Thanks.
“Now, the illness du jour is autism. 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.”
–Michael Savage, Syndicated Radio Talk Show Host of The Savage Nation, 7/16/08
Love him or hate him, Michael Savage sure knows how to get a conversation started.
It’s too bad that most people will either protest him or support the protesters in wanting him fired for essentially calling autism a racket these days. It’s also too bad that most people are lazy and will not look at the broader points he is trying to make. Or what he has been saying about the mental health profession for years. You hear him say “99 percent”, and all of a sudden he becomes someone who must take a position in the unemployment line. Give me a break. Get yourself a clearer sense of context.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t believe for one minute what our government is saying about autism. On July 22nd, http://www.foxnews.com reported that “The government estimates about 1 in 150 children have some form of autism.” Where does our government get their sources of information? Who gets to define what autism is and isn’t? Doesn’t our government realize that there is no known single cause for autism? Our government used to play a similar numbers game with ADHD.
I mean, from time to time we all have “some form” of some thing all or none or some of the time.
Let’s take a breath here, shall we? Michael Savage is simply trying to wake people up to the fact that in this country, too many children are being labeled either “autistic” or labeled with a mental disorder like ADHD. Interestingly, we don’t hear too much about ADD or ADHD these days. One of the reasons is because this subjective mindset has unfortunately been accepted by our popular culture. If someone is acting a bit odd, out comes the checklist. You are labeled with a mental disorder. Don’t think this happens? Go ahead and google: TeenScreen.
I believe Michael Savage deserves a lot of credit for trying to wake people up, especially parents. There is no way he or anyone for that matter, including this writer, is taking on children or the parents of children who are truly autistic or have other severe mental handicaps. It is beyond shameful that special education and health care dollars are diverted from the truly mentally retarded to students and others who have more subjective behavorial issues. More and more students at every grade level are being placed in special education. This is a serious problem. Michael Savage is not the problem.
Years ago, nationally syndicated radio talk show host Neal Boortz riled up a bunch of parents when he dared to challenge the very existence of ADHD in children. He, and thousands before and after him, properly point to the fact that lousy parenting -or the acceptance of permissive parenting- obviously has a lot to do with how their children act at home or in public. But dare take on the ADHD machinery, and parents vested in it will come out and protest. They have protested outside of WSB-AM in Atlanta, and sure enough, like-minded parents were outside WOR-AM in New York City on July 21st demanding that Michael Savage be fired. Should Michael Savage be fired? No. Permissive parents should be.
I seriously doubt many of the protesters of Michael Savage and Neal Boortz are the parents of children with truly diagnosed handicaps. I imagine those parents understand that what Michael Savage and Neal Boortz and thousands of others are rallying against is the “overdiagnosing” of children. This has run rampant in our country for years. That’s the real problem.
Here’s a case in point that goes to the heart of what Michael Savage is trying to do with waking folks up about the overdiagnosing of children with autism. It shows that the problem now is psychiatry and Big Pharma. You would have to be a moron if you don’t see that there is a crystal clear connection between Big Pharma and psychiatry.
The state of New Hampshire is just one state out of over 40 states that is sharing a settlement of $515 million dollars from Eli Lilly and Bristol-Myers Squibb. It appears these drug giants were overpricing drugs like Ablify and Zyprexa to state Medicaid agencies. They also made illegal (big surprise!) payments to doctors to promote these drugs for children and adults who were on Medicaid. If there is not a crystal clear link between psychiatry and Big Pharma, ask yourself how it is possible and medically sound that in the state of New Hampshire alone, state spending on drugs like Ablify and Zyprexa jumped from around $300,000 in 2000 to around $4 million in 2007? Come on, think about it.
So when it comes to autism or drug companies or psychiatry, Michael Savage is not the problem. The true problem that no one wants to talk about is the rush to label both children and adults with a mental disorder based solely on a checklist. Most children don’t have any kind of “attention deficit” that can be helped with dangerous drugs that could not be better served by having parents give more of their time to them. And I mean real time, not just farming them out to more and more private lessons or sports camps.
In my view, we need more talk show hosts to speak up against the rising tide of leaving no child in America undrugged and undiagnosed. Michael Savage will be just fine without the Aflac insurance company no longer willing to advertise on his show. What a bunch of weasels. Cowards. I wonder how much stock they have in Big Pharma. I wonder if they donate money to mental health advocacy groups like CHADD or NAMI.
We all need to pull together and fiercely challenge any proposal to have every child in these United States tested/screened for autism before the age of two. Clearly, proposals like this are worth protesting. They are far more in the direct interest of drug companies and the appointment books of doctors. We have allowed ourselves - especially our children as young as one years old - to become one nation under medication.
Michael Savage is not the problem.
Tony Zizza is a freelance writer who lives in Hermitage, TN. Reach Zizza via email: tz777@comcast.net His columns have appeared in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Macon Telegraph and The Union Leader newspaper. His columns have also been posted on http://www.ifeminists.net, http://www.therealitycheck.org , http://www.magic-city-news.com and http://www.mensnewsdaily.com
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wheresmy40 said,
Let’s not forget No Child Left Behind, social services, and the biggest bunch of morons that come between a brat and a thick leather belt, Child Protective Services. All part of the Hip-to-be-an-a**hole crowd that seems to be taking over.
Not to mention the attention diverted away from those truly in need due to genuine illness.
July 23, 2008 at 3:11 pm
lieweary said,
July 24, 2008 at 1:40 am
Ouderkirk said,
July 24, 2008 at 7:07 am
anamcara said,
However, taking potshots at children who have a legitimate neurological disability is uncalled for, and unwarranted. Often overlooked in the Big Pharma/doctors conspiracy argument is that there is NO approved medication for autism. There are medications for some of the concomitant conditions that may be part of an autistic person’s symptomology, but there is no medication for the treatment of autism, primarily because there are a myriad of causes and symptoms.
I discipline my children. I spank when appropriate. I cannot, however, control behaviors of my autistic child that are beyond his control due to his sensory system being overwhelmed because of the lack of neurological filters a “normal” person has. His meltdowns are not temper tantrums; they are cries of pain from overstimulation and overload. He is not a brat. Neither is his next-oldest sister, who suffers from ADHD. They are legitimately neurologically-disabled children who externally appear to look “normal,” but are not. I do not medicate either child unless it is absolutely necessary, and I do not take a singular doctor’s word for it. I do teach them behavior modification, which takes time, patience and the ability to look for long-term results, not the quick fix. Corporal punishment, denigration, and negative criticism do nothing for these children who suffer from cognitive disfunctioning, other than make them feel unable to cope and abnormal. Early diagnosis and screening provide the opportunity for the behavior modifications, which is one of the reasons for the push for earlier screening by pediatricians. Later diagnosis means less opportunity for that child to learn what is needed to cope and become a “well adjusted, productive, and high achieving” person in their own right.
