Editorial #241: How to Get Along In School Without Getting Beat Up

Autism Politico believes it may have learned how to get along in school without getting beat up.

You see, in most school situations there is an autistic thing to do, and there is a social thing to do. If you are autistic, you need to decide what is worth getting beat up over and what isn’t, and how much pain you stand to endure if you decide to do the autistic thing instead of the social thing.

QUESTION: Some kid needs to borrow a paper, pen or pencil. What do you do?

THE AUTISTIC THING TO DO:  Don’t give them anything! If they aren’t prepared, they cannot do their work, and if they cannot do their work, you stand to get a higher grade than they do. By not giving them anything, you are putting them in the line of fire from the teacher, who will surely reprimand them for not being prepared. By not giving them anything, you are preparing them for the real world, where unprepared people are fired from their jobs.  Whole companies have fallen because people like these infest workplaces like termites infest logs.

THE SOCIAL THING TO DO: Give them what they need. By not giving them anything, the teacher will reprimand you for not being friendly to your fellow student. By not giving them anything, you will be going against the code of the workplace, which is that you carry the weak along with the strong to make yourself look good in front of your boss. Even though whole companies have fallen thanks to people like these, people like these, who have learned to schmooze off of others rather than work for a living, have a habit of climbing up the ladder and hiring people like you. They have learned to climb because they have learned to wheedle people into doing their work for them. You, on the other hand, who actually do the work, get fired by wheedlers because you are a threat to them.

QUESTION: You are taking a quiz, A kid in school wants to copy your answers. What do you do?

THE AUTISTIC THING TO DO: Don’t give them the answers! By not giving them the answers, they may get a lower grade than you, and you have EARNED the grade, so you DESERVE a higher grade. By not giving them the answers, it forces them to ask other kids and risk being caught by the teacher. By not giving them he answers, it forces them to learn the answers for themselves.

THE SOCIAL THING TO DO: Give them the answers. Remember, these people are going to excel up the ladder in the workplace and become your future employers, so you need to give them every boost you can. Further, by now you’ve noticed that teachers harp on you for every little thing -mostly because they don’t like you- but overlook the fact that your question-asker beats the crap out of you nearly every single day on the playground. Do you really think the teacher -who doesn’t want to get involved with your bully’s parents any more than they have to- is going to want to catch your bully when they try to copy your answers? This is the age of social promotion and feel good education, where it doesn’t matter what kind of grades you get as long as you have good self-esteem. No one is going to “catch” your bully trying to cheat, and you stand to get into detention if you nark on your bully.

QUESTION: You see some bully beating up some kid on the playground. What do you do?

THE AUTISTIC THING TO DO: Tell the teacher! You’ve been beat up so you know how bad it feels. Do you really want some other kid to feel as badly as you did when you got beat up?

THE SOCIAL THING TO DO: Look at what the rest of the non-autistic kids are doing. They are yelling “Fight! Fight! Fight!” This is because they know that this is the social thing to do. By joining in, they are held in good esteem by the bully (who will one day be their future employer), and we already know that the teachers do not want to have to talk to the bully’s parents again. So when you go to the teacher, the teacher will tell you not to tattle-tale, and then treat you poorly thereafter because since you told, they MUST get involved.

Autism Politico believes that the autistic way is the way to go, but then, we also notice that most autism advocacy organizations go with the social thing to do, unless they themselves are the victim, and then they cry like babies.

Replies to this editorial are welcome.

Editorial #240: Good News! Two Autism Schools in Two Years Have Problems!

Autism Politico is pleased to hear that a private autism school has lost accreditation and another one has closed within the past two years.

The story is a pretty extensive one, but we will focus on three small paragraphs of a very long article:

John Locke Academy, a mainstream high school, and the special needs School of Autistic Healing, opened as companion schools two years ago. They are largely run by the family of Bob Jones, the real estate developer blamed by many teachers and parents for the August 2008 closure of Utah Southvalley Community School (USC), a Murray private school formerly known as Woodland Hills.

