Comments on: Advocates and allies http://autism.gbrettmiller.com/2008/11/advocates-and-allies/ a dad's perspective on autism Tue, 12 Oct 2010 18:02:02 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: navi http://autism.gbrettmiller.com/2008/11/advocates-and-allies/comment-page-1/#comment-1558 navi Wed, 19 Nov 2008 22:12:20 +0000 http://autism.gbrettmiller.com/?p=306#comment-1558 if she dodged the question, it seems it would have been more fuel for the 'pharma schill' fire? by answering the question she may have swayed the parents on the shelf to listen to her. She posts an awful lot about inclusion and autistic rights. I say that saying she is not an ally is taking things too far. I mean, honestly, saying she is not an ally, and analyzing her mostly positive activism based on wording, seems to me counterproductive. She talks an awful lot about inclusion, about autistic rights. I think someone could say she has room for improvement, if they feel that way, but saying she is not an ally I think goes to far, but then, I am simply a parent of a nonverbal autistic child as well. if she dodged the question, it seems it would have been more fuel for the ‘pharma schill’ fire? by answering the question she may have swayed the parents on the shelf to listen to her. She posts an awful lot about inclusion and autistic rights. I say that saying she is not an ally is taking things too far. I mean, honestly, saying she is not an ally, and analyzing her mostly positive activism based on wording, seems to me counterproductive. She talks an awful lot about inclusion, about autistic rights. I think someone could say she has room for improvement, if they feel that way, but saying she is not an ally I think goes to far, but then, I am simply a parent of a nonverbal autistic child as well.

]]> By: Phil Schwarz http://autism.gbrettmiller.com/2008/11/advocates-and-allies/comment-page-1/#comment-1444 Phil Schwarz Tue, 04 Nov 2008 05:14:13 +0000 http://autism.gbrettmiller.com/?p=306#comment-1444 I think a lot of it has to do with <b>balance</b>. The pseudoscience and quackery mushrooming in the autism community is one concern, but not the only concern. And it is not the root cause: underneath it ticks the mainspring of the "conventional wisdom" that autism is necessarily a devastating tragedy. Getting the truth out that it needn't be so, is at least as important as the whack-a-mole response to the quacks and the pseudoscientists that many of us find ourselves spending so much time engaged in. Demanding high standards of scientific integrity and ethics in public policymaking about autism is another concern. Demanding access to communication and basic human rights, yet another. Winning hearts and minds to all of these concerns, and growing the ranks of those willing to stand with us, yet another. There's plenty to do. Balancing among the many things to do, is what I think is needed. I think a lot of it has to do with balance. The pseudoscience and quackery mushrooming in the autism community is one concern, but not the only concern. And it is not the root cause: underneath it ticks the mainspring of the “conventional wisdom” that autism is necessarily a devastating tragedy. Getting the truth out that it needn’t be so, is at least as important as the whack-a-mole response to the quacks and the pseudoscientists that many of us find ourselves spending so much time engaged in.
Demanding high standards of scientific integrity and ethics in public policymaking about autism is another concern. Demanding access to communication and basic human rights, yet another.
Winning hearts and minds to all of these concerns, and growing the ranks of those willing to stand with us, yet another.
There’s plenty to do.
Balancing among the many things to do, is what I think is needed.

]]> By: Club 166 http://autism.gbrettmiller.com/2008/11/advocates-and-allies/comment-page-1/#comment-1443 Club 166 Mon, 03 Nov 2008 23:11:14 +0000 http://autism.gbrettmiller.com/?p=306#comment-1443 <b><i>...What do you think? ...</b></i> I think that first and foremost, I am a parent. As such, my primary responsibility and duty is to my children. I will expend as much energy as I can to maximize the chance that they have a good life. Inasmuch as I fully appreciate that I will not be with my kids forever, and also realizing that one of my primary wishes for them is to them to be able to live as free from interferences from others as possible, I will also speak in favor of things that I perceive will make their way easier. These include acceptance, non-discrimination in job opportunities, education of potential employers regarding positive aspects of hiring disabled workers, support for alternative residential living arrangements, etc. I do believe that autistics speak best for autistics, and I hope that I can assist my son in becoming a good advocate for himself. Joe …What do you think? …

I think that first and foremost, I am a parent. As such, my primary responsibility and duty is to my children. I will expend as much energy as I can to maximize the chance that they have a good life.

Inasmuch as I fully appreciate that I will not be with my kids forever, and also realizing that one of my primary wishes for them is to them to be able to live as free from interferences from others as possible, I will also speak in favor of things that I perceive will make their way easier. These include acceptance, non-discrimination in job opportunities, education of potential employers regarding positive aspects of hiring disabled workers, support for alternative residential living arrangements, etc.

I do believe that autistics speak best for autistics, and I hope that I can assist my son in becoming a good advocate for himself.

Joe

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