Re: Don't stare & experience

[Guest guest]

I am on the front lines of autism awareness and empowerment in Humboldt County

California. I create products that others with autism and other developmental

disabilities help create or entirely make at a day center I used to attend

myself. The local media has featured me many times, even T.V and local radio.

I have poured 15,000 candles. Everyone has been nice but this event I was not a

featured guest as I would have declined. Just to much interaction as the

fundraiser event for me was an agreed social practice. A behaviorist attends

Chamber of Commerce mixers with me now. I am very well known and sometimes

people in the business community give me awful looks and I am not sure why.

I am launching the Humboldt Includes campaign soon and have got local agencies

on board. People around here let me do what I want. I know some fear and I know

prejudice like calling work group participants that are adults the kids in the

work groups. So I wrote an article called I'm Pan in the chamber

newsletter and another individual with developmental disabilities I have

arranged to give a speech at a Chamber function about it.

I am not powerless unless my own fear holds me back. My goals is to be more

socially integrated with the business folks. Just I don't really like it.

However I am becoming more and more popular and the advocacy is in the forefront

of other areas and I am doing so to establish examples for other areas to expect

the same.

1. Community work product making like candles and bath and body for individuals

with autism and other developmental disabilities to make.

2. Area includes campaigns for sponsored transitional employment with job aids.

Businesses receive door \ window stickers, mentions on radio and in a yearly

directory of sponsoring businesses.

I know sometimes when others facial reactions mean they are fearful of me. I

typically ignore it and move forward relentlessly.

Young

> >

> > Hi ,

> >

> > I totally agree with , I can't believe how insensitive people can

be.  You

> > would think in today's world with so much information on children and adults

> > with special needs you would think that people would be more " human " . 

> >

> > Its people like the person in the Olive Garden incident a few weeks back who

> > really need to as I say get a life.....  We as parents are sometimes

overwhelmed

> > and when we decide to have a nice night out with our loved ones we don't

need

> > insensitive people around us.

> >

> > I'm so sorry that this has happened to you and I pray that someday

soon

> > people will be a lot more understanding and sensitive towards not just

special

> > needs but to everyone in general.  There is a lot of hatred in the

world.....

> >

> > God Bless.

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

I know they are strong words, so sorry but I'm so tired of seeing this day in and out. People are so much more and yet they act so awful when confronted and you are right they might have "superiority" complex.

Lets hope for a better tomorrow where everyone will treat each other with respect.......

Have a wonderful day.

To: sList Sent: Mon, September 13, 2010 1:03:40 PMSubject: Re: Don't stare & experience

Such strong words ...yes agreed, prejudice, fear, goes in hand toward hatred. I would have thought (also because of an elderly population) that there is more general acceptance of people's differences regarding communication abilities that then can affect social abilities, etc., you are right these people are dorks. Likely they have a very false sense of "superiority" to do this, and they are very wrong. A quick microscopic look into their lives might show all for you to be happy to be you !! For anyone who has thoughts on this, please share...How accepting (or even welcoming?) is the general environment and attitude in Florida towards neurodiversity?Thank you,Jeanie>> Hi ,>

> I totally agree with , I can't believe how insensitive people can be. You > would think in today's world with so much information on children and adults > with special needs you would think that people would be more "human". > > Its people like the person in the Olive Garden incident a few weeks back who > really need to as I say get a life..... We as parents are sometimes overwhelmed > and when we decide to have a nice night out with our loved ones we don't need > insensitive people around us.> > I'm so sorry that this has happened to you and I pray that someday soon > people will be a lot more understanding and sensitive towards not just special > needs but to everyone in general. There is a lot of hatred in the world.....> > God Bless.> > > >

________________________________> > To: sList > Sent: Mon, September 13, 2010 10:58:02 AM> Subject: Re: Re: Free "Don't Stare at Autism" cards>  > ,> > when i first saw the post about these "don't stare at autism cards," I said to > myself, what use could these possibly be? Now I see..> > I am shocked and saddened by the absolute insensitivity of some folks. So sorry > this happened to you.> > > > ________________________________> > To: sList > Sent: Sun, September 12, 2010 11:09:10 PM> Subject: Re: Free "Don't Stare at Autism" cards>  > I went to a local fundraiser for autism.> > Then I left to another part to get away from the noise with my support worker.> > A few people stood at a fence looking at me when I was away and I heard them > saying he has autism. > > > What a bunch of dorks.> > Made me feel like an exotic caged in zoo animal. As I was in a fenced in area at > the time and they were looking at me.> > Young

[Guest guest]

Jeanie,

I think it is mostly a matter of ignorance. When we were young, we were taught

not to stare at the person who had no legs, or not to say rude things to the

person who was different. Children are no longer taught how to behave around

people who are " different " . I have found that once I explain that my son is

autistic and he didn't choose to be afflicted, but it is causing his strange

behavior, people usually back off and don't stare or act rudely toward my son. I

think for the most part I have met more people who accept my son's differences

than I have met people who stare or are rude.