Jones had acquired the financially strapped Woodland Hills, for children with Asperger’s syndrome and other cognitive and behavioral impairments, a year earlier and hoped to revive it, partly through introducing a comprehensive sports program. But the school suffered rapid teacher turnover —­ at least 50 teachers quit or were fired in one year — and some parents complained about the new focus on athletics.

The “School of Autistic Healing” is a silly name for a school seeing as how no government agency will state that there is a cure for autism. “Healing” implies that there is a way to a cure.

With regard to athletics, as we know, some autistics may suffer problems with coordination. Having them play sports if they don’t want to might cause them to feel even more inept that they already do. That a school would not understand this goes to show how little they know about autism.

At the time, Jones argued he had kept the school from closing and lost his own money in the process. In March 2009, he filed for bankruptcy, leaving behind $6.5 million in debts both from his real estate ventures and USC. The Utah Office of Debt Collection reports there are still 30 outstanding cases for unpaid wages to school employees.

That he invested his own money is nice, but considering the debts the ultimate fate of this man’s adventures, it’s best that the school closed before the attendees came to suffer from lack of proper funding. This is not to imply that the students would have suffered, but it appears from this story that the person behind the two schools doesn’t have much knowledge about autism or how to deal with autistics.

Replies to this editorial are welcome.

Editorial #239: Heavy Metals in Makeup

Autism Politico would like all moms who believe that mercury causes autism to concede the possibility that the heavy metals in your cosmetics may have been absorbed into your system and poisoned your baby while it was  in-utero, thereby making the baby autistic.  

The group tested 49 makeup products and found all of them contained varying amounts of heavy metals, including one lip gloss which contained levels of arsenic and lead exceeding limits recommended by Health Canada.

But that’s not all:

Tests found that all of the products tested contained trace amounts of nickel, lead and beryllium. On average, products contained four of eight “metals of concern.” All but one of the products, however, contained metal amounts within Health Canada’s draft guidelines.

Maybe there’s mercury in there too?

One thing we must admit to…putting on makeup is a social thing. There really is no hygienic purpose for using it. So moms, in the interest of being social, you may have contributed to your kid’s autism. How does that make you feel?

Let’s hear you speak up!

Alternatively, you could get with the program and recognize that autism is genetic. It;s what the rest of the world has believed since 2007.

The discovery was part of the largest genome scan ever attempted in autism research. Called the Autism Genome Project, the initiative involved 137 researchers from 50 institutions in nine countries, including Canada.

 Working together, the scientists were able to share samples, data, and expertise to analyze DNA from about 1,600 families worldwide.

Of course we know most mercury-causes-autism people (the flat-earthers of our generation)  refuse to entertain the idea that they might be wrong. But we just thought that if you anti-vaxers are willing to sue doctors, governments, and vaccine manufacturers for “causing” autism in your kids, perhaps you’d like to sue yourselves for wearing makeup with heavy metals in them, because you could be just as guilty as you think the vaccine manufacturers supposedly are.

By the way, why don’t you people who wear makeup subject yourselves to chelation therapy?  You might become autistic if you don’t.

Replies to this editorial are welcome.

Editorial #238: Planking – The Newest Social Stupidity

Autism Politico has learned that another stupid social craze is hitting the world. It’s called planking, and at least one person has died from it.

“Planking involves someone lying flat on their stomach with their arms against their bodies in unusual and sometimes dangerous situations, with photographs of their exploits shared through social media sites.”

Whoopie! It seems that as far as being social goes, the dumber the act you engage in, the more popular you are considered to be. If you are on the autism spectrum and get picked on because you are socially inept, aren’t you glad you are autistic so you don’t have to do such silly things to be accepted by your friends?

“This morning we have seen a young man take this activity a step further and attempt to plank on a balcony. Unfortunately he has tragically fallen to his death,” Queensland Police Deputy Commissioner Ross Barnett said.

Hmm.  People are also “planking” in other dangerous locations, but Autism Politico won’t list them here because we don’t want to give people ideas.

“Police issued warnings of the dangers … but the publicity only seemed to fuel the fad.”

How very social of the public to disregard such warnings. If  being cool and popular supersedes what the police say, it seems that this is the way people want to go.

