Autistic Grievance
In 1985 Justice Marshall in his diverging opinion in Cleburne v. Cleburne Inc. has decried the – “unmentioned history of segregation, discrimination, eugenics, forced sterilization, and denial of rights of citizenship to those with mental disabilities”.
Let us see where we stand today in regard to these issues – let us examine the “autism solution” of today.
Eugenics: The dominant societal theme today is how to prevent autism through science; the purpose of this prevention is undeniably Eugenics. Derived from ancient Greek [well-born] it is about human engineering – engineering a better human – a noble task believed to be intended by Creator or Evolution, whichever one professes. Throughout history people as a rule chose amazingly evil solutions to accomplish it – ancient Spartans killed babies, Huns raped women, and in a recent time-frame the world has endured a Nazi solution! But before Nazis descended on a genocide they were just like everybody else, just isolating and sterilizing, as we apparently continue to do in our country to this day!
We should note however that in a course of some 5 generations this eugenic practice as applied to retardation in general and autism in particular didn’t produce the expected results. Instead of being eliminated, these ‘diseased and dysfunctional people’ [as the medical authority claims] were continued to be born at increasing numbers; the efforts to erase them from the human genome were unproductive.
For more on eugenics in “autism solution” and why it doesn’t work and why it is detrimental to human survival [6] link to section Eugenics!
Cure: Simultaneous with the efforts to eradicate Autism and along with a search to identify autism at the earliest age, a new direction took even higher prominence – search for a cure. Everything had been tried to “cure” the autistic child. As the drumming of tragedy of autism became ever louder, parents increasingly wanted cure!
However the efforts to find cure were proving to be just as unsuccessful as eugenics and for the same reasons. At this stage it is well understood in scientific circles that cure for autism would require a complete control over every step of embryonic and post embryonic development, something science may never achieve, and something that effectively would erase humanity altogether.
Nevertheless Cure is still a primary source of funding in bourgeoning research areas – genetics, neuroscience, psychiatry, etc; producing grants, and donations, but also funded by Pharmaceutical industry and a slew of others who are greatly in need of human lab rats for medical research and testing; mostly it is done on autistic children by waving a carrot of promise to frightened parents.
Big Pharma is not looking for a cure, but to test and sell meds “to address specific symptoms including behavioral issues, anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, attentional issues, hyperactivity, and mood swings.” Imagine how it works together with ABA [supplementing it]!
Both are massive experiments on a human scale. One hand bolsters the other.
Research and Human Experimentation: Genetic modification of the embryos, genetic manipulation of brain development in neuroscience (genetic scissors replacing scalpel and lobotomy), and hormonal manipulation are currently the forefront of research fueled by a potential for exclusive patents for businesses and academic advancement for researchers; pushing both into areas of human applications where human testing is essential. Autistic people have become a main venue for obtaining human experimental material all over the world, which perversely is being represented as an important part of “autism solution”.
We can reasonably say that continued autism research as it relates to eugenics and cure is mostly a cover for human experimentation – and the demand for autistic embryos as well as children and adults as the lab-rats serves a scientific frenzy in every possible field of work for great many industries and powerful companies. There is a fierce competition for lucrative patents [which ethics and humanitarian concerns are impeding] and we see many famous EU Academies, including Royal Academy of Britain shamelessly lobbying for a relaxation of prohibition on human experimentation in “the field” of autism; effectively citing the benefits to humanity!
There are multiple ethical and human rights violations associated with an egregious marriage of involuntary treatment of autistic population with the frenzied scientific research and human experimentation. It is an old battle.
These physiological and psychological interventions of autistic children and adults create yet another domain of dehumanized segregation, which indisputably has become a central piece of “autism solution” of modern time.
Segregation: We’ve reached a point where Autistic Segregation has become a way of life in our society. It begins in early childhood after diagnoses with the establishment of discriminatory practices that do not apply to the rest of the children, thus segregating these children from the rest in the most important domain – the way they are treated.
The self-determination attempt to remedy it for adults is too little too late and it is unlikely to make a dent for this generation on its own. What has not been previously addressed however on official level is that the segregation of adults is a direct result of segregation and captivity in the childhood.