Condemn the over-medicators and the “quick fix” mentality of today’s medicine, but don’t deny those with legitimate needs the necessary tools of early screening and therapy to become the productive, achieving citizens they wish to be.
July 24, 2008 at 10:30 am
wheresmy40 said,
Perhaps the comments made by Mr. Savage were over the top, but I think (I do not claim to know) what he meant was that some parents seek an answer or a handy excuse for the horrible behavior of their children. That society gives a pass to bad parenting just means that we as a whole have to deal with people who are less than civil, are irresponsible, and unaccountable for their actions. This also means that folks as yourself and your children get mixed up in what many believe to be what amounts to malingering. That detracts from the compassion and empathy needed for those truly affected by any illness or disease.
For your children to get swept up and grouped in with children who misbehave is a shame, but this will persist until we make those parents who refuse or neglect to teach their children to behave properly responsible for the actions of those kids. That won’t happen in our society where political correctness and touchy-feely policies prevent us from pointing the finger and demanding bad parents to do their job.
It is really not too difficult to tell a brat from a child with an illness, just look to the parents. When one sees an adult in public who is scratching his or her crotch, spitting, shouting obsenities into a cell phone during a movie, crashing a shopping cart into others at Walmart, dressing to show their fat a** or belly, belching and flatulating in a restaurant, etc., and then sees a child aping that behavior….most will not assume the child has an illness.
Before we point the finger at Mr. Savage and demand he apologize (or be fired) for anything he might have said, I say we hold accountable those irresponsible parents for failing to raise their kids properly and then dumping the next generation of a**holes on society for us to deal with.
July 24, 2008 at 12:06 pm
MomToTom said,
I am the mother of a child diagnosed with severe Autism (non-verbal age 7). There is no medication that I (or my M.D. husband) know of that would be prescribed for a child with Autism. It’s just good old fashioned “Parenting on Steroids”! Believe me, we know parenting - we have 5 children (and 4 of them are doing fabulously - excelling in every measure). A child with Autism is just not the same parenting game. Essentially you take the rule book and throw it out the window - you learn a whole new set of skills (behavior modification, applied behavioral analysis, speech and language therapies and anger management [for yourself]). And for those of you that think beating a child will bring about cognitive improvements - I say good luck!
Savage is just trying to cover his tracks for saying something so outrageous and unfounded that he’s come up with the BigPharma card so he doesn’t look to be the fool he truly is. He is just spouting off again in an area where he has no business since he knows nothing of what he’s talking about. It’s time the man lose his job!
July 24, 2008 at 12:18 pm
jackal1994 said,
There may be some bleed-over of crappy parents claiming their children are autistic to avoid (rightful) scowls, but I would not buy the concept that this is widespread.
I would HIGHLY doubt that even anywhere near a quarter of “autistic” children are really “Cartman’s pretending to have tourette’s so they can swear.”
God that was a funny episode of South Park though.
July 24, 2008 at 1:02 pm
jackal1994 said,
I remember that episode of South Part where the parents were watching a video of a guy saying he can cure your child of ADD in 10 seconds.
He’s in a class room and there’s 4 children bouncing up & down and jabbering endlessly in their chair-desk combo thingies they use in school.
He goes up to the first one and backhands him hard saying :”Sit down and shut up!” in a threatening voice. The kid stops hyper-acting and starts to cry, “stop crying or you’ll get another!”.
He goes to the second one and repeats the process. When he moves to the third kid, the third & fourth kid both sit in their chair and silence themselves.
Hilarious.
I agree about the BigPharma and crappy parenting comments, but Savage picked a really poor target.
July 24, 2008 at 1:16 pm
r222p said,
I went to a private school and pretty much the teachers and gay priest(to be revealed when i was in mid 20’s) made my life and my families life a living hell. I had great grades didnt do drugs but these teachers were so full of spite and lets not get started on the priest. Anyway when I was in the 8th grade I walk outside to go home and what do ya know a counselor was their waiting for me. And the hell began. 2 weeks later I started on medication at the request of the school to my parents. Now my parents were born in the 30’s and were old souls. If the church and school requested it. It happend.
I could write forever on the different medications that I have been on. BUT..the only reason I am on them now(age 33)..is because I go through serious seriuos withdrawl. I am on paxil. I would do anything in the world to be off any medication. Any doctor I see just wants to wheen me off of this with another. Putting kids on medications at such an early age like its a candy should be the actual crime. The problem in my household was my fathers drinking and my private schools corrupt teachers and corrupt priest.
I am a father now. My daughter is 15 and yes I started at an early age BUT I have always supported her and done my duties as a moral father and there will be a day when I go before God without shame in the way I brang her up. BUT take an occasion of a summer ago when I caught her alone in the house with a boy on the couch when I came home from work at lunch. They were watching a R rated movie and we were all that age at one time. Guys for the first time in her life…I Slapped her!!!!! Guess what? She brings it up at school the next year and I have a freaking child services worker on my doorstep and at her school investigating this garbage???
The school appoints her a counselor and a psychologist wanted to put her on prozac??????!!!??? What the freaking hell is going on here? I discipline my child, she says something about and I have child services and a public worker telling me she needs to be on medications and suffer the same curse that was bestowed upon me of trying to get rid of this toxin in my system at age 33. It’s a serious matter I have lost jobs over withdrawl.
As you could probably can guess my daugher is NOT on medication. We do go to family counseling to TALK to each other about things we can do to make our family and her life better. I should probably inform you all that her mom left her when she was in the 4th grade..she is going into the 10th grade now. I refuse to screw up her brain chemistry with these drugs though.
I just dont get how these pharma companies are manipulating our kids brains,etc with a signature of a doctor and no protection from our government. Most of all I wish parents were more informed of the last 20 years and what damage these companies have done to society and people close to our hearts. This is destroying our society.
Let me ask you this. Were there counselors on the boats to D-day? How many people in that pre-era dealt with there daily life and it produce those hero’s and patriots that saved this country and basically the world. Did some feeling numbing pain pill win our independence as a country? What happend to the brass balls of family structure and a country that has some freaking hope? We are rotting in the core. It hasnt even been 100 years since the great depression. I would like to know how our leaders of that time and hell even of 1857 would react to all of this. Immigration,energy,state government,federal government, world affairs. THIS COUNTRY WOULD BE ON FREAKING LOCKDOWN. PARENTS WOULD BE ABLE TO DO THEIR JOBS. PHARMA COMPANIES WOULD BE SLAMMED WITH SO MANY LAWSUITS AND SHUT DOWN BY THE GOVERNMENT!! JAILS WOULD HAVE A FREAKING POPULATION LEVEL HALF OF WHAT WE HAVE NOW BECAUSE WE WOULD GET RID OF THE SCOURGE INFECTION OUR NATION. THEN THE WORLD WOULD HEAR THE EAGLE SCREAM AND SHAKE.