“Last week, a 20-year-old, also in Queensland state, was arrested after being allegedly found “planking” on a police car. He was charged with being on police equipment without lawful excuse.”

Serves him right if he broke the law.

Replies to this editorial are welcome.

Editorial #237: Stem Cell Clinic Closes After Baby Death

Autism Politico is aware that

Europe’s largest stem cell clinic, which is at the centre of a scandal over the death of a baby given an injection into the brain, has been shut down.

What does this have to do with autism? Well…

Experts in stem cell research had accused the clinic of preying on vulnerable patients, desperately seeking a cure for such illnesses and diseases as cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, autism, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, diabetes and spinal cord injuries.

As usual, Autism Politico is of the opinion that parents who wish use treatments not approved of by their governments on their children should try these treatments on themselves first. We hold this opinion because we know that any parent who loves their child wouldn’t think of subjecting their children to treatments which are not only potentially fatal, but are also not government approved.

Or maybe we’re wrong…

The clinic had come under increasing scrutiny following the death of an 18-month-old boy in August last year, in a case first revealed by The Sunday Telegraph. The child, who was from Romania, was injected in the brain with stem cells but suffered internal bleeding. Three months earlier, a boy aged 10 from Azerbaijan had almost died when the same procedure went wrong.

You never know what parents will do. But Autism Politico wonders if there is some kind of diagnosis in the DSM IV that describes parents who do such things? Will the parents who brought their children to the clinic be charged with child endangerment?

Replies to this editorial are welcome.

Editorial #236: When Is a Minority Not a Minority?

Autism Politico is aware that there is an autism advocacy group out there who wants the United Nations to declare autistics a minority group. The movement started a long time ago when 1 in 166 people had some form of autism.

Over the years, the figure has changed as more and more people become diagnosed.

In South Korea, it is now believed that 1 in 38 kids have some form of autism.

A study in South Korea suggests about 1 in 38 children have traits of autism, higher than a previous U.S. estimate of 1 in 100.

Of course part of this study was based on a parental survey, and we all know that parents are the least objective when evaluating their own children. However, assuming the results are true…

Autism advocates and autism advocacy organizations should be campaigning to have the following groups granted minority status:

People who have…

Sickle-cell anemia because it affects 1 in every 500 African-American births and 1 in every 1000 to 1400 Hispanic-American births.

Cystic Fibrosis because it affects 1 in 2000-3000 new borns.

Fragile X syndrome because it affects 1 in 3600 males and 1 in 4000 to 6000 females with full mutation worldwide.

Huntington’s disease because in Western countries, it’s estimated that about five to seven people per 100,000 are affected by HD.

All these diseases, like autism, are genetic in origin. All are more rare.

Of course the other thing autism advocates and autism advocacy organizations can do is shut their mouths to keep themselves and the autism community from looking stupid. But it doesn’t look like that is going to happen anytime soon.

Replies to this editorial are welcome.

Editorial #235 Quote #15

Autism Politico has another quote to by A. Maclaren, D.D. for you: ”We cannot erase the sad records of our past.”

What is done is done. That is why we need to ask ourselves each day that we go forward “What legacy will I leave?” or “What example am I setting?” or “Am I doing something which is going to reflect poorly upon myself and people who depend on me.”

People who lead the autism community need to follow these dictums so that they can model appropriate behavior for those whom they serve. Yet many people who are now leading the autism community do not follow these dictums. That is something to think about. Who do you want leading you and those like you? Who do you want representing you to influential people? Who do you want negotiating policy for your autistic children?

Perhaps it would be a good idea to hold autism advocates and advocacy groups accountable to higher standards. If these advocates and advocacy groups are of good character, they won’t mind.

Replies to this editorial are welcome.

Editorial #234: Quote #14

Autism Politico has another quote for you: ”Water run by will not turn a mill.” A. Maclaren, D.D.

What does this mean for us?

It means we should do today what we have the chance to do today, and not let today pass into tomorrow. It means if you are twiddling your thumbs and not accomplishing anything, you are wasting your energy.

If you are in dire circumstances and aren’t doing anything to get yourself out of them, then it means you are partly to blame for your problems.

