they're spreading, autistic advocates who fight the systemic impossibility, autistic advocates who speak against the injustices daily. Will they be filed in the circular file for offending them? Probably. Will someone have to read them first, possibly someone who will see that there are real people who their actions aren't just offending, but are actively hurting? I'm idealistic enough to hope so.

ABFH has the details and a better explanation. The nomination page is here.

As many people think in symbols, a symbolic act can be a pretty big deal. Make them think.

Survey: Adult Autistics In New Jersey Being Heard

And it's about time.

The link is here.

Take it. Take it even if you don't live in New Jersey, especially if you're autistic. They need to hear from us. After all, they're talking about us.

Dear Michael John Carley, the Enemy of the Enemy is NOT my Friend

An email from Michael John Carley of GRASP went out about a week back, asking recipients of said email to thank Autism Speaks for not pursuing the vaccine angle.

And to you I say, No. I will not.

I do not owe Autism Speaks a single thanks.

I do not owe Autism Speaks anything.

I certainly do not owe Autism Speaks thanks for following their own previously stated agenda, which is pursuing genetic research for a prenatal test. I do not owe them a thank you for continuing to wipe people like me out, before we ever are born. Their aims are directly counter to my aims, and while Autism Speaks and I both think the vaccine issue is an old, dead, beaten to unrecognizable horse that's a colossal waste of money, Autism Speaks does not deserve my thanks for agreeing with me.

When Autism Speaks listens to me, then I will consider thanking them-if they do something that deserves it.

When Autism Speaks treats autistics as human beings, instead of as sacks of parental inconvenience, I will consider thanking them-if they do something that deserves it.

When Autism Speaks actually does what they advertise themselves as doing and speaks WITH us, the autistic community, rather than trying to drown out and silence autistic voices, then I will consider thanking them-if they do something that deserves it.

When Autism Speaks apologizes personally and publicly to every child who they traumatized in the making of their awful propaganda piece, then I will consider thanking them-if they do something that deserves it.

Until that point, Autism Speaks is as much my enemy as the mercury malicia. The enemy of my enemy is NOT my friend. Autism Speaks doesn't deserve my thanks, and Autism Speaks does not and in all likelihood never WILL speak for me.

Related, from Wrong Planet and ABFH

Olympic Scandals, and people talking about that which they know nothing about

We now take a break from this mostly-autism related blog to engage in some blatant gymnastics fangirling. Those of you who know me know I was a gymnast till I broke my foot, so I'm totally allowed.

People who DON'T know the first thing about gymnastics are all over it right now, raging about how the Chinese are cheating by using allegedly underaged gymnasts on their women's team. Personally, I think it sounds like sour grapes since the US got Silver (and our beloved Bela Karyoli pioneered age falsification in Romania, so it appears he is more angry that we can't get away with it than that China may be), and futhermore a silver medal is wicked awesome anyway.

Aside from sounding like sour grapes, the vast majority of people who are railing about cheating don't have the first clue about the sport! I've got mixed feelings on the age rule anyway (it's unenforceable, and people are always "oh my gosh, 16 is an old gymnast right?" when, no, it's as young as you can be internationally, I always wonder if there'd be less 'washed up at 16' if age wasn't a big deal...but at the same time, some countries are really awful in their training programs), but seriously, if you're going to holler about cheating, know why it's relevant.

The reasons being:
a) younger girls are more agile and smaller. Postpubescent women tend to have higher weight to strength ratios though there are exceptions.
b) in theory, younger girls are less prone to pressure and fear. Talk to teenage girls sometimes and you'll see this is crap.
c) younger athletes have had fewer injuries on average and recover faster. They also are on average more flexible (note that of our American gymnasts, nearly 19 year old Nastia Liukin is far and away more flexible than 16 year old Shawn Johnson, so this is just on average).

Seriously. SILVER IS AWESOME, PEOPLE. Yes, cheating sucks, if they did indeed cheat. But there's no proving it and please, if you're going to argue about it, at least have talking points beyond "well it is cheating and it is the rule and I don't know why it is unfair or the rule but it is and we lost so I am going to stomp my foot and holler".

Please.

Oh, and a HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson of the US for their Gold and Silvers, respectively, in the Women's All Around (competing all 4 events). Nastia was glorious, and Shawn was a real class act right up to the end, displaying pure sportswomanship. Our national team coordinators could learn a thing or 12 from Shawn about accepting defeat gracefully.

Now back to our regularly scheduled blogging.