My dog was offered a prescription for hyperactivity and depression. Are you serious???????? This is out of control.
Lead the lambs FROM the slaughter Dr. Savage. Your a hero my friend.*salutes*
r222p
July 25, 2008 at 6:49 pm
braincell said,
The ghouls called “parents” and “teachers” are despicable lowlifes for putting any boy who shows any testosterone driven behavior on drugs. In todays world I would have most assuredly been placed on drugs as a child, and I certainly wouldnt have been alone. Their so called “checklist” details symptoms that would also indicate a genius.
July 25, 2008 at 6:56 pm
braincell said,
Quote:
The initial evidence on which a diagnosis of autism was based may be nothing more than a checklist of characteristics of autistic children, often administered by someone with nothing more to go on than that checklist.
The fundamental problem is that many items on such a checklist can apply to many children who are not autistic. A study of gifted children, for example, found many of them showing the kinds of characteristics found on checklists for autism.
The very definition of autism has been expanded in recent years to include what is called “the autism spectrum.” What this means, among other things, is that there is now far more wiggle room for those whose diagnoses have proved to be wrong, who refuse to admit it, and who are now even more unaccountable than ever.
The consequences of unreliable diagnoses of autism can be traumatic for parents and children alike.
As a result of organizing a group of parents of late-talking children back in 1993, I encountered many stories of emotional devastation that these parents went through because their children were diagnosed as autistic — diagnoses which the passing years have shown to be false more often than not.
As a result of writing books about these parents and children — the most recent being “The Einstein Syndrome” — I have heard from more than a hundred other parents with very similar stories
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/art…s_caution.html
July 25, 2008 at 6:57 pm
r222p said,
July 25, 2008 at 7:06 pm
braincell said,
Those who are attempting to censor Dr.Savage took his statement completely out of context..and it isnt the first time. They are a radical socialist group who have been trying hard to censor him any way they can. They are fascists to their core.
July 25, 2008 at 7:11 pm
M. Savage calls Autistic children--BRATS! - Page 3 - AllDeaf.com said,
July 25, 2008 at 8:02 pm
mom_of_twins_with_autism said,
Being that this man has had NO experience with children WITH AUTISM, he really has no knowledge of what he is speaking of.
I have twin boys that were diagnosed with Autism at the age of 2. I watched them go from children that were “normal” to children that couldn’t talk any longer and reacted to life “differently” than what they previously had. It was a very heart breaking experience to see them regress so quickly.
I can tell you that telling them to “get over it” and to “act normal” doesn’t work. Their siblings have tried so hard to just make THAT kind of magic happen and it’s just plain B.S!! I am not in ANY way, shape or form a coddling mother. I love them, but they will take charge of their situation and DO WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO. BUT I will also add that with autistic children every day is a challenge. They must have structure and everything has to be very close to the same or there will be a major meltdown!!! It’s not spoiling them, it’s making the world OK for them….making it a place they can deal with.
I am not saying that they don’t have chores like their older siblings did or that they will be waited on, they just have to be told in a different manner than my other children had to be told. Telling them to “get over it” will not work with autistic children…been there, done that! The symbol for the Autism Society of America is a puzzle…it fits for my boys!
I don’t think that firing someone for something that they said is fitting either. Everyone that is commenting on this site KNOWS that the man had no idea what people with autism are like!! It’s a “sticking his foot in his mouth” situation, I’ve done it MANY TIMES while trying to figure out how to keep my twins happy. I can’t say that I could fault someone else for a single comment….
Once again, this IS still America…freedom of speech and all! I just hope he takes some time to research Autism and maybe actually spend time with someone who has been diagnosed with it. Although I wouldn’t suggest telling them to “get over it”….
July 25, 2008 at 8:45 pm
savageRules said,
July 26, 2008 at 2:18 am
harold_and_kumar said,
Only a pinhead would think that Michael Savage was only looking out for the best interest of families who “truly” have children afflicted with autism.
As far as the money trail goes, what money trail?
He sites the relationship between Big Pharma and ADHD, but that is not applicable with Autism.
Big Pharma profits, from what? There is no medical treatment for autism.
The Insurance industry can deny coverage for families with autistic children as a pre-existing condition, even though there is no medical treatment available.
Autism “is” a condition, and it is not a light switch that you can turn on and off.
It is true that no one knows what triggers it, but they have isolated several genes configurations that are unique to Autism.
http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Autism/Story?id=5351148&page=1
For those of you who think “spankings” are a cure for autism, I feel sorry for you.
Maybe you should hug your guns, make a new tin foil hat, watch the 700 Club, or do whatever brings bliss to your life.
Btw… Southpark is not a reliable news source.
July 26, 2008 at 9:47 am
Darin Burkard said,
I am a father of a 7 year old non-verbal Autistic son with ADHD. I want to respond to all the judgmental pricks that blame “bad parenting” on autism. I have found that the people who claim that it’s bad parenting are usually those who either A: do not have children or B: do not have an autistic child. I have an older son who is 9. He is perfectly normal. He excels in school and sports and is praised by his teachers for how well behaved and polite he is. So if I were a bad parent why is he not Autistic too? Theory busted!! I grew up with parents that beat their kids. I do not beat my children but I do spank. Spanking and discipline is NOT the issue with Autism! The brain of Autistic children process information differently. They have uncontrollable urges and behaviors that may seem very strange and odd! THEY ARE NOT BRATS! Scientists have even located the gene for Autism! Autism is a very real neurological disorder. LOOK IT UP! Try educating yourself before you judge.
I can appreciate what Mr. Savage was trying to do in exposing the fraud behind Autism. I have seen it myself. However, there are NO drugs to help or cure Autism! The Special Ed programs do little to nothing with these kids. If he really wants to expose the fraud he should do his homework. Does anybody (with out an Autistic child) know about thermerasol?? It’s a mercury preservative used in child vaccines. It was taken off the market about 4 years ago after a huge rise in Autism rates. Now many studies prove there is no link to Autism, but some studies do find a link. But it there is not a link why did President Bush include a “get out jail free” clause in the Homeland Security Act resolving pharma companies form any liability for thermerasol. That’s the fraud! And the other fraud is that 1 year at an Autistic school cost parents more than 4 years of tuition at an Ivy League college. WHY? Also….if your thinking insurance will cover the fees…think again because insurance companies avoid Autism like the plague! So the so called fraud he was talking about is weak! Basically he has convinced his listeners that Autism is bad parenting! He is uniformed about Autism and how it affects families. My family, (like others with Autistic children), live on the edge of bankruptcy. I took a second job 3 years ago to help pay for his treatments. So where is the money going? It is NOT going to the kids or the families that’s for sure. I’ll tell you were it is going. To try and educate idiots like you about Autism!!!!
