Look at the front page of Mothering's website

[acannon]

That's all I'll say.

[kriket]

i don't see anything really wild, what are we looking at?

[thefragile7393]

And we are looking for......?

[HollyBearsMom]

[feebeeglee]

I don't see what's bad - please elaborate?

[MotherWhimsey]

yeh, I'm not seeing anything either.

[sadean]

I'm not seeing anything weird...

[acannon]

It might not be there anymore, but there was an ad for Autism Speaks the last time I looked at it.

ETA: Aha. It changes. That makes sense.

[ThreeBeans]

Not seeing anything odd...

[feebeeglee]

I think I saw it - an Autism Speaks ad. I notice it was associated with The Ad Council, so it might just be in the general "non-profit" category...

[kriket]

oh, whats autism speaks? (I get that it's an autism awareness thing, I think) briefly ('cause I surfed in from the main page and don't have any experience with autism) why don't we like autism speaks?

[acannon]

It's an organization that wants to find a cure for autism (both "low" and "high" functioning autism) and is working towards finding a prenatal test for it.

[kalisis]

So, what's wrong with it exactly? Can you elaborate more????

[acannon]

Allison Singer, one of the people in charge of Autism Speaks (vice-president of something, I forget what) said in a movie called Autism Everyday, put out by Autism Speaks, that she considered driving her and her autistic daughter off of a bridge and she didn't because she had another daughter who is not autistic who she needed to care for, too. That is probably the number one reason why I don't like the group. Another reason is that it claims to speak for autistic people but it has no autistic people on their staff and it advocates things that most autistic people would never advocate, like a cure and prenatal testing.

[ShaggyDaddy]

Originally Posted by anniej

So, what's wrong with it exactly? Can you elaborate more????

This is a pretty common question.

Basically they are an anti-autistic hate group focused on preventing people from leading a-typical lives with a-typical neurology, even at the cost of potential genocide, proven harmful treatments, and very harsh "training" programs. Not to be overly dramatic, but this behavior pattern is neurological fascism.

Since I am so very against their core purpose, I am happy that as an organization they waste/spend so much of the donated money on things other than Autism research (aka private jets), but I wish that money and goodwill would be spent to increase Autistic people's quality of life, instead of undermining their existance as "accidental" and "preventable"

For a less intense view of the problems people have with them you should check out an older thread about them:
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=773396

[kriket]

even though I wouldn't use the colour that shaggydaddy uses, I could see where a pre-natal test could lead to termination of an autistic child, where as having a child with autism can be a learning, growing, family experience.... I am against all forms of prenatal testing that could give someone grounds to "screen" their children (gender, handicap, whathaveyou) so I will agree! I don't think I am a huge fan of autism speaks either!



see OP mama, that stupid banner educated someone!

[acannon]

Well, that's good. I'm glad for that.

[ShaggyDaddy]

I am actually very excited about a genetic link to autism, but Autism has a public image problem that needs to be solved first. A non-scientific public image firm such as autism speaks could actually work wonders toward solving the very real and very solvable public image problem, (i.e. letting people know that autistics are not emotionless husks, that many autistic adults lead full and rewarding lives, etc). I think the part about Autism Speaks that is so frustrating is that they are soaking up all the good will and funding and are turning it around for more fear mongering.

The whole Autism Speaks "Autism Awareness" campaign is so annoying to me, it has ZERO positive effect except to earn Autism Speaks more money.

Here is a list of things to be scared about, here is how horrible your child will be, here is your puzzle ribbon, welcome to the club.

[KJoslyn78]

Wow.. i didnt know that about that Allison lady - that's scary! It's sad and scary to think that most general people would think this is a orginazation that might be worthy to donate/fund to - when it's not! YIKES! I would never give money to someplace/someone with such fasish (sp?) ideas!!

While i agree that testing should be used as a reason to "screen" and terminate children... some might want screening so they can be prepared and research what lies ahead (the only reason i ever did testing - i wanted to be prepared IF something was wrong - not to avoid it - KWIM?). Autism isnt always immedently noticable at birth - so maybe a newborn screening might work in that regards... but i dont think it any possible/future test should be used to terminate a baby - ever.

[ShaggyDaddy]

Originally Posted by KJoslyn78

but i dont think it any possible/future test should be used to terminate a baby - ever.

That's the problem they are terminating "problems", not people; with the Down Syndrome test this is already happening, and it would happen with the Autism test too, because these 2 classes of people (and others) are considered sub-human by many policies, groups, and public perception. That is why I said this is a public image problem that must be solved, preferably before the genetic scientific one is nailed down.