OK food for thought again but let's look at the natural extension of this.

If we follow the line that Autism Speaks was built on the scaremongering and the promises to all who would listen that Autism was caused through Mercury from the pharmaceuticals and that they would make the pharmaceutical companies pay and cure the kids of this horrible mercury infliction...they have lied.

Who did they sell this lie to, in order to gain initial favour in their meteoric rise?

hundred or thousands of parents of children with Autism wanting to believe? Sponsors? Media? Legislators? Whilst they forge every ahead t new ground and exert their influence, why not revisit their old ground and start reclaiming. Research! Find out what they said  years ago and to whom and what they represented as try and fact. Expose it. Ask questions and call in their supporters of the line they held at the time. Push it and keep pushing it.

Find the disparagement to what they called fact then and now. Question their methods and ask the people they supported why they supported them and if given the new stance doesn't it look like they were simply guessing and that they did not really have a clear picture with what they represented and what they were getting paid and recognised for.

Question their integrity, their motives, their methods, their competence.
Call them out on hypocrisy if they try to defend. Show them for what you believe them to do.

But it can not be contained in theories and speculations or in "you know what would be a great idea?" It has to be both actionable and actioned.

Are you advocating violent action against Autism Speaks?

you need to explain yourself further. cause violence aint gonna fly

What if, instead of posting an idea for "everyone", we each actually did something ourselves as individuals, and reported it here?

I recently "came out" as an Aspie to some teachers at church.  Their reactions were favorable, and they haven't stopped being friendly to me.  We are now in discussions over how I can provide moral support for teachers of Aspie students, by explaining to them how an Aspie's internal world may operate, and how he or she may perceive the outer world.

I did this on my own.  "We" were not involved.

Now THAT is what I'm talking about!

Neither.  What I am saying is this: All this talk about what "We ought to do..." is ineffective.  We are Aspies, not lemmings -- we're not group-oriented.  Teamwork is not our modus operandus -- we don't work well that way.  Thus saying "We should..." or "We ought to..." won't work well with Aspies, because the "We" implies coordinated group efforts.  Our cause is better served if "We" act individually, and report our successes and failures.  Sooner or later, someone will notice that our Aspie individualism is actually working in our favor.

(Of course, maybe this is what the Curebies fear -- that one of us could be more effective than an entire group of them.  N'est-ce pas?)

The method that you and I are already using seems to work better for the Aspie mind-set.  For example:

1. I determine my abilities -- not my drawbacks.

2. I determine how my abilities may be most effectively and efficiently applied -- no doubtful whining or ambivalence.

3. I apply my abilities accordingly -- full committment, no hesitation.

4. I determine how effective and efficient my efforts have been -- no assumptions or guessing.

5. I apply what I have learned to modify my methods to make them work even better -- again, no assumptions or guessing.

6. I report what I've done and how well it is working -- not to glorify me, but to provide examples encouragment for those who believe that we Aspies can not be effective on our own.

It works for me; it might work for others.

^^ all that comes with age and life experience.

I am shy too.

I say that this is actually not a bad idea at all Wendyl.
What I was kinda hoping is to termite their previous efforts.
Lots of little termites into their seemingly strong foundations and hopefully by the time they "spray us out" Their foundations vulnerable

I would be up for a termite effort too, but have absolutely no idea how to even begin.

Just because you are not into being part of a group, doesn't meant that a lot of other people on here aren't. I think this whole website is a "group". My suggestion was in response to a specific post about activism against Autism Speaks. I too, am very open with people about Autism and Aspergers, and I think I have made a small difference in how they think about it. HOWEVER, that is not going to make any headway against Autism Speaks, which what this post is about. We are not Lemmings, we are individual human beings that are more than capable of making our own decisions. Why would you make a statement like that? How can we ever make a real difference against what is a common cause for most of here, if we don't work together? I think you should keep doing what you are doing, and if it's working for you, great. And if other people on here DO want to work as a group, to make a difference on a bigger scale, then perhaps you should accept that that is their choice, just as it is your choice to do whatever things that you can do as an individual.

^^ all that comes with age and life experience.