He, and anyone that agrees with him can go to %$#&ing hell and kiss my *&%!
Darin B
Omaha, Nebraska
July 26, 2008 at 11:23 am
Somewhere in Switzerland said,
July 26, 2008 at 2:08 pm
livsarents said,
If you had done the least bit of research you would find that there is no drug to cure or even treat autism, only drugs to control the worst of the outbursts from kids who would otherwise be institutionalized.
I guess it does not matter to you Tony that this so called ‘overdiagnosis’ has moved kids away from the ‘mental retardation’ diagnosis and that this means these kids may have more hope of being treated properly.
No, it ain’t big pharma making the bucks off these kids, it’s big ‘therapa’ in the form of Speech, Occupational and ABA therapist and also big ‘educa’ in the form of specialized schools and programs for autistics. But I guess that’s the REAL problem guys like Savage and Rizza have. God forbid you local real estate taxes and insurance premiums go up to help these kids. You guys oughtta be ashamed of yourselves. Research your topics BEFORE you begin spewing…
July 26, 2008 at 2:29 pm
livsarents said,
No it isn’t the perceived government bonanza folks, where these kids and their parents are living high off the government hog, we’re just trying to make sure that these kids and adults can become functioning taxpaying members of society…
July 26, 2008 at 4:19 pm
YogiABB said,
I am the father of a 10 year old with Asperger’s Syndrome. I am also a den leader for my son’s Cub Scout Den. I have taught Sunday School and have other contact with many young boys in the town where I live. Almost all of these other boys are so called “typical.”
Boys are wild hellions! They are supposed to be. They fight, climb, get into things, play hard and rough, and are generally just barely controlled. That doesn’t make them bad kids. They are just normal boys going through the process of growing up. Almost all of them are really good kids. None of them are autistic. Autism is a disease that can result in several things. The main one is a social deficit. There are some other neurologically related things going on but the social deficit, not being able to make friends is the defining thing.
Anyways, I pity Mr. Savage and feel sorry for him. I hope that he learns something from all this.
July 26, 2008 at 5:16 pm
Darin Burkard said,
As livserants stated the Autism rate in Europe is 1:100. That stat is correct! Where do you supposed the pharma companies did with all the vaccines containing thermerosol after if it was banned in the US. MMMMM….they either sold it to European counties and/or gave it to poor counties in Africa. I just read today about a spike in Autism in Somolia.
July 26, 2008 at 6:09 pm
lhuber said,
I also feel sorry for Michael Savage, sounds like he had a horrible father.
July 27, 2008 at 12:28 pm
braincell said,
“There are no drugs to treat “autism” directly, but the symptoms are what is targeted. Behavioral issues, anxiety or depression, mood swings, obsessive compulsive disorder, attentional issues and hyperactivity”….ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
Some of you are really showing your true fascistic selves.
July 27, 2008 at 12:44 pm
braincell said,
From Neal Boortz…
Who are the most outraged folk?
Using the Yahoo search engine I looked for the number of hits on various versions of “Muslims Outraged.” We put the phrase into quotation marks so that it would only show a hit where those words appear together. That particular grammatical usage would more often appear in headlines than in the body of a story where the phrase would more likely be “Muslims were outraged.” So .. here are your results.
Muslims Outraged 35,600 hits
Christians Outraged 2,990 hits
Jews outraged 2,060 hits
Buddhists Outraged 24 hits
Catholics Outraged 11,500 hits
Democrats Outraged 45,600 hits
Republicans Outraged 13,800 hits
Libertarians Outraged 57 hits
Clearly when it comes to being outraged, Democrats take the trophy home, with Muslims right behind.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmdPCGorjhY
July 27, 2008 at 12:53 pm
harold_and_kumar said,
“There are no drugs to treat “autism” directly, but the symptoms are what is targeted. Behavioral issues, anxiety or depression, mood swings, obsessive compulsive disorder, attentional issues and hyperactivity”….ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
With all due respect, most of the non-education treatments for the symptoms of autism deal with chemical imbalances (higher degrees of heavy metals in the blood system), diet issues, sensory issues, etc…
Heavy metals and mineral imbalances can get be discovered through blood tests. Heavy metals can be removed from the bloodstream through Chelation Therapy; most of the other imbalances can be corrected through diet.
The sensory issues you describe are part of being autistic, and drugs are rarely effective, and in most cases counter productive.
For children with severe sensory issues, there is Sensory Integration Therapy, which is a non-medical.
The most successful approach treatment approach is what is known as ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis), which is an educational (not a medical) appoach towards autism.
The only time drugs are normally prescribed are for children how have self-injurous behaviors, and that is really a last resort.
Michael Savage and Tony Zizza made the same mistake in positioning ADD/ADHD and Autism as parallel conditions, and therefore, are treated the same way.
This is not the case, and if either of them had done their homework before spouting off this bone-headed righteous indignation, then this would be a non-issue.
It’s always better to know what your talking about before you start talking about it.
Now tell me who is the Fascist?
July 27, 2008 at 8:32 pm
niconightmare said,
July 27, 2008 at 8:54 pm
braincell said,
Drugs don’t cure autism, but many autistic suffer from multiple problems such
as depression or seizures, and the drugs can help with those secondary problems.
The drugs most commonly prescribed are:
Anti psychotics (Mellaril, Haldol, Thorazine) - used to treat severe aggression,
self-injurous behavior, agitation or insomnia.
——————————————————————————–
Anticonvulsants (Tegretol, Depakote, Dilantin) - used to control seizures.
——————————————————————————–
Anti anxiety (Valium, Librium)
——————————————————————————–
Anti depression (Lithium, Depakote) - used for bipolar manic depression.
——————————————————————————–
Anti depression (Prozac, Anafranil, Paxil, Zoloft, Luvox) - used for regular
depression or compulsive behaviors.
——————————————————————————–
Beta Blockers (Nadolol, Buspirone)-used to decrease aggression or hyperactivity.
——————————————————————————–
Opiate Blockers (Naltrexone/Trexan) - control self injurious behaviors.
——————————————————————————–
Sedatives (Chloral Hydrate, Noctec, and Benadryl) - for difficulty sleeping
——————————————————————————–
Stimulants (Ritalin, Dexedrine)-for hyperactivity and attention or concentration
problems.
July 27, 2008 at 11:16 pm
braincell said,
You finally got something right.
July 27, 2008 at 11:17 pm
braincell said,
It is quite revealing to see how ‘true’ conservatives deal with something that “offends” them, in contrast to the so called “Liberals”.
You see, there exists these controls of some sort, often knobs that are usually situated on either side of the radio dial. ‘True’ conservatives, more times than not, reach for these controls and either change the frequency, which changes the station, or they simply switch the unit off completely.
This procedure is also applicable to that other highly complicated contraption commonly referred to as “T.V.”
