Taming the SAVAGE Beast....
Okay, this may surprise some people, but maybe not.... I believe that we live in a country, the great U.S.A., that allows us the freedom to say and feel what we wish. Just ask the A.C.L.U., who defends every creepy organization their is...including NAMBLA...
I think Michael Savage has the right to say whatever he feels...no matter how wrong Mr. Savage is. I won't even repeat the ignorant things he said on his talk show.
I will state however, that I believe he is correct in one aspect. I think that the diagnosis of Autism has been spread so thin, that anyone can fit into the broad spectrum that they have made Autism. I believe that if you "doctor shop", like many people I know have, you will get a diagnosis of Autism for your child...and in turn, better services for you child.
I believe that is what Mr. Savage was trying to say.
When our oldest was diagnosed, the Autism spectrum DID NOT include ADHD, OCD, Bi-polar, Asperger's, or Sensory Integration Dysfunction....it did just add PDD-NOS, Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified...The diagnosis just had Autism and PDD-NOS.
With the addition of the other disorders, now linked to Autism, the Autism Spectrum grew, as did the number of Autistic people. I believe the frustration Mr. Savage feels with these added diagnosis and the added burden on our Social Services made him make his comments.
This being said....I DO NOT condone the manner or way in which he made his statements. Technically, He attacked the parent's and doctor's of the children. He said we did not discipline our children, have father's for our children, and that the doctor's misdiagnosed our children.Now, that being said, he is a buffoon...I never liked him. His voice grates on my nerves.Yet, I have the privelege of being able to change the station.When my book is published, people will have the ability to not buy it and not read it.....
Dang,Michael Savage said what he felt. Although I don't agree with him, if we take away his right to vent....we have to take away all of our rights.
About Me
- Mom26children
- I am the proud mother of 6 children. 5 of our children have autism. We do not feel our world has ended, but just begun. We do not chelate, intervene biochemically, give shots of any kind, practice ABA, etc. We treat them as we treat any humanbeing. We treat them with kindness and respect and expect the same from them. They are exceptional children.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
11 comments:
I agree, if Amanda Baggs can be diagnosed with autism, anyone can.
Ah Geesh John,
This has NOTHING to do with Amanda....
I completely agree with your opinion on free speech. Savage has the right to say what he wants.
However, I take issue with the fact that Savage has a large listening audience and he chooses to use hat power in an irresponsible way. If 10 million people listen to him and agree with him, than 10 million people also have the ability to effect legislation and research. His words have wide-spread implications for children that absolutely need assistance, not cowardly words that can limit assistance.
Hi Momofonefornow,
Thanks for commenting.
You see, we ALL have freedom of Speech and freedom of Choice. If we choose to change his station and not buy the products his sponsors sell...we have chosen, as a majority of people to SHUT HIM DOWN...
Very simple.
The Autism Community is HUGE...don't underestimate our ability to cause some major media damage for Mr. Savage.
Robin and I love you and your family for blazing the trail for large ASD families. Regarding, Mr Savage:
This is the part of what he said that got my blood boiling. More specifically, he said:
"... 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."
Moron, putz, idiot... he is using those words as to what a Autism Dad should be saying. I never say these words to my children! These are HIS words attacking and demeaning MY children.
Yes he CAN say what he wants, but the next interview we have (likely this Nov when our documentary airs) I'll say what I want about him and some of these other ignorant people that have it all figured out somehow with obviously NO personal knowledge.
Peace and Blessings...
I disagree. First, autism often has comorbid ADHD, bipolar, tourettes, etc. You get diagnosed with one prevailing issue, and the rest are diagnosed comorbid. It is a problem that the DSM-IV diagnosis is based on a pattern of deficiencies that may change over time: the diagnosis is, in effect, fluid based on how severe a person's difficulties are in a given realm at any given time.
But I would respectfully disagree that the spectrum is being overdiagnosed. And I would disagree that, legally, you get more or better services with an ASD diagnosis than you get for a different diagnosis, such as bipolar or ADHD. Perhaps the stigma is less, perhaps not.
On the other hand, free speech is something on which I have a professional opinion. Yes, free speech is a critical right in society and must remain free. Yes, even odious speech must be given room, including, apparently, some species of hate speech.
However, free speech is worthless (and possibly dangerous) without an educated, thinking public to discern among the ideas being discussed. Do you think that this is still a nation of educated, thinking people? Do you think that is the majority of the people listening to shock jocks spout off? I would suggest that thinking and discerning are not two of the top activities for listeners of such a show while they are tuned in. But that is beside the point, I suppose.
Legally, free speech ends when you incite harm. Technically, what this guy said and did comes very close, possibly crossed the line. I am constitutionally protected in saying "this is not a good use of public resources," but I am not constitutionally protected in saying "these parasites need to have some sense beaten into them." Read the words he said. Which of the two messages do you hear? Which do you think his listeners heard?
The problem is that the people who will be complaining about this program weren't listeners in the first place. His numbers will not fall. His advertisers will be reaching the exact same audience that they always reached. How will they appreciate that a drop in their sales to some other (seemingly demographically unrelated) market dropped because of what this man said, and because of the coincidence that they advertise on this show? I doubt seriously that a boycott by concerned disability advocates will impact Savage at all.
COPYWRITE INFRINGEMENT! You stole my title! Oh wait, MY post came AFTER yours? Yea take me to court on it, I have records that clearly show I did not have access to see your title before I wrote my savage expose.
While he has the right to say anything he wants, I also have the right to say anything I want...to his sponsers. Just like I can vote out people I don't like from my government, I can 'vote' out people i don't like from my airways, either by switching, or by taking actions to make their livelihood away. I don't think the government has the right to silence speech... but private enterprise does!
Funny thing Bill,
Michael Savage is on the side of the "biomedical" parent.
Yes, he made a wrong choice of words with 99%-he has corrected that.
He made a wrong choice of words by name-calling...but, we have our own in the "AUTISM" world who believe it okay to gay bash...we know who they are (Foresam and Dgdavis) to name a couple..
Mr. Savage believes that the pharmaceutical companies are profiting by increasing the labeling of our children. He believes in a healthy approach to treating our children.
My husband used to watch his show when it was on television...Mr. Savage's voice grates on my nerves, so I don't listen to him...I do know enough about him though to know he is not anti-Autism, just against the over-diagnosing of the condition due to extremely bad behaviors from children who ARE NOT autistic.
As much as I think the man is a putz, idiot and moron himself, he DOES have the right to say what he wants. I do think he was irresponsible, though, due to the fact that he has a large audience (and an ignorant one at that). I've heard his show. It ain't pretty.
Trust me, I do think folks are over-diagnosed. Some folks go seeking the Asperger's diagnoses in my area because their kid is quirky or different and they think it gives their child an edge or makes them cool. And, it does make them cool. But not in the way they think. Just because their kid is really smart and isn't the most outgoing kid, does NOT mean they are autistic.
I have two kids, both at opposite ends of the spectrum. Believe me, I had to fight to get one of them diagnosed. I knew in my heart what was going on.
Hi Jeannette,
On a high level, at issue is the distribution of resources. I agree with the criticism that casting the net so wide leads to an ineffecient and inequitable distribution. Some children with ASD need, and will benefit from, expensive therapies, while others - for example, those mildly affected - don't.
btw, what's up with Diane??? banned, not banned...I just read her most recent comments. What a *BLEEP* !!!
To my knowledge, bipolar, ADHD, SID are still NOT included in the autism spectrum disorders.
Lillian
Post a Comment