Which is why I hope that by relating individual experiences, younger Aspies won't have to make the same mistakes I made at their age; mistakes like trusting others uncritically, mistaking attention for interest and kindness for love, et cetera.

Not a personal value, but a general trait of Aspies.  While some Auties people seem to like working in groups, it also seems that most Aspies are stressed-out by group settings.  It is not unusual for any self-serving group (such as Autism Speaks or the Gay Rights Movement) to seek to exploit those who can not self-advocate.  This is why I'm quick to ask questions of any person or group who wants to recruit Aspies and Auties, especially when there's money involved.

Just because you may like being part of a group, does not mean that I have to.

This website is an inanimate website where people can correspond and share ideas and experiences.  It is no more a 'group' that Facebook or World of Warcraft.

Open, co-ordinated activism may work, but it is not something that Aspies seem 'wired' for.  Many of the traits that define us as Aspies may get in the way of a socially-organized group effort.

I said, "We are Aspies, not lemmings -- we're not group-oriented" because that seems to be one of the traits that defines us as Aspies.  By the way, my statement is in agreement with yours, so you should have no objections about it.

By working separately and pooling our experiences.  This whole "Groupthink" concept will not work with people who are unable to perceive another person's point-of-view and accept it as valid -- Aspie traits.

[sarcasm]Oh, I am SO honored to have your approval, your Highness![/sarcasm]

Actually, seeing as how I have successfully been doing things this way for over 20 years, your approval is both irrelevant and meaningless.

Certainly.  If other people wish to blindly follow other people over a virtual cliff, that is their choice.  I used to do that, too.  It's what led to my time of homelessness, poverty and unemployment.  But if that's what other people want for themselves, then don't let me stand in their way.

If you can motivate Aspies to openly and effectively oppose Autism Speaks as a group, then have at it.  If you can keep them motivated long after the first limerance has worn off, then more power to you.  And if you can actually succeed in bringing Autism Speaks to its knees, then I will applaud you.

Until then, I'll be satisfied with my own little victories, and hope that by reaching the teachers who teach the children, that those children -- Aspie, Autie and Neurotypical -- will have grown up to treat each other as human beings, rather than their labels.

I do agree with being cautious about groups specifically seeking autistic people. Another thing to be cautious of are groups that are relatively private like non-mainstream political or religious groups. Such groups have a legitimate need for privacy, but it is a great environment to take advantage of people since doors are closed. And of course we have corporate "charities" trying to trick people into being figure heads, often without the person having a real understanding of what they're doing.

I think working in groups can be stressful, but it doesn't have to be. It depends on the group culture, how well one can communicate in that environment, how understanding they are, etc. I also personally find working in large groups very hard, but I am okay in some smaller groups. Sometimes a larger group is composed of lots of small groups and I'm okay then too since everything is spaced out.

I'm not trying to make an argument for or against working in groups here, even though I do have my opinions, but this can be a realistic option. Another option is independently supporting a group of people- so you are not really "in," but they are still thankful for any help you can contribute.

I am going to ignore the "aspie versus autie" thing since I've made it clear clear in the past that I don't believe in such a distinction and that's a topic unto itself.

Sorry this doesn't make much sense s I was being distracted by my boy at the time.
What I am saying is that some one doing something by themselves will do far better than doing it as a collaborate effort in terms of one on one return for effort. But if they individually get half the return for effort and at least 2 others get the same return then between them they are doing more than what he could do by himself. A dozen people? Over a sustained terms and well directed and approached? Paydirt as long as it doesn't exclude them from having a life or choosing to do their own thing as well.

Rest kinda made sense.

Furthermore I do think that people should not look at much campaign approach *** the one option. Throw ideas out, think over them, find best delivery method and the like. If you were able to contribute positively to mine and come up with others to do solo or in a group, bloody great!

I don't think I would try to convince them they were evil or even suggest it openly. However I do think that "The way to hell is paved with good intentions"

Would really appreciate those ideas. Have a look at the thread I linked here if you like as a place to brainstorm out this idea. Love the input.

http://www.aspiesforfreedom.com/showthread.php?tid=20537

I agree. (wonder how many negative replies this guy got as an aspie, vs negative replies I'd get saying the same thing as an NT?)