Research on the biology of autism doesn't help the Autistic Community. It merely stigmatizes us, as it implies there is something "wrong" with us.

99% to biological research and 1% to researching services and support?
99% focusing on children and 1% focusing on adults?
(I'm just speculating here. I would love to get the actual data).

Lets look at your other 5 research emphasis areas:
1. Discovery of risk factors for autism, especially environmental factors and gene environment interactions
This doesn't help the Autistic Community. It merely stigmatizes us, by implying there is something "wrong" with us.
If you accept us as we are, you wouldn't use the phrase "risk factors".
Are we bad people? Is there a "risk" in parenting us?
2. Development of methods for very early detection of ASD risk
This doesn't help the Autistic Community. It merely stigmatizes us, by implying that autism is a "risk".
4. Identification of the molecular pathophysiology of ASD that can inform translational research for drug discovery or development of diagnostic methodsThis shows total disrespect to the beauty of the Autistic Community.
5. Development and evaluation of novel treatments that can address the core symptoms and associated medical conditions throughout the lifespan  We need accommodations, not treatments.
6. Dissemination of empirically validated screening, diagnostic and treatment approachesSeems too vague.

From what I've read and heard here on AFF, on Wrongplanet.net, at Autreat and at Autscape, these individuals are a tiny minority within the Autistic Community.  

Your mission statement says, among other things, "We are dedicated to funding global biomedical research into the causes, prevention, treatments and cure for autism".
Your mission statement does not mention accepting us as we are, nor does it mention empowering us, nor does it mention providing us any kind of services, supports, or accommodations.

Curing medical conditions which are common among Autistics is totally different from "curing" Autism.
Nobody objects to curing such medical conditions, but you need to be explicit about the huge differences between such conditions and autism itself.

So why don't you mention this in any of your promotional materials?

If we give you our voices, then how much funding will you give to our self-advocacy projects?
Will you help us fund Aspies For Freedom?
Will you help us fund Autreat?
Will you help us fund the Autistic Self Advocacy Network?

Would you, as a woman, support the Combating Femininity Act? You wouldn't? You would feel threatened by such an act?  
If so, then how can you expect Autistics to support the Combating Autism Act?
Can't you see such an act threatens our very core of existence?

If you are serious about this, then how about eliminating the word "disorder"? (many of us are more ordered than you are). We don't like being stigmatized.
In the section "How Common is Autism", on AutismSpeaks "About Autism" page, (as well as on 2010's annual report) you write:
"Today, it is estimated that one in every 110 children is diagnosed with autism, making it more common than childhood cancer, juvenile diabetes and pediatric AIDS combined". Can't you see how offensive it is to Autistics? Would you write the same about dyslexia? about femininity? about other minority conditions?
Is our blood less red than yours?
Are our feelings less valuable than yours?




[edit] Removed title - was not appearing on homepage properly (Gareth)

That's funny, it appears that link no longer leads to their annual report! What an increadable coincidence!

If you look at the other thread with the same title, someone already found a link that works.

We are a community of autistics, if we don't bother with activism we will not have a community as we will not have autistics.

"We" ? Halfspie you do not seem to be of 'we' mindset here..why are you here anyway?

Oh, I pop in every now and then for a laugh. Some of the members here are pretty cool. Don't have much time these days.

Your condescending tone and your know it all attitude have worn thin on some of us...Do you point and laugh or just laugh?

that was funny

Thank you

I have so many thoughts  going through my head right now. I have taken days to compose this response. And it still not sound like what I have in my head...Words are so very hard for me,Half/Tam. I have dubbed thee Half/Tam as you seem to be Tam/Mans mouth piece.

You say you and your brother came here with good intentions..I guess that is so. But what you did was help divide AFF. Infighting and accusations,good people left. Now you are still hanging on  here and still belittle members who did not like what Tam/Man did and do not like Aut/Sp.

You seem to come here to tell AFF they are doing autism wrong and if AFF just falls in bed with Aut/Sp our lives will be so much better.

Also you sound like Aut/Sp. when you say something and you are called out on  that you were misunderstood. Oh we really did not mean cure, what we meant was..Pfffft!

I have yet to see any response from Aut/Sp.on Ken G's questions to them. Did they respond if so what did they say?

I don't even think my brother is a "fan" of autsps. He isn't that naive. He likes many of the people with them, and thinks they have screwed up a lot.

He writes for em and they haven't censored him, even when he said that a cure is meaningless and impossible and more money should go to services and support, right on their own website.

If you guys want these questions answered, somebody should do something about it. Of course making that happen would prob end up "dividing" the community again, as you say.

I don't think you guys got divided inti ppl who like autsps and ppl who don't. Did anyone here "like" them? It was more divided into ppl who wanted to do something big and get proactive and ppl who were threatened by change.

My bro probably wouldn't have started writing for them but he got banned from here. Now he is having a way wider influence and getting the message out on a large scale.

AFF is as famous for being the site that banned him and had a big group meltdown and shot the messenger as it is for anything else.

Email autsps the questions if you want answers.

Oooh, fame by association, just what we all wanted.
And if I remember rightly he was banned because he WAS writing for them already , not because he was going to.
I know you like to keep coming back here to tell us how well your bro is doing without us, but in case you didn't notice, we're coping pretty well without him
I really dont understand why you still come here Halfspie.

I don't think people got divided based on that either. I think people got divided into people who were willing to forgive and move on, and people who didn't see any reason to forgive.

You got one thing right.

There is NO WAY any of you should have landed here "instructing" older, wiser people who know far more than you about Autism, Autism Speaks, Autism Politics and the world in general on how they should perceive and think, and what they should want.

That is just rude and disrespectful, and nobody should have to put up with it from you - here or anywhere.

I just wish you would stop doing that.

For example, being suckered into endorsing a corrupt organisation that uses and exploits you is never going to be my idea  "do something big and get proactive"...it's more like my idea of being played for a complete fool.

But you are quite right that, whoever you were, and whoever your brother is, it's completely inappropriate and unhealthy for you to hang around supporting him...or vice versa. You are both grown up people in your own right who should be standing on your own feet independently, and you do not do yourself or him any favours by being his personal "Echo".

Also, having a couple of brothers of my own, I can't help wondering:

What has *he* done for *you* lately?

*cringe* Your bro isn't important enough for anyone to get "famous" by any form of association...

TamMan did divide the forum. There are people here that took his side, that I will probably never speak to again.