It begins in early childhood with a diagnoses of DISORDER that segregates autistic children [who make a great majority of children with developmental disability] in this profound way leading to the establishment of discriminatory practices that do not apply to the rest of the children, and thus segregating these children from the rest in the most important domain – the way they are treated. Identification aka diagnoses and subsequent early Intervention currently begins at 18th month.
The central piece in maintaining the autistic segregation during childhood and creating a domiciled segregated population of adults is however the IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act), or rather an LRE (Least Restrictive Environment) loophole in this congressional act that allows an exception for when the child can be segregated – an innocent looking loophole into which most Autistic children are guided with the help of IEP(individualized Education Program) by selective assignment with or without parental consent. It is so thorough that it was in danger of becoming too noticeable in its exclusivity, but with DSM-5 and the expansion of ASD diagnostics it statistically camouflages this fact, because Asperger kids are often allowed into a common classroom with an aide or a Special Ed teacher – they are still segregated by this practice from the rest but not by physical walls – and they are also largely the ‘educational successes’ which are counted by the proponents to produce statistical justifications of the overall practice. In this way the scope of DSM-5 ASD criteria masks the fact that Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) for Autistic children amounts to systematic segregation by channeling them into self-contained classrooms and specialized schools for developmentally disabled, i.e. the Least Restrictive Education for autistic children as a rule is a segregated discriminatory education, if we can call it education at all.
See Report by NCD “The Segregation of Students with Disabilities” effectively stating that the “least restricted environment” for autistic children is as a rule the most restrictive currently available in the school systems, both public and private i.e. self-contained classrooms and segregated schools.
It appears to be easy to foresee that children who are raised segregated from society would not learn much about it and would not know how to integrate themselves into it when they reach the adulthood. Nevertheless these are and had been the approved practices producing a generation of autistic adults living in segregated circumstances; effectively we have on our hands a pervasive Autistic Segregation practice, which IDEA education act has allowed to occur, and which the Government has failed to correct.
Behavior Modification: The realm of Department of Education and Health Services.
The behavior modification is performed under the guise of Special Education and a much heralded Therapy that is allowed effectively an unconditional partnership in this “educational” endeavor.
Both are a part of Intervention that begins as early as the baby is identified. Both disregard the physiology of the developing organism and disrupt the genetically and environmentally controlled self-development of the child. If behavior is changed and autistic child perform sufficiently well to the markers defined by the medical community they can be counted as effectively cured. If you quack you area a duck!
The methodology of behavior modification [and specifically ABA that is still monetized by governmental institutions] is a sinking vessel already abandoned by the large contingents of interventionist solution. In the last few years there was a silent understanding of what it is [a monstrosity] and at this point one would hardly find a practicing psychologist in the field of autism who mentions their affiliation or adherence to it. This however leaves the “educators” and behavioral (ABA especially) pseudo-scientists in a precarious situation of defending this lost cause and discrediting themselves.
All This is done at a huge expense to a taxpayer. See a page by “the center of developmental disabilities [CDD]” boasting a revenue of $100G for each child a year! All of their children remain clients until they reach the age of 21 and then become the customers of other institutionalized autism venues. Very few escape guardianship! So why are we [society] doing this?
Special Education: We begin here with a quote from one of the pioneers of Universal Education – “Scientific observation has established that education is not what the teacher gives; education is a natural process spontaneously carried out by the human individual, and is acquired not by listening to words but by experiences upon the environment. ” – Maria Montessori, Education for a New World.
“In 1971, the Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children (PARC) prevailed over the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in what is now considered to be the landmark case pertaining to the right to education of handicapped children. Prior to the PARC decision, children in Pennsylvania could be excluded from public schools if they were certifiably unable to benefit from education. The PARC case resulted in a consent decree recognizing the legal right to public education on the part of handicapped children, as guaranteed by the fourteenth amendment equal protection clause.” Marquette Law Review
Soon after by the joint effort of parents and legislators the ‘Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975’ followed resulting in millions of disabled children gaining access to an educational system that had previously refused them completely. However from the very onset of this important legislation “the legal right to public education” for disabled children had been obliquely constrained allowing the gross subversion of the ideal and a subsequent exploitation of children with developmental disabilities. Thus under a guise of care and education the Special Ed. was born – undeniably the central piece in maintaining the autistic segregation during childhood and creating a domiciled segregated population of adults.
