Autism One: Announcing the Birt Center for Autism Law and Advocacy

[Guest guest]

Proud Member of the Autism Collaboration

Tuesday, November 12, 2008

Dear Friends and Colleagues –

We Are Proud to Announce the Launch of the Birt Center for Autism Law and Advocacy

Birt (1956 – 2005) is one of the heroes of the Revolution. Liz epitomized all that is right and strong and true about our collective movement. She helped bring to life a vibrant urgency of change. Liz was an attorney, a co-founder of SafeMinds, a founding member of the National Autism Association, a co-founder of A-CHAMP, and a principal author of Mercury in Medicine, the 2003 report by the House Government Reform Committee that found mercury in vaccines was toxic.

Most importantly, Liz was a mom. In 1996 Liz’s son, , then 15-months old, was diagnosed with autism. Liz spent the rest of her life helping her son and other affected children and families. Read more about how Liz helped all of us here.

As certainly as Bernie Rimland was the father of the modern autism movement Liz was the mother. The Birt Center is founded in her honor to continue her work.

The Birt Center for Autism Law and Advocacy

Autism is a human rights violation privileged in denial of origin, increase, and remedy, existent in the absence of justice, manifest in institutional discrimination.

The long struggle endured daily in securing medical treatment, obtaining educational opportunity, affording care, and safeguarding the future of our children continues.

The idea that all vaccines are safe for all children presupposes a population entirely free of irregularity is a speculative belief not a sustainable one. It is reality idealized to uniformity.

In failing to acknowledge its own speculative underpinnings, the vaccine program denies children their most basic rights. Children are not free when their pain is denied, future foreordained and lives limited to failed theories. Parents are not free when their fear of tomorrow outweighs their hope for today. Families are not free as most end as the consequences arrive.

There is no freedom or justice. There is only denial. It is going to take legislative and legal action to end the epidemic, to help heal our children, to establish proper boundaries and oversight, to investigate the impunity of inaction, and to provide justice.

LAUNCH

The Birt Center launches at Autism One 2009, Thursday, May 21, at the Westin O’Hare Hotel, in Chicago. Legal training will be open to attorneys, paralegals, and parent advocates.

The Center will offer Continuing Legal Education Units.

Steering Committee:

Krakow, Esq.

Holland, Esq.

Keefe, Esq.

Jim Moody, Esq.

Ed Arranga

The Birt Center will consist of:

1. Legal Training;

2. A think tank;

3. A resource center (including a referral service and pro bono network).

Some of the presenters/participants include:

Tim , Esq.

Silvia Cheng-Kaplan, Esq.

Barbara Loe Fisher

Holland, Esq.

Mark Geier, MD, PhD

Gilmore

Keefe, Esq.

Krakow, Esq.

Louise Habakus

Jim Moody, Esq.

Cliff Shoemaker, Esq.

Tom Powers, Esq.

Rick Rollens

F. Ruggio, Esq.

Wakefield, MD

LEGAL TRAINING

Thursday, May 21

1:30 - 1:45:

1:45 - 2:45:

3:00 - 4:00:

4:15 - 5:15:

Introduction

The Science of Autism

Vaccine Court: A colorful past, an opaque present, a questionable future

Omnibus Proceeding

Friday, May 22

9:00 - 10:00:

10:15 - 11:15:

11:30 - 12:30:

12:30 - 1:30:

1:30 - 2:30:

2:45 - 3:45:

4:00 - 4:30: 4:45 - 5:45:

Parental Rights

Special Education Law

Insurance Issues

Lunch

Legislation, Advocacy and Action in Autism

Dangerous Profession: Practicing Medicine in the 21st Century

Vaccineography 101: A semi-coherent mapping (CDC, NIH, IOM, FDA, HHS, DOJ)

Panel discussion

MISSION STATEMENT (evolving)

The mission of the Birt Center for Autism Law and Advocacy is to address the immediate and ongoing legal and advocacy needs of the autism community. The Center seeks to provide:

- Legal education on autism issues

- Resources for legal practitioners and advocates

- A “think tank” to strategize about the legal and advocacy needs of the autism community

Autism affects children, parents and their communities with medical, legal, social and educational challenges. Serious unmet needs often begin before a formal diagnosis and extend throughout the lives of the affected individuals, families and communities.