ASAN's Response to Michael Savage

From ASAN:


To Sponsors of The Savage Nation Radio Show, Syndicate of Talk Radio Networks, and sponsors of Talk Radio Networks programming:

We, organizations representing people with disabilities, family members, professionals and other concerned citizens, are calling upon you to withdraw support for Talk Radio Networks in response to the outrageous comments by TRN personality Michael Alan Weiner, also known as Michael Savage.

On July 16th, Weiner announced: “Now, you want me to tell you my opinion on autism, since I’m not talking about autism? A fraud, a racket…You know what autism is? I'll tell you what autism is. In 99 percent of the cases, it's a brat who hasn't been told to cut the act out. That's what autism is…What do you mean they scream and they're silent? They don't have a father around to tell them, "Don't act like a moron. You'll get nowhere in life. Stop acting like a putz. Straighten up. Act like a man. Don't sit there crying and screaming, idiot.”

These comments represent dangerous misinformation. The refusal by Talk Radio Networks to condemn the comments or undertake any steps in response to them, as well as Michael Savage’s refusal to apologize, is absolutely unacceptable. The autism spectrum is a very real developmental disability affecting millions of Americans. It includes a series of impairments in social interaction and communication, executive functioning, sensory processing, and motor skills. Adults and children on the autism spectrum often require substantial supports, services and education across the lifespan. Comments like those on the Savage Nation do real damage to autistic people by increasing public ignorance and misinformation about autism, thereby putting at risk vital education, supports and services. Contrary to the remarks by Mr. Weiner, there is no evidence whatsoever to suggest that autism is over diagnosed – in fact, research suggests that there is substantial under-identification of the autism spectrum, resulting in a lack of vitally needed services and education. In addition, these remarks revive outdated and damaging misconceptions about the source of autism, recalling the “refrigerator mother” myth in which parents were blamed for having autistic children.

Talk Radio Networks’ sponsors must consider whether or not to associate with the hateful and offensive comments spoken by Michael Weiner. Because TRN has taken no action, we urge you to communicate the need for Mr. Weiner’s immediate removal by withdrawing sponsorship for TRN’s programming. There are over 50 million people with disabilities in the United States, representing approximately $200 billion in disposable income. We represent a market that cannot be ignored. By disassociating your businesses from the ignorant and hateful remarks made this past week and taking practical steps to help educate the public about the true nature of the autism spectrum and other disabilities, we can move forward towards creating a world that will recognize the rights of all people to respect, dignity, support and inclusion.


Regards,
Ari Ne’eman
President
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network
http://www.autisticadvocacy.org

Andrew J. Imparato
President and CEO
American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD)
http://www.aapd.com

Jim Ward
ADA Watch and the National Coalition for Disability Rights
http://www.adawatch.org/

Marcie Roth
Executive Director
National Spinal Cord Injury Association
http://www.spinalcord.org/index.php

Barbara Trader, MS
Executive Director
TASH
http://www.tash.org

Marca Bristo
President
Access Living of Metropolitan Chicago
http://www.accessliving.org/

Jean Arnold
Co-founder and Chair
National Stigma Clearinghouse
http://www.stigmanet.org

Phil Schwarz
Vice-president, Asperger's Association of New England
http://www.aane.org/
Member, Board of Directors, Autism National Committee
http://www.autcom.org/


Deirdre C. Wright
President & Co-Founder
The Asperger Syndrome Alliance for Greater Philadelphia
http://www.ascendgroup.org

Stephen Drake
Not Dead Yet
http://www.notdeadyet.org/

Alex Plank
WrongPlanet.net
http://www.wrongplanet.net/

Lawrence Carter-Long
Director of Advocacy
The Disabilities Network of NYC
http://dnnyc.net

Amber Smock
Feminist Response in Disability Activism
http://www.ourfrida.org/

Happy Birthday, Katie.

As was pointed out on Stop, Think, Autism (sorry for no link, I'll edit later), today is Katie McCarron's birthday.

Katie was a beautiful, happy little girl who should still be here playing with Teletubbies, going to school, singing songs, and being a little girl who loves being fussed over by her grandparents. I still have an elephant charm hanging from my medical bracelet for Katie, and think of her every day.

Katie, you will never be forgotten. People ask about the elephant, Katie, and I tell them about a little girl who loved the zoo, and knew her shapes, and who loved cows, and whose grandparents and daddy fought very hard for her to be seen as equal to any other little girl in the eyes of the world. It's not fair, Katie, because I'd much rather be able to say "I know this awesome little girl in the midwest, her name is Katie, and she loves animals, karaoke, and the color pink". It isn't fair at all.

But you will never be forgotten. I promise this. Rest well, precious child.