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Post details: Long Island New York Mom to Publish "Long Island Expressions" to Champion Autism Awareness
02/06/05
Permalink 06:00:09 am, Categories: Advertising, General, 401 words   English (US)
Long Island New York Mom to Publish "Long Island Expressions" to Champion Autism Awareness

LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK, Feb 6, 2005—Creative writers all over Long Island are donating their poetry, prose, and short stories to a local mom for the cause of Autism Awareness. Teri Schwartz, of Selden, has honed her writing skills at The Long Island Writers’ Guild, Inc. and the Farmingdale Creative Writing Group and now she’s putting her hobby to work for her son, and helping her writing peers. The collection of writings by thirty-two contributors is titled Long Island Expressions: A Show Case of L.I. Writing Talent for Autism Awareness, and is due out the first week of March, 2005. The book contains pieces highlighting family life, commuting, long island events and favorite places on the island, along with a potpourri of other creative works.

In April of 2003, High Functioning Autism was the diagnosis given to Mrs. Schwartz’s son, Brian.

“Autism seems to be the invisible disease,” Mrs. Schwartz relayed, “It has few visible indications and people assume you have a poorly behaved, undisciplined child when they act out in public. In reality, Autistic children have great troubles controlling their socially unacceptable behavior and adapting to their world. Parents dealing with Autism are forced to become experts and advocates on the subject, because there is so little awareness.”

Autism is now estimated to effect 1 out of every 188 children. Medications and therapies are available; however, the exact cause has not been isolated as of yet and a cure seems to be far away. Autism is a neurological disorder that affects an individual’s neuro-transmissions. Symptoms include Attention Deficit Issues, Sensory Integration Problems and a wide range of social inadequacies. Contrary to popular belief, many Autistic sufferers are highly intelligent and have the ability to remember obscure, infinite details about specific subjects they choose.

“People always ask me to describe my son and how he is affected,” Mrs. Schwartz went on to say, “the best analogy I can offer is that I have a miniature hyperactive ‘Rain Main’ on my hands. What people do not realize, is that under all that socially inappropriate behavior is a loving, affectionate child whose world simply misunderstands him. He means no one any harm.”

For more information or to pre-order a copy of the book, contact L.I. Expressions, P.O. Box 173 Jericho, NY 11753. Due out March 1, 2005, the book will sell for $15.95, a portion of the proceeds to benefit Autism Associations on Long Island.

This looks like a good place to repost the link to the neurodiversity creative writing page that I mentioned a while ago:

http://www.ventura33.com/neurodiversity/

Contributions from autistic creative writers and others who support autistic civil rights are welcomed!  All stories will be posted to the page on Autistic Pride Day, June 18th.

I had only a number no email. so I called Teri Schwartz. She was very nice. Her son brian is 7.  I introduced myself.  I told her that I was concerned about the word disease for autism that she used. She said she is not very political, And  It was an opinion and not stated as it was a fact. Now to  me this seems like a cop out excuse. but i moved on.

  I asked which LI autism groups she will donate the proceeds to. She mention AHA/AS/PDD and the Cody Center. I explained that AHA/AS/PDD supports a group called NAAR. I explain the deceptive nature of the "cure" espoused by NAAR.  I suggested she not give to AHA/AS/PDD but rather to GRASP.  She stated that she wants to help those groups that help her and her son. To which I replied that was understandable. In Fact,  AHA/AS/PDD does put on a lot of nice events for underage autistics as this a NT PARENT run group.  

   She gave me her email. I will write down the salient points with the appropiate URLs as requested.

    I thanked her for her time.

Good job Joe  

Could she perhaps give the money to AHA/AS/PDD with directions that it is to be used only for local events and other services for children and that none of it is to go to NAAR?

My Letter
===============================
Mrs. Schwartz

  I want to thank you for the pleasant phone conversation , we had
earlier today. I am emailing you to follow up as per your request.
When I saw your description of autism as a disease caused me some
concern. I would like to share some pressing issues in autistic civil
rights today. Your son life as an adult could be affected greatly by
the outcome of  the resolution of these issues.

