Hmm sounds nice. I dont think too many people would like a theme park because of the busyiness. Although Flamingo Land is quite good as that has a zoo with it and you can walk round if you don''t like rides.
We'd need somewhere like an conference meeting room like you get in the rugby/sports clubs.
Yes theme parks are dead in the week days. But there are some Aspies like me that love rides. See I really wonder sometimes if I'm NT.
Well I'm happy where ever you hold it. I'm not really fussed on noise or people. And I love theme parks. Hmm that does sound good gareth althogh I've never been to Alton towers which I've always wanted to
instead I get stuck with going to Flamingo Land which is so boring because I've been loads of times. Anywhere I'm not bothered where you hold it. Just depends if I'm not busy on that day, and my mum will let me go, which I don't think she will. Because she doesnt even let me have books on Autism god knows if she'll let me actually meet other Aspies. Anyway I think my dad will let me go because he always wants me to get out of the house. So I'll just ask him because my mum never says no when I ask him for some wierd reason. (good tactics for playing them off against each other then I get my own way :grin: )
Well, I'd argue, as I did once before, that if we are going to hold a major event then it should be some kind of march, parade or what have you.
And before anyone chips in with the argument that this would overload people, can I point out that it depends how it's done. As a veteran of marches and demos myself, I can assure everyone that there are a *million* ways to do this. You don't need loud music, or indeed anything loud. We can pull some kind of stunt and have everyone wearing identical colour-coded clothes if we want (that's just a crazy idea I put in as an example btw I'm not actually suggesting we do that). We can structure and plan it so that people don't get overload.
Plus, a march would require police permission - and they would then clear the streets for us along the route so we wouldn't have to face any traffic.
Gay Pride have had parades of one kind of another for donkeys years. If we were to organise something along those lines, but with a specifically *autistic* flavour and style to it, then I think it might work. Most importantly, it would get the media's attention, which I think we sorely need!
I don't understand why people insist on labelling any kind of march as a 'protest' event, and then say that APD is a day for celebration not protest. Why are the two seen as incompatible? As I mentioned in my post, it's what Gay Pride has been doing for years - their events are simultaneously celebration and protest. I think people here are seeing imaginary difficulties.
As for being difficult to do, well I may be moving to London soon, and would be in a position to organise one myself.
Negative, Parade/March/WhateverName is not to be fun and celebratory it is designed to create public attention in such a way it is more protest that celebration.
Also London is an illogical site it maximises average travel distance, the midlands lowers average travel distance, I appreciate if we were aiming to do March/Parade/Other Media Encoraging Act that reporters are ultimately rarther lazy but less so if free transport is offered to them, this could be done, but I thought APD was about celebrating who we are not creating a public/media spectacle.
Huh?!
Now I'm *really* confused. If we're not interested in getting the media to pay attention to APD then why did people even bother to send out press releases about it? Was just for the form?
I was under the impression that APD was set up in order to counter the 'official' Autism Awareness days, weeks, years etc. And also that it was based on Gay Pride events which have *simultaneously* celebrated gayness and also protested discrimination. Now I am apparently being told that it's an 'in-crowd-only' thing were autistic people just get together and share each other's company or something. I really don't see the point of that kind of thing at all, I'm afraid.
Media-attention-grabbing major events like demos is *exactly* what we need, I'm afraid. Autistic Pride Day is the perfect day to stage one, in terms of being a 'hook' that a demo can be 'hung' on to reinforce the message.
Well call it a parade then if people don't like the idea of a 'demo'. Again I simply don't understand why there is this hostility to the idea. And saying 'APD is a day for celebration not protest' as if the two were somehow contradictory, is a really rubbish argument. Sorry but that's my view. I think using APD to mount a major rally or march is a good idea, and should be done. As I said earlier, if I end up moving to London later this year then I intend to try to set one up for next year.
I think an event would be a really good idea - has anything been arranged? (I ask because APD is only a few days away now!)