We are proposing a boycott of companies that sponsor CAN. A great deal of money is generated for CAN by this method which is ploughed into their research for a cure. This is from their site-
"Become a Corporate Partner
Corporate partnership is a growing interest in businesses today. At Cure Autism Now, we have been the grateful recipients of sponsorship from a wide variety of corporations, from Whole Foods Market to Johnson & Johnson."
So far we have on the list to boycott-
Whole Foods Market
Johnson & Johnson
MBNA America (who are their credit card company)
I will write to these companies and inform them of our action and will post their responses. I will find out the other sponsors and take the same action.
Whole Foods Market
http://www.wholefoods .com/company/index.html
customer.questions@wholefoods .com - email address for them
Let them know what you think about their sponsorship of CAN!
My email to them-
Dear Whole Foods Market,
I have seen that you are sponsors of the charity Cure Autism Now. You may not be aware that they are a very controversial organization within the autistic community because of their methods and attitude. Their idea of curing or preventing autism is an idea based on eugenics, most likely to involve testing foetuses for autism and them being aborted. Much in the way that Downs Syndrome has been treated. I am co founder of a group called aspies for freedom, we are opposed to Cure Autism Nows treatment and negative view of those on the autistic spectrum. We are asking that you cease sponsorship of them, we have proposed a boycott of your products if your sponsorship continues, autism is known to be genetic in basis, I have a form of it, as does my son, we take very seriously the prospect of our future being wiped out by the actions of Cure Autism Now. We hope to receive a positive response from you. Yours faithfully, Amy Roberts of aspies for freedom.
Johnson & Johnson
http://www.jnj.com/our_company/index.htm
To email them-
http://www.jnj.com/contact_us/contact_us...+Inquiries
This is my email to them-
Dear Johnson & Johnson,
The charity Cure Autism Now has stated on their site that you are a sponsor for their work. This charity is seeking to cure and prevent autism. They present themselves as working for the benefit of those on the autistic spectrum, however they have done great damamge to those in the autistic community with the phraseology of autism as an epidemic, their extremely negative attitude which undermines the lives of adults with autism, and their portrayal of us as asking for such a cure. Many adults with autism are against the work of CAN because of this, and the ultimate threat it poses to our future. That can give no guarantees that the prevention of autism isnt simply pre natal screening that will result in autistic babies being aborted. That is very frightening as autism is known to be largely genetic. There are many degrees of severity, yet CAN focuses on an image of a trapped and helpless suffering child. This distorted image does great damage. I am co founder of a group called aspies for freedom, we are asking for you to cease sponsorship of CAN, and are considering boycotting your products if your sponsorship continues. Please reply ASAP. Many thanks, Amy Roberts of aspies for freedom.
Here is my reply from Johnson and Johnson-
"Dear A Roberts:
Thank you for your message. Johnson & Johnson is a decentralized family of 200 operating companies. Many of our operating companies support local non-profit organizations in the areas in which they are located, and they are encouraged to do so by employees who may have worked with these organizations as volunteers or who have used their services. Financial support from one of our operating companies for Cure Autism Now was prompted by employees who are parents to children with autism and involved minor support of two events. Our support was based on our belief that the organization was working toward learning more about the causes of this disease. We appreciate your concern about the organization and will take that into consideration for future funding.
Johnson & Johnson"
I hope this will prompt them to look into their funding of CAN, and I will contact them again shortly to see if there have been any changes in their sponsoring.
I sent this letter to them after I recieved the above email-
Many thanks for your response, can you tell me if you will be withdrawing the sponsorship of Cure Autism Now, or are you considering this? Yours faithfully, A. Roberts
I had this response-
Dear A. Roberts:
Thank you for your message. We do not have a long-term commitment to fund Cure Autism Now. The funding provided previously from several of our operating companies was in support of specific events. At this time we do not know what plans our individual operating companies may have to fund events for this or other organizations in 2005, so we cannot answer your specific question. As previously indicated, your thoughts on this issue will be taken into consideration. Thank you for sharing your concerns with us.
I wrote to CAN asking for a list of companies that sponsor them, as it states on their site Whole Foods Market is one of them. I had this email response from them-
"There are hundreds of companies that sponsor us - and actually Whole Foods is not one of them. Sponsors are donors, so actually that is donor information."
I was given no information. I sent this reply-
"Hi Elizabeth, I saw this on your site-
"Corporate partnership is a growing interest in businesses today. At Cure Autism Now, we have been the grateful recipients of sponsorship from a wide variety of corporations, from Whole Foods Market to Johnson & Johnson."
So is Whole Foods a sponsor or not? Can you tell me are businesses that sponsor a secret? Or is it public information? If it is public information can you tell me the names of companies that sponsor CAN please. Thank you, A. Roberts"
Why the secrecy I wonder? Companies that give to charity normally like to highlight their generosity.......
Why the secrecy I wonder?
State-side equivalent of the Date Protection Act I should imagine?
Companies that give to charity normally like to highlight their generosity.......
Nothing like a little free advertising (sort of :/ ).
Excellent work btw!
I think it's good you are communicating with them.
I think it's good you are communicating with them.
I agree, even though their replies aren't very good.
Every single member of CAN should've been aborted, NOT the autistics.
Cure CAN Of Ignorance NOW !!!
:!: Mich :?: [/b]
I chew gum
It seems that individual shops can choose to sponsor causes, if in doubt ask at your local shop.
Well anyone can donate to AFF, also autistics.org, neurodiversity.com.
There is a donate button on these sites to help with running costs.
I find it odd that a company called
Harley Davidson would sponsor something like CAN. On their website (
http://www.wildfirehd.com/ ) it clearly says on their promotion "Born not to be status quo", so why are they sponsoring something that is trying to ensure that humans are born status quo? They really didn't think that one through did they? I hope someone will have fun pointing that out to them...
I see also that
Starbucks and
Krispy Kreme Doughnuts have found themselves a new advertising scheme too, but this might also work in AFF's favour as well because they have a fund raising page too
http://www.krispykreme.com/fund.html so maybe people could sell a few to raise money for an off-line AFF meet up sponsored this way. It would be interesting to see Krispy Kreme's reaction to this anyway :grin:
Found the above info at:
http://www.cureautismnow.org/community/e...y/3662.jsp