You see, ‘true’ conservatives actually believe in that bothersome little thing called “Freedom of Speech”….FOR ALL.
One result of these “procedures” conducted by the conservatives, is that the propaganda machine that is the so called “liberal” cable “news” outlets have had their ratings slammed…yet the so called “conservative” outlet, Fox, is not only on top, but it is also considered the most trusted…
http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/f…mo_code=42E1-1
CNN’s ratings has only just slightly recovered, and I suspect that to be due ‘primarily’ to the Glenn Beck program, although Fox still trounces CNN, especially during a crises.
Another result, of what appears to be a complex and very difficult “procedure” for the typical infantile “liberal”, is that the so called “liberal” newspaper circulations are way down, and some are operating on the brink of bankruptcy. Yet the conservative newspapers are doing fine…even with the internet.
Yet another result of this very “difficult procedure” of tuning out and actually shifting ones attention elsewhere, are how conservatives dominate talk radio, while the “liberal” radio station Air America is still sucking eggs. Even after cash infusions through certain political channels, embezzlements (which incidentally finally got them some attention..the only way they can of course), stealing of funds from charity organizations, and finally even after being taken under the wing of some conglomerate.
These so called “Liberal” whackjobs absolutely hate talk radio, they hate it with a blinding burning passion because they know they’ve already proven that they cant succeed at it. They hate it because their stupidity was laid bare to the nations listening audiences.
So, because they cant win in the arena of FREE thoughts and FREE ideas, because they are so devoid of logic, because they choose not to think-but rather feeeeeel, they resort to their true fascistic nature by censoring anyone or anything thing else….naturally.
I find that Fox erroneously leans left at times simply to appear “centered”, in an attempt to garner a larger audience. Its not too unlike the stupid schmucks who intentionally situate themselves in the middle because they foolishly think its a safe place to be. Constantly positioning oneself between right and wrong certainly does not make you right…it makes you a despicable coward.
The people certainly know where the bs is emanating from, and the whackjob DENIALISTS dont like it.
July 28, 2008 at 12:14 am
braincell said,
July 28, 2008 at 12:17 am
cyberscan said,
Organizations such as the likes of Autism Speaks does not speak for me. I have autism, and I can speak for myself. To many of these organizations - this autistic speaks, and it is time for YOU to listen! Keep Michael Savage on the air!
July 28, 2008 at 1:08 am
livsarents said,
July 28, 2008 at 11:26 am
braincell said,
So now its up to the fascist ‘little’ phonies to dictate to the actual adults what they should or should not think, what is right and wrong, and what they should or should not listen to.
fascist punks.
July 28, 2008 at 12:06 pm
cyberscan said,
I’m pretty sure that is not what they want. I think Michael Savage is wrong as far as percentages of people who use autism as an excuse, and I have called him out on this on several blog posts. This also includes posts on Autism Speaks (R). Autism Speaks (R) does some good works, but I am afraid that if they do find a specific genetic test to detect autism before birth, there will be a good many of us killed at the abortion clinics. Like I already said, I believe Michael Savage is incorrect on a couple of points. However, calling for Michael Savage’s ouster from talk radio does not make us look good. It makes us look like a lynch mob.
I have worked very, very hard over a period of years to learn how to do social and act neurotypical. At various jobs, I have received very few special accommodations. As far as getting taxpayer’s money for my condition, it is against the law for me to do so at least when it comes to federal dollars. There is no place in the U.S. Constitution that authorizes the FEDERAL government to take money away from other people and give it to me. That is the reason why I never have applied for Social “Security” disability, even though I have been encouraged to do so. If you disagree with me, please point out the specific clause in the Constitution that authorizes the federal government to provide charity for me. If you want the FEDERAL government to give us aid, then maybe we can work together and see about getting the Constitution amended to give the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT real authority to do so.
If my state was to offer aid and services for me, I would be glad to accept these so long that these services are in line with Florida’s Constitution. As far as special accommodations provided to me by employers, that is between the employers and me. In Florida, autistic people like me already receive very few services, housing assistance, etc unless additional conditions are present.
If me not having government aid, help with housing, or any other special treatment is their wish, then their wish has already come true.
Other people who read my posts have accused me of not being severely autistic or autistic at all. I think this is because of the fact that I can compose a coherent post about my situation and have a different opinion regarding autism. There are many severely autistic people who are productive members of society. These include Temple Grandin, Sharissa Kochmeister, me, and plenty of others. I have invited those who think that I’m not autistic to come observe me for 24 hours straight. They will realize that they are wrong.
If you want, you and I can work together in order to bring families affected by autism together in order to help ourselves and each other. I really do appreciate your involvement in the autism community. Like I said, there are things Michael Savage said about autism that I disagree with, but that goes for just about everyone else as well. Just because I disagree with someone does not mean that I should work to destroy his or her livelihood.
Instead, I would like to speak with Michael Savage on the air and reason with him and show him where and why I believe he is wrong. But working to destroy the man will only bring animosity towards us from his listeners, and the last thing we need is yet more animosity.
July 28, 2008 at 12:28 pm
livsarents said,
If Savage would habve quickly appologized for his gross misrepresentation of the autism situation and his attempt to tie it to a pefectly legitimate but completely different subject, his detractors in the autism community would have backed off. It’s only his arrogance of his ignorance that brought down the community’s wrath.
