Aspies For Freedom

I wanted to highlight this, as there is a new group that appear to be so strong in their negative campaigning that it can cause us all serious harm from a societal viewpoint.

1. Cure Autism Now, this group make millions of dollars per year, they have a goal to eradicate autism. They are intent on finding a cure, and we believe also a prenatal test for autism.

2. NAAR, this group also make millions per year, they show all the negatives of autism, without the positives, and have ignored all attempts to communicate with them.

3. Generation Rescue, this completely new group are generating a huge media campaign aimed at convincing people that autism is simply mercury poisoning and children need chelation therapy and other such treatments to remove the mercury. They present their views as scientific facts, in an extremely selective format. They have accused parents who do not agree with their mecury theory, of being cruel to their children.

4 and 5, suggestions please.

http://www.generationrescue .org/

"Generation Rescue believes that childhood neurological disorders such as autism, Asperger's, ADHD/ADD, speech delay, sensory integration disorder, and many other developmental delays are all misdiagnoses for mercury poisoning.
When you know cause, you can focus on cure.Thousands of parents are curing their children by removing the mercury from their children's bodies. We want you, the parent, to know the truth."

"There is no evidence to suggest that autism is genetic. No autism gene has ever been found and the search will be endless - how can you have a gene for a mythical condition? Autism is mercury poisoning."

Yes, they actually say that autism itself is a mythical condition. They are also focusing on young children who have no choice over the treatment they receive. If they convince the media, and general public that autism is a mythical condition, what hope is there for adults with autism to receive support with finding work, and education opportunites in the future.

I think that the "Combating Autism Act of 2005" and negative (somewhat one-sided in my opinion) news coverage are both large problems. When newspapers as well as television news describe nearly anything on the autism spectrum as a "debilitating brain disorder" (ContactMusic), "a mysterious disease" (New York Daily News - April 12, 2005), and "a tremendously disabling brain disease" (USA Today - March 28, 2005), it's somewhat easy to understand the negative views many people have.

...and those were all likely brought on by the first two.

You are absolutely right Mich.