Government leaders and agencies have failed to explore and identify autism’s causes, at-risk populations, and impact.

Using legal and advocacy tools, the Center seeks to identify and address these systemic failures and to achieve greater justice for the injured and their communities.

Specifically, the Center seeks to educate lawyers, parent advocates and others in state-of-the-art legal and medical aspects of autism. Leading attorneys, scientists and advocates will review the most current and critical issues affecting the autism community at periodic conferences. The Center also seeks to make resources available to assist lawyers and advocates in their work on autism. Over time, we expect to offer a referral service and facilitate pro bono legal services for the autism community.

The think tank will try to map new legal and advocacy strategies to meet the challenges of autism. It will identify and promote practical tools and techniques, develop original legal approaches, partner with existing organizations, produce legal guides, cultivate broader participation and work to improve the Center.

The Vaccination Choice Rally Of October 16th Is Available For Viewing On Autism One Radio!

Click the link at the top of the information box on the Autism One Radio home page.

Thanks to Manette Loudon, Null & Assoc. Null is a world-renowned health advocate, author, filmmaker, and provider of alternative health care solutions.

Thanks to Louise Kuo Habakus and the NJ Coalition for Vaccination Choice (www.njvaccinationchoice.org) for organizing this huge and important rally.

What: Vaccination Choice Rally

Why: Rally For Vaccination Choice

Where: State House in Trenton, NJ, outside Gov. Corzine's office.

When: Thursday, October 16, 2008 at 12:00 p.m.

Speakers Include:

Assemblywoman Charlotte Vandervalk, primary sponsor, Conscientious Exemption to Mandatory Vaccination bill, A260/S1071;

Barbara Loe Fisher, co-founder, National Vaccine Information Center, long-time vaccine safety and informed choice activist;

Dr. Larry Palevsky, board-certified pediatrician, President, Holistic Pediatric Association;

Null, world leading health advocate, author, filmmaker, provider of alternative health care solutions.

NJ Assemblywoman Charlotte Vandervalk, Board-certified Pediatrician Dr. Lawrence Palevsky and National Vaccine Information Center co-founder Barbara Loe Fisher, joined NJ parents and professionals at a rally in Trenton for vaccination choice. The speakers represent a cross-section of society including medical doctors, nurses, chiropractors, scientists, clergy, educators, soldiers, politicians, journalists, autism activists, homeschoolers and many parents. The NJ Coalition for Vaccination Choice (NJCVC) opposes the four new vaccine mandates including an annual flu shot for children ages 5 and under, required for daycare and pre-school. NJCVC supports the passage of bill A260/S1071, a conscientious exemption to mandatory immunization which will permit parents to select all, some or no vaccinations for their children. A form of this parental right already exists in 19 other US states.

The Autism File USA for the Holidays

Ease. Value. Hope. Healing.

This holiday shopping season, how will you and your child endure Mall Madness and Parking Politics? And what will you find among the noisy crowds that will deliver exceptional value and hope to those touched by autism? Gift subscriptions to The Autism File magazine allow you to shop from the comfort of your own home while providing a gift that will deliver information for healing children and helping families affected by autism spectrum disorders. Every issue of The Autism File is packed cover-to-cover with the latest information about therapies, treatments, education, and current events that move individuals with autism forward -- all in an easy-to-read style, written by professionals, parents, siblings, and those on the spectrum. And your gift will remind your recipients of your thoughtfulness for well over a year! Please visit www.autismfile.com.

As always please let us know if you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or ideas. Thank you.

Our Best,

Ed and Teri Arranga

714.680.0792

http://AutismOne.org

earranga@...

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