Yup, braincell, we’re the fascists. Let see, it would be the fascists who would drag people like cyberscan out into a public place and kill him. Take a look at the radical fascist in Knoxville who decided to take his version of lbety to the extreme. It’s the fascists who want all are kids to ’staighten up and stop acting like a putz’. God forbid people want to be treated or want to act differently in this country, fascists like Savage want us all the same, and don’t spend HIS tax dollars to cate to all these special groups…yea fascists indeed…
July 28, 2008 at 2:11 pm
autismmom said,
Please let me educate you about the urgency in an early diagnosis. My first son developed normally until the age of 18 months. He was happy, social and even talking a lot. Then very slowly he began to change. He was talking less, not putting two-word sentences together, and had what I thought was a terrible case of separation anxiety. At his two year check-up, I voiced my concerns to the pediatrician and was reassured that boys just talk late and separation anxiety is just a phase. We waited and waited and watched my son disappear before my eyes. It reached the point of worrying so much I could not sleep. I would lie in bed and pray and cry. Finally, he stopped looking at me and would not respond when I called his name. When he was 2 ½ I convinced the pediatrician something was wrong and was referred to early intervention for an evaluation. It took 3 months to get him evaluated and start speech therapy. My son received 1 hour a week of speech therapy. I was again reassured that he would be fine. Three more months went by and he was only getting worse. I expressed these concerns to the therapist who asked if we had seen a neurologist. Then I had to see my pediatrician again for a referral. Then I waited 2 more months to get into see the neurologist. My son was 2 weeks shy of his 3rd birthday when we finally go an answer. AUTISM. The neurologist wanted to run a lot of tests to rule out any other possible explanation but felt confident that our son was on the autism spectrum. We did all of the tests, EEG, MRI, blood and urine analysis. Praying there was another explanation, something that was treatable. All tests came back normal; he did have the correct diagnosis. Guess what? Children age out of early intervention services on their third birthday. We completely missed the window to get the help we needed. We started a private ABA program as soon as possible. We also began a special education preschool. My son will be 6 in January. He still can not dress himself, use the toilet independently, brush his teeth, eat with utensils, play with other children, or tell me what he needs or wants. He can not even tell me when he is sick or hurt. He was diagnosed too late. Children with autism need intense intervention at a very early age. It takes a long time to find good therapists and to get into a quality program. My son can speak but only when prompted and he only imitates what was said. We are working very hard to help him but I know that his life would be so much better if we had gotten an earlier diagnosis. How can I possibly know that? That is where my 2 year-old son comes in. He developed differently than my first son, which was a relief at first. The only problem was that when he was 14 months old he was not talking. We had an early intervention evaluation and started services immediately. He made no progress and got worse because he was only getting 2 hours a week of therapy. At 18 months we had a psychologist evaluate him. She recommended a neurological evaluation. At 22 months he was diagnosed with autism. We immediately started 20 hours a week of really good ABA, I mean the best in my area. He is now talking, very social, playing like other kids after only 6 months of intensive therapy. He still has a long way to go to catch up with the typical kids his age but I have every reason to hope that he will be able to go to a regular kindergarten and have a full life. It is very bitter-sweet. I am thrilled for my younger son yet I feel terribly guilty that we were not able help my older son when it could have made all the difference in the world for him.
Autistic children are not brats! They need early diagnosis and quality ABA therapy. It can change everything for these kids and their families.
July 28, 2008 at 3:49 pm
rock my brain said,
July 28, 2008 at 4:22 pm
braincell said,
Very typical to lump everyone together solely to justify what they themselves are doing. ITS WRONG NO MATTER WHO VIOLATES ONES RIGHTS.
Now, since you’ve chosen to open your orifice, detail for us precisely how Dr. Savage is a fascist? Is exercising ones right to Freedom of Speech somehow now fascistic within the twisted inner workings of the so called “liberal” mind? Are exercising ones Constitutional rights now somehow a fascist act?
Without the consistency of logic, you dont have jack.
July 28, 2008 at 4:31 pm
braincell said,
July 28, 2008 at 4:46 pm
livsarents said,
Great example! Imagine if Savage said they were a buncha liberal women trying to get attention and it was just being overdiagnosed. I guess the American Cancer Society should just sit back and say “well that’s HIS opinion” and let it slide. Or would they maybe pressure him to take back his comments and set the record straight? And if he didn’t, don’t you think they’d MAYBE pressure his sponsers to rethink supporting such an irrational view? I rest my case…
BTW rock my brain, as I stated before, if you look at the special needs rates, there has been a corresponding drop in Mental retardation rates. We’e getting better at identifying these disorders. This means better therapies for these kids, resulting in better outcomes in their lives, meaning LESS drain on society’s precious resources. Even a conservative can get on board with that, eh?
July 28, 2008 at 5:38 pm
livsarents said,
Look, if you boy Savage has a beef with the medical industrial complex, more power to him. We all have walls within medicine we’d like to tea down. But the minute he starts promoting misinformation about diseases and disorders, I raise my voice. The SECOND after he denies that he is potentially causing harm and does not retract, I tun up the heat until he realizes what he said is wrong. If that means he’s out of a job, that’s just too bad, he can speak somewhere else where people ae not going to run screaming from the movie theatre…
July 28, 2008 at 6:05 pm
nighthawk said,
This is quite possibly the largest compilation of stupidity I’ve seen here in a while.
Put your knees back in your pants and quit jerking them out, you “parents of kids with autism”.
Your self righteousness is part of the problem here.
Big pharma plays no role because the drugs are not a cure for autism, they just work on the symptoms?
Abject stupidity.
Medication for ADD/ADHD does not cure ADD/ADHD, it merely suppresses the symptoms. Big pharma plays a HUGE role in the over diagnosing of ADD/ADHD.
By your own brainless logic, Savage is right.
As for ADHD, I know it well. I resisted when the school wanted to have my stepdaughter tested and then medicated.
The short version of the story is that I now have a 16 year old A student (when she applies herself). She really is a model student. The benefits of careful medication are phenomenal.
This is not merely related to school. Medication endows the child with the ability to look for traffic before crossing the road and be a responsible babysitter.
The effects of going off meds for a few weeks (when visiting the biological dad) are disastrous. Mood swings, drastic weight gain, and the stereotypical behavior problems.
That being said, I see daily evidence of over diagnosis. Some even in adults. I also see it used as an excuse, primarily by schools, sometimes by parents.
What I haven’t seen is any positive effect on “normal” kids by using ADD meds. If it has any effect at all, it is usually negative. Mine is on amphetamines. Stimulants function differently for folks with ADD/ADHD brain chemistry. A stimulant still functions as a stimulant for “normal” folks.
This, however, does not keep it from being frivolously prescribed and then rescinded after the desired effect is not reached. You want your kid to “try speed to see if it helps”?
This is not limited to ADD or Autism.
My (former) family doctor saw more pharmaceutical salesmen than patients as far as I could tell. The last straw was when I watched him show up at a family Christmas party and hand out cases of free samples of anti depression meds. Prescription? Nah! Who needs ‘em. Let’s just meddle with your brain chemistry and see if it helps.
The problem is not Savage or the Autism patients.
The problem is an intrusive medical industry and publik school system (spelling intentional).
We even have an AMA and NEA that actively try to brainwash kids about firearms in the home. Heck they even tried to label gun ownership as a disease. This despite all of the evidence indicating that gun ownership saves lives.
Ever notice about the reports on the increased incidence of disease XYZ?
It’s not increased incidence, it’s increased diagnosis. It’s rather like the new reports about how unsafe small trucks are (with new, stricter testing rules) while reporting about how safe “Smart” cars are (with new, less strict testing rules). The conclusion is reached before anything resembling science takes place.
livsarents said
“This means better therapies for these kids, resulting in better outcomes in their lives, meaning LESS drain on society’s precious resources. Even a conservative can get on board with that, eh?”
Better outcomes for the kids that need therapy, but worse for the kids that do not, but still get caught up in it.
Savage is right.
Big pharma is just out to make a buck.
NEA, AMA, and APA are causing damage when they claim to be about reducing it.
Whining self righteous parents of kids with autism are enabling Big Pharma, NEA, AMA, and APA.