Did you know that in one state W.VA, Health care providers are
require to report any ASD person they find to a registry as mandated
by law? Other states have it as voluntary. They do NOT do this for any
other "disease" or condition.  The only other registries I am aware of
mandated by law is for child molesters. I am sure you understand my
concern.

Did you know that there is center in Massachusetts called Judge
Rothenburg Center (JRC) that engages in the practice of
aversives?Aversives is practice whereby you provide negative stimulus
for inappropiate behaviour. This can include among others electric
shocks, pinching, denial/delay of meals, sensory deprivation and/or
smelling ammonia. There has been documented abuses and deaths at JRC.
Also at aspergersexpress.com - a parent site, documents the death of a
boy called matthew due to aversives. They are fighting to change the
laws in NJ.

Did you know there was once a cure movement for downs syndrome? They
never developed a cure. They developed a somewhat reliable pre-natal
test for downs. Today about 90% of all downs fetuses (pre-natal
positives really) are aborted. Autistics have too much to offer to
allow a similar fate. We may not be like you, but we are human with
rich and fulfilling human lives to live.

I would like ask you to consider  GRASP (grasp.org) or
AFF(aspiesforfreedom.org) for your some of your donation recipients.
AFF is doing great work to dissemiate info on the above issues as well
as others but there is so much more to do.

Have you sent the e-mail already? If not, I would like to make some suggestions on changing some spelling/grammatical errors. If you have sent it, it won't matter now.

But I do like the letter, and you are doing a great job.

Uschi

Response
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I appreciate your interest in the publication and pointing out the
inapproriate civil conditions for Autisics' and Aspies.

The contributors and I will be sitting down to decide
where the donations will go once the first 100 books are sold
and we will consider your input.  I will state that our initial goals,
depending on sales are to donate funds to the Cody Center and/or
LIJ Center for Autism.

I would like to state however, that our intentions with this
publication are purely charitable towards the organizations on
Long Island that have helped Autistic families related to
the authors of the book.  We do not intend and do not maintain
any political aspirations or associations.

Furthermore, I wish to state that the quotes in the press release express the
opionions of the individual quoted and may not necessary agree with fact.

I would ask however, if you would be so kind, your support in spreading
the word about this publication, as we are seeking not only to
raise awareness of Autism and its dilemas but to improve exposure
for the talented creavtive writers on Long Island who have graciously
donated their works for this purpose.

If your organization has a statement to make and would like us to include
it in our publication, we are selling advertisements in the book for
$50 for a full page ad and $25 for a half page ad.

Once again, thank you for reading our press release and we wish
you and your organization good luck in your endeavors.

Teri Schwartz
Founder
Long Island Expressions

We took a full page ad in this book. So PLEASE advertise this book everywhere!!!!!
================================================


At Aspies for Freedom we are aiming for certain rights and opportunities. We are fighting against the idea of a cure for autism. We believe autism and aspergers syndrome are genetic. Therefore not a disease and certainly not something that could be cured. We do not require "fixing", and should be allowed to be happy with who we are, not subjected to the torment of having to believe we are wrong to be born as we are. We want to develop a community, in some way similar to how the gay community has done, in order to be able to feel accepted among our own kind. To not have to be controlled by NTs societal rules, that are so critical of our behaviour. What is abnormal to them, can be normal to us. Many of us have suffered mental health problems from being forced to go against our true nature, this is wholly unacceptable. We want legal protection against the discrimination we suffer. It should be established that there is no "normal" person inside an autistic one somehow wanting to be set free. That individual is a whole person and needs to be accepted, not altered to fit in with NT ways. People with aspergers syndrome are certainly not retarded and are often of above average intelligence. This should be accepted by as seen as a positive by the media, not as "Idiot savants". Overall we want unity for the autistic community online and in real life, and to improve all of our futures.

Our aims are as follows:
• To oppose the idea of a cure for AS.
• To re-label AS / Autism as being a neurological difference not a disability.
• To be recognised as equals in society.
• To establish a sense of community for people with autistic spectrum disorders.
• To acquire legal protection against our human rights being violated throughout the world.
• To unite the autistic community both online and offline.
• To recognize our own unique culture and abilities.


                    http://www.aspiesforfreedom.org
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Will the book be able to be bought online through main outlets such as Amazon?