Another way to look at this is to examine what the advocates in the autism community are doing for you. They may exist. They may have websites. Their members may participate in chats and groups. But what are they actually doing for you? Perhaps you should be demanding more of these people who ask for YOUR support, or YOUR money, or for YOUR assistance. After all, aren’t these people here to serve you?

Replies to this editorial are welcome.

Editorial #233: Own Up or Shut Up

Autism Politico has a message for some of those autism advocates who have been clamoring for the public display of Osama Bin Laden’s death photos…

Perhaps it would be in their own interests if they shut their mouths.

These autism advocates don’t like it when blogs quote or put up screen shots of autism advocates or autism advocacy groups involved in questionable activities or alleged misdeeds. They don’t like it when people read those blogs and comment bout those questionable activities and  alleged misdeeds.

Well, do these autism advocates think their own hypocrisy is dignified?

These autism advocates might think there is a significant difference between trotting out Bin Laden’s death photos and posting quotes they have made, but is there really a difference at all? If people feel they were hurt by what Bin Laden did and want to see proof of his death and comment on them, and if people feel they have been hurt by autism advocates and want to see proof of the perceived affronts posted publicly and be able to comment on them, what’s the difference? 

Replies to this editorial are welcome.

Editorial #232: Hey Autism Advocacy Organizations! Pick a Side!

Autism Politico knows autism advocates and autism advocacy organizations read this blog because we’ve seen you talking about us in your groups, pages, forums, and chat rooms, and so if you are a member of an autism advocacy organization, or a supporter of an autism advocate, or have given your money or time to one, or bought a book written by them, you may want to ask them why they aren’t commenting on anything that is written here.

Autism Politico knows why it is. We make them nervous. That’s why. And today we are going to make them nervous again.

Autism Politico is not going to tell its readers where it stands on the issue of abortion, but will instead ask autism advocacy organizations to declare where they stand on this issue.

The reason we’re doing this is because we’re tired of hearing pro-choice advocates and pro-choice members of autistic advocacy organizations whining in pitiful tones about how terrible it is that a genetic test for autism will soon allow women to abort fetuses with autistic DNA. The view that these advocacy organizations seem to have is that abortion is the greatest thing in the world as long as it’s only fetuses with neurotypical DNA that are getting the chop.

That hacking a fetus to pieces may be immoral, unethical, or irreligious never seems to enter their heads. That a woman seeking an abortion might have been raped never seems to enter their heads either.

In other words, autism advocates and autism advocacy organizations seem to want to have it both ways. They want to preserve the rights of autistic fetuses. They want to preserve the rights of women to choose whether or not to have an abortion, but they don’t give a crap about neurotypical fetuses (and if you think of it, the more neurotypicals that don’t get born, the more the population of autistics will increase if elective abortions of autistic fetuses is banned).

And so Autism Politico is calling upon all the autism advocates and autism advocacy organizations to take a stand and declare themselves. We want them to give us definitive statements like:

“We are against the elective abortion of autistic fetuses, but we strongly support the right of women to abort fetuses with neurotypical DNA.”

or

“As long as it’s only neurotypical fetuses getting chopped to pieces, we don’t care.”

The issue is a simple one. You simply tell people what you think. Why are we bring this up now? Because the issue is coming to the forefront:  Some states in the US are now cutting funds to women’s clinics.

Gov. Mitch Daniels of Indiana said Friday that he would sign a bill cutting off Medicaid financing for Planned Parenthood, a move that lawmakers in several states have begun pondering as a new approach in the battle over abortion. Indiana becomes the first state to go forward.

<snip>

 Indiana’s bill includes other provisions aimed at limiting abortion. Among them: a ban on abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy in most cases rather than an earlier standard of viability, which was often determined by doctors to be several weeks later. Several states, including Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma, have recently set earlier limits.

The time for autism advocates and autism advocacy organizations to make a name for themselves by either supporting or fighting against these measures is now. But you will not see them make a move. Why? because they want your money and your support, that’s why. And when they get your money, what they will advocate against is the selective abortion of autistic fetuses, thereby limiting a women’s choice. This is what is called neurodiversity.

Replies to this editorial are welcome.