FW: [Autism_NY_News] An Open Letter to the producers of Savage Nation

[Guest guest]

From:

Autism_NY_News [mailto:Autism_NY_News ] On Behalf Of Marty

Sent: Friday, July 25, 2008 6:39

PM

To: Autism_NY_News

Subject: [Autism_NY_News] An Open

Letter to the producers of " Savage Nation "

Dear

friends:

Below

please find:

• A

coalition letter signed by 15 highly diverse autism organizations and authors.

GRASP (www.grasp.org) helped greatly in

pulling this together and we thank Carley – their Executive

Director and the other organizations who signed on. Feel free to

circulate. Attached is the letter that AHA is sending directly..

***

AN OPEN

LETTER TO TALK RADIO NETWORK, PRODUCERS OF

“SAVAGE

NATION” WITH MICHAEL SAVAGE

July 24,

2008

Mark

Masters

Chief

Executive Officer

Talk

Radio Network

P.O. Box

3755

Central Point,

Oregon 97502

Dear Mr.

Masters:

We are

representatives of 15 diverse organizations and authors serving the autism

world who have listened to the comments made by Talk Radio Network host,

Savage on the July 16, 2008 episode of his program, “Savage

Nation.” As you probably well know, Mr. Savage angrily exclaimed

“I'll tell you what autism is. In 99 percent of the cases, it's a brat

who hasn't been told to cut the act out. That's what autism is. What do you

mean they scream and they're silent? They don't have a father around to tell

them, 'Don't act like a moron. You'll get nowhere in life. Stop acting like a

putz. Straighten up. Act like a man. Don't sit there crying and screaming,

idiot.’”

We

understand the provocative nature of talk radio. We accept that the act

of prodding often adds as a measure of accountability towards societal norms

and the pressure of the status quo. However, we strongly feel that there

are limits to how hurtful one should be allowed to be to people that are

already challenged. We feel Mr. Savage’s comments went painfully

further than any comments we’ve yet seen towards the autism world from a

mainstream media outlet. And in comparison to other sensitive topics, we

feel Mr. Savage’s comments went far further even than Mr. Don Imus’

attack on the racial nature of the Rutgers

women’s basketball team two years ago.

Not only

was Mr. Savage spreading dangerously inaccurate information, but in the midst

of the above quote, he made several pauses, wherein there was the chance to

realize what he had done, and backtrack. But after each pause, Mr. Savage

instead chose to hit harder, and deeper.

Mr.

Savage had another opportunity to apologize after the show was over. But

once the uproar generated the united anger it had both in the public and in the

media, Mr. Savage instead (as quoted in the New York Times, July 22, 2008)

indicated that he “stood by his remarks and had no intention of

apologizing to those advocates and parents who have called for his firing over

the matter.” Offering to discuss the issue again on a subsequent

episode was woefully insulting on several fronts; such as control over who gets

on, and increased listenership.

Protests

have already occurred at your WOR affiliate in New York City. And many of

those protesting had been listeners of Mr. Savage’s show in the past.

Please

understand that Mr. Savage’s comments invalidated the hardships suffered by

the millions of affected individuals and their families in this country.

His words gave ammunition to those who watch from the side, with no

personal connection to autism, who are tempted to give in to their worst side

and demonize the autistic child for their behaviors, further marring the

chances of that child gaining acceptance in the world. And in a

horrifying flashback to the days of Bruno Bettelheim (a now-condemned child

psychiatrist who perpetuated the myth back in the 1960s and 1970s that autism

was caused by faulty mothering) his words threw much undeserved blame on

families whose resources are inadequate enough, and whose struggles are often

painful enough. With all due respect, we cannot let this issue drop.

We know

Mr. Savage signed a new contract with you in February, and that from a business

standpoint, dramatic action would be difficult. We ask you to look inside

your heart and do the right thing even still. Please discontinue any

support, be it financial or as producers, from “Savage Nation,” and

show the world that the Talk Radio Network is responsible, even as it presses

the buttons of the status quo and upholds notions of free speech.

Sincerely,

Carley

Executive

Director

GRASP,

the Global and Regional Asperger Syndrome Partnership, Inc.

http://www.grasp.org

The

largest organization in the world of adults diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum.

and

electronically signed (alphabetically) by

Pat

Schissel

President

Asperger

Syndrome and High Functioning Autism Association (AHA) Inc.

http://www.ahany.org

A large Long Island based parent and professional

organization providing support and information for families, individuals and

professionals affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Lori S.

Shery

Founder

and President

ASPEN

(ASPerger syndrome Education Network, Inc.)

www.ASPENnj.org

A

national nonprofit organization providing support, information and advocacy to individuals

and families affected by autism spectrum disorders

Dania

Jekel

Executive

Director

Asperger’s

Association of New England

www.aane.org

ing

awareness, respect, acceptance and support of individuals with AS and their

families since 1995.

Sharisa

Joy Kochmeister

President

Autcom

(Autism National Committee)

http://www.autcom.org/

Dedicated

to Social Justice for All Citizens with Autism

AutismSpeaks

www.autismspeaks.org

It’s

time to listen

Lois

Rosenwald

Co-Director

The Connecticut Autism Spectrum

Resource Center

http://www.ct-asrc.org/

Connecticut’s

largest parents and professionals organization.

P. McManmon Ed.D.

Executive

Director

College

Internship Program

www.collegeinternshipprogram.com

A

postsecondary comprehensive college and careers program for students on the

Autism Spectrum

J.

Moreno, M.A., A.B.S.

President

MAAP

Services for Autism and Asperger Syndrome

www.maapservices.org

A nonprofit

organization dedicated to providing information and advice to families of more

advanced individuals with Autism, Asperger syndrome, and Pervasive

developmental disorder (PDD)

Baumann, MA,CASAC, DAPA

President

and CEO

NYFAC (New York

Families for Autistic Children, Inc.)

www.nyfac.org

Parent

support and the NYFAC Training Institute

Estee

Klar-Wolfond

Founder/Executive

Director

TAAP (The

Autism Acceptance Project)

www.taaproject.com

Tapping

into human potential and dignity

***

Jerry and

Newport

Authors

Autism,

Asperger’s & Sexuality, and several others.

Chantal

Sicile-Kira

Author,

Consultant, and Radio Show Host

Autism

Spectrum Disorders, and other books

http://chantalsicile-kira.com

Stillman

Author

Demystifying

the Autistic Experience, and The Autism Answer Book

www.williamstillman.com

Donna

Author

Nobody

Nowhere, Somebody Somewhere, and seven other books

http://www.donnawilliams.net