10.21.2008

When Even Moderate Opinions Aren't Tolerated

Oh for fuck's sake. Meanies! *snicker*

http://www.ageofautism.com/2008/10/stop-jenny.html

To clarify my own, rather moderate (I thought) position:

  • Jenny McCarthy needs to stop claiming that she speaks for all autism families. She speaks for herself and her son only.
  • Talking about autism only in terms of a "cure" is disrespectful and reckless. What about parents whose kids don't get "cured" like Jenny promised they would? How do you think they're going to react?
  • I am not against biomed, as it is generally not harmful. It didn't help my son, so we stopped everything except some of the dietary supplements. But it is incredibly time-consuming, especially for already-stressed families. I think that if parents have to make a choice, they should go with proven therapies like ABA, speech, and OT.
Love your children as they are, right in front of you. Help them gain skills. Research research research, and talk talk talk to other families with a variety of viewpoints. Keep a record of your and your child's efforts. Consider that your perspective on what works (and doesn't) may change over time.

Trust yourself. And if you find yourself making decisions about your child's welfare out of fear or anger, take a step back and reconsider.

P.S. It has been suggested that I go on the site and state my case. I don't see the point. I suspect that arguing with Jenny's Warriors would be like arguing with the stoned cashier in Sebastopol who wouldn't let me give $5.05 instead of $5.00 for a $4.05 purchase. She understood that I wanted a dollar back instead of 95 cents, but told me I would be paying too much money and then the till would be off. Our minds were not meeting. That, like the link cited above, is a nod-and-move-on encounter.

*update*

My dear friend Liz Ditz -- with whom I have a relationship of mutual respect even though we don't always agree on vaccination issues -- informed me that Age of Autism comments are heavily moderated so as to ensure that the clucking and squawking about dissenters sticks to assumptions, screeching, bashings, and outings. Well wishers, please don't be quixotic. I'd hate for you to waste your valuable time on people who will not tolerate dialogue.

In a few years, the majority of them will realize that their kids need more than AoA & Ms. McCarthy can give them. I'll still be here, offering my hand, and listening.

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7 comments:

  1. Anonymous10:54 PM

    I do feel uncomfortable with Jenny McCarty position for a few reasons:
    - She concentrates mainly on making vaccines clean and a biomed approach, which are all good things, but address only part of the problem. Some of the ASD children do respond to a biomed approach but a lot don't. Some children do regress after receiving vaccine shots, but others are born that way.
    At this point Autism is diagnosed based on a range of symptoms not causes, hence not every child with the same diagnosis benefits from the same treatment. Perhaps it would be more sensible of Ms. McCarty to advocate for a more holistic approach which includes, ABA, occupational therapy, speech therapy AND biomed intervention AND spacing out vaccinations.
    - I do shudder in front of sensationalistic media blurbs that shouts: Beating Autism: "how I saved my son" as in this week US magazine cover. As much as I cheer Jenny McCarty's personal victory as well as the victory of other families who have seen their children do well, I wonder how all this plays for some distraught parents whose child is not "fixable" in spite of the all the intervention. Several months ago, the New York Times came out with an article talking how the unfulfilled promise of a cure has drove some parents over the edge and led them to harm and at times kill their children. Why can't we, as parents, keep the fight up, but also advocate for acceptance of neuro diversity?
    LCD

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  2. Anonymous8:20 AM

    That blog moderates comments very, very heavily -- no contrary opinions ever appear.

    And that blog also has a track record of "outing" people. And when remonstrated with, whining.

    I like your analogy of the cashier.

    Moving on now!

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  3. I am okay with Jenny at the moment. http://teach-speak.blogspot.com/

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  4. I had a few comments over there directed at me as well. It remained relatively civil though.

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  5. @teach-this, the current entry on your blog reads as though your local resources failed to help your son, and JM inspired you to keep going, and try harder. That can only be good. Best of luck to you and your family.

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  6. Good on ya for taking the high road, Squid. That can't be easy in the face of that kind of provocation.

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  7. Anonymous1:29 PM

    AoA, aka Clown Blog, does not tolerate dissent. GR also kicks people out of autism conferences for asking reasonable questions.

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Respectful disagreement encouraged.