I doubt they actually thought they'd get $90,000 out of you. This is clearly intimidation by example. They probably figured that by strongarming you, they could set an example to discourage others from making parodies of them or otherwise speaking out against them.
They might have a valid case with copyrights, but for lost monetary support? (So much for "Vote with your dollar.") That's the general idea, right? To reduce the influx of money and support to an already too-powerful organization. If they truly felt threatened in that regard, I suppose that's a good sign.
One question I have: Did they really use a hacker or did they just have someone lurk there? (I'd be very surprised if they weren't lurking here, too.)
Even if you have to wait until you're an adult and financially independent to expose this, I think it needs to be done.
The intimidation tactics have backfired, I just registered these:
ntspeaks.com
ntspeaks.net
both will redirect to here: http://www.aspiesforfreedom.com/ntspeaks/
Well if they own the domain now, they got what they want and you lost your site. I wish your supervisor hadn't let them bully you into shutting it down...
Threatening to sue autistics? Autism Speaks has reached a new low...
furthermore, they had no grounds for a case against you since parody is heavily protected under the first amendment. It was just intimidation and you fell for their scare tactics unfortunately.
Good move Gareth, by the way.
Robin, just so you know. You wont get much support about vaccine theories here.
I guess many wants Autism Speaks' money to be used on biomedical research. I personally don't see anything wrong with that in contrast to development of prenetal tests. Some of you might not believe that biomed could be helpfull for autistic people, well, if there finally is some money into it we might finally find out with double-blind tests or whatever. If, lets say chelation, turns out to actually be helpfull for some autistic people, then that's great. If we find that it isn't, well then fewer parents have to spend money on something that turned out to be nothing.
Damn, now I'm no longer a mod on any site anymore.
I've been told abscout has been in contact with a journalist from new scientist recently, so I would presume that they are ok.
Voices of autism 'silenced' by charity
* 02 February 2008
* From New Scientist Print Edition. Subscribe and get 4 free issues.
* Celeste Biever
AN EXTRAORDINARY dispute has broken out between people with autism and a charity that aims to help them. At stake is how such people are perceived by the general public.
Like many people with autism, an autistic blogger who goes by the screen name "Abscout" is angry about the way the condition is portrayed by some charities. To try and paint a different picture, Abscout set up a spoof website called NTSpeaks.org, a parody of the site of the New York-based charity Autism Speaks. The NT stands for neurotypical, a term sometimes used by people with autism to describe the rest of the population.
Last week, however, in response to demands from Autism Speaks, Abscout took the site down. Autism Speaks claims the site infringed its copyright, and that it could have confused people looking for information about autism. That in turn has outraged Abscout's supporters, who say that Autism Speaks is suppressing the views of the very people it is supposed to represent and help.
"If we do speak, we're only allowed a voice if it agrees exactly with the people who say they're speaking for us," says Amanda Baggs, another blogger with autism based in Burlington, Vermont. "That keeps people believing the same thing Autism Speaks wants people to believe, including every negative stereotype of autism out there."
Autism Speaks says its aim is "to change the future for all who struggle with autism spectrum disorders". One of its stated goals is to "cure" autism - an aim some people with autism find offensive. "The autism spectrum is something that is intrinsic to our personalities," says Ari Ne'eman, president of the Autism Self Advocacy Network in Baltimore, Maryland. "We can no more separate the autistic part of ourselves than we could our gender or race."
One of the stated goals of Autism Speaks is to 'cure autism' - an aim some people find offensive
Particularly galling for people with autism, he says, is a video on the charity's site called Autism Everyday, in which mothers of children with autism talk about the emotional and financial impact the condition has had on their lives. "Autism Speaks puts out a very fear-based message," says Ne'eman.
NTSpeaks.org carried a much more assertive message. Under the slogan "Learn the signs of NTism", it listed "dislike for people who are different", "refusal to accept that there is a problem" and "conforming attitude". Another one of its headlines read, "NTs destroying AS/Auties pride and joy".
Autism Speaks says that people could have confused NTSpeaks.org with its own site, as it carried a similar logo. "If an improper use of our name or logo creates confusion among those we serve about the source of information, it is a disservice to all," a charity spokesman says.
Baggs insists there is a need for people with autism to publicise their own messages. She says the charities "change a lot about how autistic people are treated and understood by other people and by professionals".
Gareth Nelson, who founded the autism rights group Aspies For Freedom is doing his bit. In protest at Autism Speaks's actions, he has secured the NTSpeaks.net and NTSpeaks.com domains and posted new parodies of Autism Speaks there. "It is important to do this in order to stop Autism Speaks from simply silencing their critics and to show them that we are not going to sit back while they intimidate people," he says.
Mental Health - Discover the latest research in our continuously updated special report.
From issue 2641 of New Scientist magazine, 02 February 2008, page 9
http://www.autism-hub.co.uk/autism-speak.../index.php
Seems like my signature is no longer the last one, so I guess it is finally possible to sign it again. Apparently since october :p
Jeanetta O'Donnel who I remember from Extreme Makeover (building house makeover) is apparently the one who signed after me six months later.
Who wrote that?
The thing ocampo quoted.
That's about the 3rd time we've seen new scientist run a positive autism story. I've always thought of new scientist as being quite appropriate in this regard - as it's essentially a geeks magazine and I have many fond memories of reading every issue when I was younger.
Gareth wrote:
"... I have many fond memories of reading every issue when I was younger. "
I don't think I could ever give up reading every issue. Some obsessions aren't negotiable.
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