July 28, 2008 at 6:21 pm
braincell said,
Unbelievable. His exercising HIS RIGHT to FREE SPEECH is again his right. Now to compare the stupid presumption that Dr. Savage has caused a “health crises” with yelling fire in a movie theater is yet another insult toward the intellect of his listeners. In the movie theater, yelling fire presents situation that in a ‘controlled enviroment’ lends to the only logistically correct response of walking out of the theater by THINKING patrons.
Just another lame attempt justifying the violation of someones rights.
FACT remains, he used the percentage of “99%” as a hyperbole and even clarified this further. One needs look no further than the rest of his comments..but of course, this would not satisfy the insidious ‘little’ fascists of our time, who selectively take the words of others out-of-context on almost a daily bases.
Your ilk have proven your true intent time and again, and most of the people know this and have “voiced” this strictly as self respecting individuals by ’simply’ changing the channel.
So in summation, them and their insidious propaganda machines have effectively rendered themselves irrelevant…as despicable mindless morons do.
Fascist punks.
July 28, 2008 at 6:55 pm
cyberscan said,
My mom went through the same difficulty finding out what was causing my behavior. This was back in a time that autism was almost unheard of even in the medical community. She said that I was different from the day I was born, and it took almost 3 years for her to find out what the cause. I was found to be autistic in 1971, I will agree with you and livsarents that AUTISM IS REAL, and I DISAGREE with ANYONE who says that most children diagnosed with autism are incorrectly diagnosed. I think the three of us agree on this point. I also stated my disagreement with Michael Savage on posts on the Wrong Planet and Autism Speaks(R) forum as well as on my local talk radio station. I didn’t hear Michael Savage’s comment first hand, but if that is what he said, I do have to call him out on it.
However, if it is true that he said that, then he needs to be educated instead of being ruined. With that said, I can understand how people can come to that opinion about autism. Many people said that the Virginia Tech Student seemed autistic. An autistic man who collected CHILD PORNOGRAPHY was defended by a lawyer who used the man’s autism to escape a jail term. When a condition (bipolar disorder, autism, schizophrenia, mental deficiency, etc) is used to justify bad behavior and that particular condition comes into the spotlight, it is human nature to assume the worst of those affected by the condition or those doing the diagnosis.
It was said in a previous post it would be the fascists who would drag people like me out into a public place and kill me. I agree, that ignorance could cause this very thing to happen. People condemn the lynch mob mentality directed at people like me. If that is the case, then we should also condemn the lynch mob mentality directed at Michael Savage. If I ever egt the chance to talk to him on his show, I will be one of the first to tell him why I think his opinion is wrong.
Autismmom, your perseverance will pay off for your younger son as well as your oldest. Just because your oldest son is not using the bathroom by himself or not carrying on a conversation DOES NOT mean he won’t be doing so in the future. I believe that Temple Grandin did not do these things until very late in childhood. Whatever you do, DON’T GIVE UP! It was not the system that trained be to be functional. It was my MOM.
I had good teachers at my school, but they knew nothing about my autism. They instead pushed me as well as other students to succeed. The only special program I was in was speech therapy. History shows how wasteful government programs are. The government can throw 50 billion dollars into autism treatment programs, and there will still be a huge number that falls through the cracks. In private hands and raised by private means 50 billion dollars could be used to provide good treatment and therapies for just about every autistic individual.
I am involved in such an endeavor to help raise awareness of the signs of autistic behaviors. People like autismmom, livsarents, my mom, and many others know the faces of autism, and it is THEM that can train doctors, teachers, and others who work around children to spot the signs of autism early so that proper therapy and training can begin. It is them and autistics like myself who are the best people to help autistic children and families affected by autism, not some bureaucrat in Washington D.C.
While on my soapbox I will point out some of the warning signs of autism for those who are reading this post. That way, people who notice some of these signs in children will be able to provide proper information to the proper people (parents).
Early Signs:
Children not wanting to play with others instead choosing to play be themselves
Lack of speech
Fixation on certain object. This fixation may include spinning objects
Throwing temper tantrums when there is a noisy environment, or a relatively larger number of people around the child
Stiffening, crying, or other sign of distress when touched or held
Head banging (usually accompanied by hummming or other vocalization)
No eye contact
Child does not respond emotionally to others
Child does not respond to name and is older than about 6 months
After 1 year of age, child does not look at same object or event as caregiver
After 10 months of age, child does not imitate others
After end of first year, child does not engage in pretend play
If more than one of these warning signs are displayed by a child, then I highly recommend further investigation into the possibility of autism. Get the opinion of several professionals, not just one.
By having such a controversy between the autism community and Michael Savage being public, there is a good chance that spectators will read this forum and see these warning signs. In controversies like this, teaching and educating is much better than lynching.
July 28, 2008 at 7:01 pm
livsarents said,
I don’t question Savage listeners’ intelligence, I question thier belief systems…beliefs are sometimes more overpowering…
July 28, 2008 at 7:50 pm
livsarents said,
I agree somewhat, but then again, people like brainwashed are too busy defending his right to say lies with a tiny kernal of truth and are too busy trying to find the liberal conspiracy in everything to even think about the details of this issue. Braincell still beleives good ole Savage’s comments about autism veerbatim, dontja, Brain? Comeon man…you learned anything about the difficulties of the lives of people impacted by autism? Or are you still too entranced by the way Savage says it to get to the reality of the situation?
July 28, 2008 at 7:56 pm
harold_and_kumar said,
Results 1 - 10 of about 196,000 for people who want Mike Savage Fired
Results 1 - 10 of about 35,400 for Parents tired of Public,s Intolerance to Autism
Results 1 - 10 of about 157,000 for Republicans who want Mike Savage fired
Results 1 - 10 of about 36,900 for People who think people who like Mike Savage are morons
July 28, 2008 at 9:04 pm
braincell said,
If you not only looked at what he said in its entirety, but also actually listened to his show on a regular bases, you would see that he is a huge proponent and defender of the truly afflicted.
Ultimately, the real harm caused is to the truly afflicted and to the many who ARE being wrongly diagnosed. Why is this not a factor in your pathetic excuse for an analysis? You agenda driven morons will stop at nothing, even if it means harming the very people your ilk so thinly profess to be “concerned” about, and will do anything to attack this man like the obsessed ‘little’ egotistical punks that you all are.
You are all so full of it.
July 28, 2008 at 9:23 pm
cyberscan said,
The comment about the 99% of children diagnosed with autism being the result of bad parenting (if that is his exact words)is VERY HARMFUL especially if believed. That is the reason I’ve been blogging like a madman to voice my disagreement and call Michael Savage out on his error.
Are there a few parents who get some quack to falsely diagnose their child as autistic? Yes there are A *FEW*. However, the vast majority of parents who claim their children as autistic are TELLING THE TRUTH. I fact, I believe that the percentage that Michael Savage quoted is probably the exact opposite of fact. I believe that 99% of autism diagnosis are in fact ACCURATE. The additions of Aspergers, PPD-NOS, Retts, and childhood disintegrative disorder to the DSM’s definition of autism counts as a huge percentage of the increase in diagnosed cases. Just because a person lacks one simple criteria for classic autism does not mean that their condition is any less significant.
