Aspies For Freedom

Today I went to an Autism Walk with a sign (reading: 'Autistic Rights Advocacy - Services & Support - not prevention') and handed out info. sheets explaining that anti-cure isn't anti-support, that accepting autism doesn't mean pretending it's a wonderful, cheery thing with no downsides, and that the pro-cure organizations fund research for a pre-natal test to be used for the selective abortion of autistics.

When I got there, the car was sandwiched between a car with a puzzle sticker reading 'think autism. think cure.' and a car with 'cure autism now' logo on the windshield. I had tried to make myself excuses so that I could slam the door shut and leave, but I pretended like a dream I was just going through the motions.

I was a bit intimidated, to say the least, but I managed to stand there and hand out 30 information sheets to people who were raising money for Autism Speaks and CAN. A radio station was there playing classic rock songs, and as I walked there to the entrance, 'Wheel in the Sky' was playing. Helped eased the tension (I love the song).

Unfortunately, two of my friends who are the Autistic Rights Advocacy with me could not make it, but they were with me in spirit, and things turned out okay. Nobody hassled me, really.

All in all, I feel that just by being there that I have made some appreciable difference, if only by giving me the courage to continue to be an activist.

Wow! That must've taken some courage you must have been anxious!

I was anxious, but my mom was there. And they were playing good music, one of my favourite stations (one of the things the cure organizations did get right)>

good for you! bravo! I just can't see how it could get to the point where there will someday be a test for autism, but I suppose it could happen and that frightens me.  I keep thinking about the little Down's Syndrome boy/man who regularly walks one of the main streets in town  and he has such a wonderful energy, has such an intelligent look on his face really that it blows my mind women are aborting babies with his dx. In the US now Down Syndrome children are going to college. Not all, but some, and you and I know that once such a door is opened, people tend to flood in.

We must educate as much as possible. It is our only hope.

That's really impressive. It's amazing that you didn't get hassled too much there at all.

Great stuff, what you did was thoroughly courageous.
**WELL DONE**

It is nice to see a subtle change since we started:

One thing that says a lot - protestors don't get spat on as often now

Nice!

Where were you protesting?

I am glad to know you, earthmonkey, even if only in the cyber-sense. You have everything you need to do great things in this life.

hi earthmonkey/

great! if you will accept a hug... i send you one. but i'm aware that hugs are not welcome all the way across the spectrum ;-)  in which case, please consider that i've sent you a really great rock track.

bw
/michael

How about a T-shirt:  

357 Magnum, Make my day

This will cure anything

but just because we could, doesn't mean we should.

Or, at a protest rally, hold a banner,
"Zyklon B cures everything" has already been tried:  NEVER AGAIN!
swastika and Hitler

The swastika wouldn't work since protests of this kind aren't so much to say that everybody there is evil, but to say that there's more to the story than meets the eye.  Showing up and saying that you are someone on the Autistic Spectrum and aren't angered by that shows a lot, but showing up and comparing everyone there to nazis will just get people angry and accomplish nothing.

Congratulations. I applaud you.

Cool.