I am not confused, I stated there will be confusion - people will go to your site, and be confused as to why it's down.

Then when I have to spend my time dealing with the person I linked to instead of having to deal with media contacts and my real life then said person should just shut up.

Zach, if you take your site down that will be your choice.  You can't pin the blame on a minor dispute with somebody on a forum.

Also, could you clarify your last post, since I have no idea what you are talking about.

I must agree that this argument with ThZach and Rosco is getting silly. For the most part all they've been doing is telling the other off for being impolite and unhelpful or unappreciative.

They both did have points though. The Zach was responding to the first comment (which may of just been a joke) asking that any letters to Autism Speaks be written in an intelligent and formal manner, while Rossco was upset because it seemed like TheZach was being critisizing of any offers for help.

What shouldn't be forgoten is that both of them are upset about how Autism Rights treated this. So lets all make up and move on please.

Thanks, the email's been sent. I'd also encourage everyone to post their own personal complaints to content_review@zazzle.com - the more personalised responses they get, the more seriously they'll take the original email.

As far as the other stuff going on in this thread, it's just angst, so don't worry about it. As others have commented, this has more to do with acting against Autism Speaks than acting on behalf of TheZach - so it's far more important to keep pursuing actions than trying to convince TheZach that he's in the wrong here. Yes, it was a stupid decision to take the site down, but it's just going to stay down if we keep dwelling on it. After all, if the site goes back up, it will become very popular for a brief period of time, and it's his choice whether or not to use that to his best advantage.

Here is the link for the US Supreme Court case HUSTLER MAGAZINE v. FALWELL about the legal status of parodies. According to the US Supreme Court, the pardoies are based the person's opinion, not fact, and therefore protected speech. If anyone that does an Autism Speaks parody and got threaten with a lawsuit, have your lawyer look up this case and use it in the case. The short version of this is that parodies are perfectly legal. If it wasn't, Saturday Night Live might not last for over 30 years.

http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/ge...5&invol=46

To those who are interested, this what I sent to the organisations indicate:

  You may be aware that in September of last year Autism Speaks (the organisation that presumes to be the spokespeople of Autistic people and who uses fundraising to raise money towards "finding a cure" for  this genetic influence condition) sued a 14 yr old autistic boy over his parody site that he created called NTSpeaks. Though the matter was resolved, Autism Speaks is at it again.

Another Autistic young man going by the name of TheZach has been printing tshirts with the message "Autism Speaks can go away. I have Autism I can speak for myself". They have contacted the printer and ordered them to remove the shirts on the basis that they contained a copyright protected design of Autism Speaks Inc.

The shirt contained their name and no logo. As such copyright which extends to creative work or images is clearly not, in any way, infringed on.

The articles and tshirt can be viewed on this website : http://www.aspieweb.net/aspieweb-being-b...sm-speaks/

It is important to note that the name "Autism Speaks" may infer a official spokesmanship in relation to Autism or suggest the organisation assists Autistic people.

The truth is that Autism Speaks is not representing the people in the Autism right movement who DO NOT wish money to be poured into research for a cure (which may well not exist) for this genetically predisposed condition. There is no consultation with the greater Autism Right Movement. Many in the movemnt believe money may be far better allocated to support services for people and the family members of Autism.

It is a double-edged sword. People like TheZach are rightfully feeling misrepresented and that their "voice" is drown out by the larger,  large funded and more vocal Autism Speaks. If he ignores this he is misrepresented and if he tries to have a voice of his own in opposition to the propaganda of Autism Speaks, they attempt to gag him.

Will common sense or financial backing prevail?

I ask you respectfully to consider helping put this out into the public to help establish a voice against this needless situation.

Thank you

Thank you to those of you trying to convince that keeping thee site down does not do anyone or anything good. I am still bewildered as to the attitude from TheZach BUT I understand he needs an apology to sate his ego so......

"TheZach

I believe that it was the right move to bring down the site when you did and it was a thoroughly mature and polite message to Autism Speaks about what kind of man they are dealing with and taught me a thing or two.

I apologise profusely for all the emotional pain and trauma I have inflicted by both my support and willingness to support you.

I ought have realise the limitation you place on people when you request support from an attack from the  likes of Autism Speaks.

I can well imagine how a letter like the above is childish and unhelpful.

I ought to have accepted being called obnoxious, childish, immature and an idiot in total good humour and grace. It shows a lack of appreciation of your good-nature to do otherwise.

I thing writing crappy things on your blog is very positive and mature, and understand how you are well qualified to make such judgements on people's characters. Especially people 15 years older than you.

Now my faith in Autism Rights is assured with incredible representatives like you at the helm. TheZach what a great man.

I promise now that I have hindered and harrassed you with my thoughtless, childish awareness campaign to your cause, I will retire and leave you alone on here. (Don't need the stress anyhow)

Now please.....pretty please with sugar on top.....focus on what you are doing, accept what others are willing and able to give YOU to help YOU and keep your site up."

Damn hope that helps.
Great posting Amanda.

Rossco, the letter to TheZach was unnecessary. Everytime you attack the other, it puts the person you are attacking in better light.

T- Shirt Idea:

If you have access to  the Cease & Desist letter from Autism Speaks' lawyers, photoshop it to the point where the text will fit on a T-Shirt and be legible along with the caption "AUTISM SPEAKS SHUTS AUTISTICS UP".

I agree with Moo here. Your first letter was GREAT. The second unnecessary. We already 'guessed' you were pissed. The frist letter did put you in your right.

http://www.aspieweb.net/what-you-can-do-and-thanks/

So now there's autism speaks silencing autists and TheZack making a judgement about which autist has a right to speak and which autist hasn't.

Who gave you that right TheZack?

So now some autists have more right to speak than others??????
That will make a huge impression on autism speaks.
You've allready met them half way.

This individual is no better then Autism Speaks and needed to be pointed out.  This person has been nothing but imature twords me and my efforts when asked that letters they send be polite and mature.

It needs to be pointed out that there are imature, and disruptive people with Autism that I don't disagree with there tactics - and when they are contacting media outlets with their behavior on this thread it makes it even more important for such things to be pointed out.

I'm curious - has anyone recieved any replies from Zazzle? I have not from my latest responce sent Friday.

??????????????????????????????

I personally thought the serious letter Rossco wrote was valid and also very polite.

The other stuff shouldn't matter.