My advice to would be to perhaps wander over to one of the people making

the comments and say, yes I am autistic, can I answer any questions about my

autism for you. If they don't leave and want to as questions, answer them. Point

out that you did not choose to be autistic. You might want to say, the last I

knew, no one in this world is perfect. (If the person is wearing glasses, say, I

see you wear glasses.) It will usually cause them to be very quiet and a little

less rude. If the person just becomes more rude when you ask them, WALK AWAY and

ignore them. Most people make comments because they are uninformed.

Glenda

> >

> > Hi ,

> >

> > I totally agree with , I can't believe how insensitive people can

be.  You

> > would think in today's world with so much information on children and adults

> > with special needs you would think that people would be more " human " . 

> >

> > Its people like the person in the Olive Garden incident a few weeks back who

> > really need to as I say get a life.....  We as parents are sometimes

overwhelmed

> > and when we decide to have a nice night out with our loved ones we don't

need

> > insensitive people around us.

> >

> > I'm so sorry that this has happened to you and I pray that someday

soon

> > people will be a lot more understanding and sensitive towards not just

special

> > needs but to everyone in general.  There is a lot of hatred in the

world.....

> >

> > God Bless.

> >

> >

> >

> > ________________________________

> > From: Karp <deniseslist@>

> > To: sList

> > Sent: Mon, September 13, 2010 10:58:02 AM

> > Subject: Re: Re: Free " Don't Stare at Autism " cards

> >  

> > ,

> >

> > when i first saw the post about these " don't stare at autism cards, " I said

to

> > myself, what use could these possibly be?  Now I see..

> >

> > I am shocked and saddened by the absolute insensitivity of some folks.  So

sorry

> > this happened to you.

> >

> >

> >

> > ________________________________

> > From: <nathan@>

> > To: sList

> > Sent: Sun, September 12, 2010 11:09:10 PM

> > Subject: Re: Free " Don't Stare at Autism " cards

> >  

> > I went to a local fundraiser for autism.

> >

> > Then I left to another part to get away from the noise with my support

worker.

> >

> > A few people stood at a fence looking at me when I was away and I heard them

> > saying he has autism.

> >

> >

> > What a bunch of dorks.

> >

> > Made me feel like an exotic caged in zoo animal. As I was in a fenced in

area at

> > the time and they were looking at me.

> >

> > Young

>

[Guest guest]

Dear ,

You may be one of the bravest individuals I have ever met. your ability to move forward even in the face of such ignorance is quite remarkable. Please remember how important your voice is to those of us who love someone on the spectrum that has no means of effective communication.

We parents all wish we could crawl inside the minds of our children and get even a glimmer at what they must endure each day.

Thanks once again for giving us a peek.

I hope to hear more wonderful things about you soon.

Kindest Regards,

Ruth

(Andy and Hannah's Mom)

Re: Don't stare & experience

I am on the front lines of autism awareness and empowerment in Humboldt County California. I create products that others with autism and other developmental disabilities help create or entirely make at a day center I used to attend myself. The local media has featured me many times, even T.V and local radio.

I have poured 15,000 candles. Everyone has been nice but this event I was not a featured guest as I would have declined. Just to much interaction as the fundraiser event for me was an agreed social practice. A behaviorist attends Chamber of Commerce mixers with me now. I am very well known and sometimes people in the business community give me awful looks and I am not sure why.

I am launching the Humboldt Includes campaign soon and have got local agencies on board. People around here let me do what I want. I know some fear and I know prejudice like calling work group participants that are adults the kids in the work groups. So I wrote an article called I'm Pan in the chamber newsletter and another individual with developmental disabilities I have arranged to give a speech at a Chamber function about it.

I am not powerless unless my own fear holds me back. My goals is to be more socially integrated with the business folks. Just I don't really like it. However I am becoming more and more popular and the advocacy is in the forefront of other areas and I am doing so to establish examples for other areas to expect the same.