I know of several people with Aspergers (not considered as severe as classic autism) who are having more trouble functioning in life than me. This is likely because they have not been taught how to perform (act) like I have been taught. My every waking moment around other people is a performance or show that I put on. If I flub my role, I lose friends, jobs, or respect, so I have learned my scripts very well. Those who cannot play or act the part called neurotypical end up being ostracized.
With all of this said, I also want to say that I am not a listener of the Michael Savage show. However, I have a couple of very good reasons not to join the other autistics and autism advocates in calling for Michael Savage’s ouster. However, I will continue to voice my disagreement to what (others told me) he said.
July 28, 2008 at 10:12 pm
braincell said,
When private entities make personal decisions about what to publish and not publish, they are exercising the fundamental rights of private ownership and liberty — the types of rights whose exercise the government is supposed to protect.
Let’s consider a famous example involving the misapplication of the free-speech principle in order to better understand it. In the 1919 U.S. Supreme Court case of Schenck v. United States, Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes wrote,
“The most stringent protection of free speech would not protect a man in falsely shouting fire in a theatre and causing a panic.”
But Holmes got it wrong. The reason that a man ordinarily cannot scream, “Fire!” in a theater is that the owner of the theater hasn’t permitted it. That is, when a patron enters the theater, he does so on terms established by the owner of the theater, which implicitly include a rule against disturbing the other patrons.
Thus, freedom of speech is ultimately grounded in private-property rights. The owner of a newspaper has the right to publish or not publish materials because the newspaper belongs to him. As the owner of the newspaper, he has the right to refuse anyone’s request to communicate through his newspaper. No one has a duty to furnish someone else the means by which he is able to communicate his views. If one person can’t persuade another to publish his views, he is free to open his own newspaper.
It’s the same principle with respect to movie theaters. The owners of movie theaters have the right to restrict the conduct of patrons and, for that matter, to refuse to show R-rated movies. By doing so, they are not “censoring” their patrons or the distributors of R- rated movies; they are simply exercising their right of private ownership.
July 28, 2008 at 11:12 pm
braincell said,
Talk Radio Network, which syndicates Michael Savage’s program to more than 350 affiliates, said Thursday that it had decided to reject critics’ calls to fire or suspend him over comments he made last week suggesting that most diagnoses of autism represented a “fraud” and “a racket.” In its first statement since Mr. Savage’s remarks on July 16 the company said that it was “satisfied that he did not mean any disrespect to autistic children or their families but was instead reiterating his LONGSTANDING concerns on public health issues.”
The company added that it was “not appropriate to censor the opinions of its hosts on legitimate issues.”
July 28, 2008 at 11:15 pm
braincell said,
They refer to the Constitution only when it serves their purpose…the rest of the time they’re wiping their a** with it.
July 28, 2008 at 11:45 pm
autismmom said,
Thank you for your thoughtful response. You are an inspiration to me and my family. Don’t let the jerks making ignorant comments here or on the radio get to you. They are just ignorant. We can try to educate them but you can only do so much. I have found that people who do not have a loved one with special needs are very selfish, cold-hearted and they don’t want to know the truth. They can not see it.
I must clarify a few things. I have not given up on my oldest son, at all. I never will give up on either of my boys, I promise. I was just pointing out the difference in the progress that can be made with a 2 year old if they are diagnosed early. It is very hard for a parent to find their way around the early intervention system, public school system, doctors and therapists. You have to know what ABA is to find a good therapist. My oldest son was 4 years old before we got really good therapy for him. He is making progress. I am so thankful for what all he can do. He is a beautiful, happy, affectionate and smart little boy. He can learn, he does learn, just not the same way a typical child does and certainly not at the same pace. I know I only pointed out the negative with him in my first post. That was a mistake. I was just trying to make a point about autism. There is a misconception that it is just out of controll kids having tantrums. That is just not the case. Yes some kids have a lot of behavioral problems but I think that is the result of a lack communication skills and lack of social skills. Honestly, my kids are the best behaved kids in just about any place we go. They are quiet, too quiet. We get compliments from strangers about how well behaved they are but I know it is autsim causing them to be withdrawn and quiet that makes them seem so well behaved. They do have their moments some days but tantrums are not really an issue for us right now. I want them to be able communicate and play with other kids. I want for them to get a good education and have an independent life, one day. I want for them to be happy and safe and be able to take care of themselves when I am not here to do it anymore. I think that is what all parents want for their kids. It would just be nice if people could see that it is a much harder road for us to get there than it is for typical kids and their families.
A little understanding and acceptance is all we want from the world. Does anyone have compassion anymore for people who are really struggling? Reading the comments here does not give me very much hope. I will keep praying that the majority does not share the intolerence that some of you have made so clear with your hateful comments.
July 29, 2008 at 8:24 am
autismmom said,
July 29, 2008 at 8:34 am
autismmom said,
You seem like you have not heard for yourself what Savage said. Here is a link so you can know what you are fighting for.
http://mediamatters.org/items/200807170005
July 29, 2008 at 8:49 am
livsarents said,
If you not only looked at what he said in its entirety, but also actually listened to his show on a regular bases, you would see that he is a huge proponent and defender of the truly afflicted.
Ultimately, the real harm caused is to the truly afflicted and to the many who ARE being wrongly diagnosed. Why is this not a factor in your pathetic excuse for an analysis? You agenda driven morons will stop at nothing, even if it means harming the very people your ilk so thinly profess to be “concerned” about, and will do anything to attack this man like the obsessed ‘little’ egotistical punks that you all are.
You are all so full of it.”
Based on Savages many chances to explain himself, he has proven every single time that he does not know what the autism situation really is. Comments like “Did you know there’s a spectrum of autism now?” just proves his ignorance of the current status of the disorder, it’s classifications and symptoms.
If you like, braincell, let’s take his livelyhood off the table as part of the discussion and tell me point by point how this man really has a grasp of what’s going on with autism, what it’s REAL symptoms are and how we should tackle it? Or is he really just using autism to drive home a point about drug companies and mental disorders and the overdiagnosis of drugging of children with ADHD and ADD. I’ve brought it out several times before that these are two entirely different situations and that using autism to drive home his other agendas is a complete misuse and misrepresentation of what autism is and how it’s treated.
People dealing with the autism spectrum are tired of having to clear up misconceptions about the disorder; Savage is sending us back to the pervebial stone age of awareness. I’m sorry if that offends your view of America, but guess what? You may not like it but there re a million people in the US with autism and there ar 10 times more dealing with the day to day existence of our loved ones. So lets just unwrap yourself from under the Constitution and ta