1. Community work product making like candles and bath and body for individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities to make.

2. Area includes campaigns for sponsored transitional employment with job aids. Businesses receive door \ window stickers, mentions on radio and in a yearly directory of sponsoring businesses.

I know sometimes when others facial reactions mean they are fearful of me. I typically ignore it and move forward relentlessly.

Young

> >

> > Hi ,

> >

> > I totally agree with , I can't believe how insensitive people can be. You

> > would think in today's world with so much information on children and adults

> > with special needs you would think that people would be more "human".Â

> >

> > Its people like the person in the Olive Garden incident a few weeks back who

> > really need to as I say get a life..... We as parents are sometimes overwhelmed

> > and when we decide to have a nice night out with our loved ones we don't need

> > insensitive people around us.

> >

> > I'm so sorry that this has happened to you and I pray that someday soon

> > people will be a lot more understanding and sensitive towards not just special

> > needs but to everyone in general. There is a lot of hatred in the world.....

> >

> > God Bless.

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

The Patton.

Like poop (explicitness) through a goose.

>

>

> Dear ,

> You may be one of the bravest individuals I have ever met. your ability to

move forward even in the face of such ignorance is quite remarkable. Please

remember how important your voice is to those of us who love someone on the

spectrum that has no means of effective communication.

> We parents all wish we could crawl inside the minds of our children and get

even a glimmer at what they must endure each day.

> Thanks once again for giving us a peek.

> I hope to hear more wonderful things about you soon.

> Kindest Regards,

> Ruth

> (Andy and Hannah's Mom)

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I am flicked about the autism subject and don't even want to think about autism

and myself (identity or not). The individual social circumstances I tend to be

prone to avoid but am trying to be better with meeting new people. I typically

handle it with general large scale radio with a spokesman. There is a myriad of

strategies in place now that these little social circumstances don't matter

much. Ultimately my goal is not to better small talk or figure all that out as

it's not me. I simply do not desire to personally educate people about autism,

myself or others but rather arrange inclusive education so people learn first

hand by means of sponsored inclusion. What was alien before is simply part of

normal by means of sponsored inclusion on a competitive scale of whom sponsors

and does not sponsor so that others in the disability community, supporters and

family choose to shop at.

I am in the latter end of a four year advocacy project. Of which others will

streamline the inclusive campaign with there natural ways of being per say. I am

making support agencies jobs easier but I do not want to for instance be a or

the Temple Grandin of the North Coast. The strategies put in place do not

require my social existence.

I'm happy to apply my skills and let whoever think whatever. Indirectly the

exotic idea of autism will go away as integration takes place. No need to create

for myself and others circumstances that are continually abnormal as applicable

individuals can be better integrated in normal so less being perceived as exotic

or alien I'd suppose.

Young

>

> Jeanie,

> I think it is mostly a matter of ignorance. When we were young, we were

taught not to stare at the person who had no legs, or not to say rude things to

the person who was different. Children are no longer taught how to behave

around people who are " different " . I have found that once I explain that my son

is autistic and he didn't choose to be afflicted, but it is causing his strange

behavior, people usually back off and don't stare or act rudely toward my son. I

think for the most part I have met more people who accept my son's differences

than I have met people who stare or are rude.

> My advice to would be to perhaps wander over to one of the people

making the comments and say, yes I am autistic, can I answer any questions about

my autism for you. If they don't leave and want to as questions, answer them.

Point out that you did not choose to be autistic. You might want to say, the

last I knew, no one in this world is perfect. (If the person is wearing glasses,

say, I see you wear glasses.) It will usually cause them to be very quiet and a

little less rude. If the person just becomes more rude when you ask them, WALK

AWAY and ignore them. Most people make comments because they are uninformed.

> Glenda

>

[Guest guest]

Someday I will go on vacation and when I do I am going to go see great white

sharks and bait the water with experts.

Also this Christmas I am getting a new computer with my own money.

I do not entertain the idea of autism and autistic community. Over words, over

emotion and over ideas people are divided. When you know what isolation is for

years without services let alone community support you will then know the dire

thirst for inclusion let alone to bother recognizing petty differences while

drinking.

I personally do not make money. Participants working on the products do. I do

not care about that now so as long as I can create and make productive advocacy,

it is very entertaining. Money is a necessary evil that enables quality of life

and inclusion.

Young

>

>