It must be noted that the forces that shaped Special Ed. solution were enacted in the time when societal prejudice was still at large, and the stigma of disability had largely influenced the design that differentiated the educational approach and its methodology. Instead of choosing the path to Universality and accommodating solutions of accessibility for all, an approach to differential treatment was embarked on, precipitating from the very beginning the segregated devastating landscape of today [see NCD report]. The parental quest of equality for their children had been perversely channeled by the same persistent internalized prejudice and the newly fabricated pseudo-scientific misconceptions into the unscrupulous hands of largely self-serving autism industry – the cesspool that had previously swallowed autistic adults and has now engulfed an entire realm of Disabled children.
Here is a look at some numbers... , followed by a brief overview of the history of Special Education and Early Intervention programs in the US and the analysis of its merits and results – > Special Ed Overview.
Early Intervention – is where the tragedy of autism begins. Prior to it there is only anticipation of the tragedy by the already suspecting parent; the anticipation fostered by the trumpeting of autism epidemic.
The tragedy of intervention begins as child is diagnosed – early intervention is an ‘evidence based’ recommendation [for the ‘salvation’ of the child] by all the experts and other parties who control this trade, a truly parasitic industry with a few exceptions. The origins of ‘evidence base’ salvation ability of early intervention is hard to track down but it is consistently mentioned by hordes of ‘scientology’ working on Autism Speaks grants and the likes of them, reinforcing this most important motion. Get them early!
The subject of intervention as we know, is behavioral modification – basically the correction of any and all autistic behaviors that are commonly persecuted [and oft. the gloves are off]. As we have already noted in the prior section the end result of this highly priced behavior modification practice is commonly a disabled in-care individual – Get them for life!
The decision that parent makes at the time of diagnosis will have a decisive effect on the life of the child. This is probably the most important decision that you as a parent will make for this child. Therefore it is important to remember the negatives of intervention – not only it takes their childhood away, not only it isolates them, not only it is commonly traumatic, not only it does not work, but it diminishes these children spiritually and leads to a life of anguish.
Nevertheless there are times when parents are at a loss and there is a need for a gentle intervention into parenting and caretaking – and the adaptations that all need to make. We each need to redefine what intervention means and what and when needs to be done for the child, and how this is to be done.
Do not break the trust between child and yourself. Your child needs your trust above all else. Trust your child to learn and learn their way. Build the trust and you will redefine the meaning of intervention.
Labor – It has been 80 years since the Fair Labor Standards Act was passed in 1938 – fair in many respects except for the people with disabilities who were ‘justifiably’ excluded from minimum wage protections. The societal prejudice and stigma of that time has ruled then and is still perpetuated today by this so called “fair” congressional act.
This Congressional Act by our account is instrumental in sustaining the prejudice and stigma of disability – and this is perhaps the most important reason why it needs to be changed. The efforts to change it began within the disability self-advocacy movements and some progress was made during the past administration, but as expected it had encountered many objections from the industry and various disability parent organizations.
It is not a trivial issue within the current societal arrangement where disabled are still clearly a discriminated population and a large contingent [notably autistic] are segregated and institutionalized. The argument by the industry is usual – the disabled are not “able” workers and therefore it is fair to pay them what they deserve, i.e. less. Parents also bring an important point that their disabled children are happy to work even for less or nothing at all, and are afraid that this integration avenue will close up for them.
From the position of an autistic person kept between the walls of institution or even a captive at home, any possibility of escaping into something more open where you can get a glimpse of the world while doing something useful even for nothing in return is mostly welcome, as many of us who had been there would attest. It is better than being in a cage…
These are the varying compound parameters of the much needed truly FAIR labor arrangement that we seek – but let us note that the complexity here exists only due to the perpetuated prejudice and persistent societal arrangements that continue to preserve the policies of segregation, isolation, and institutionalization of disabled people. It is this entire institution that needs to be changed beginning with a cornerstone here – the UNFAIR Labor act that is in place since 1938 and has encroached.
With this said, we along with many other autistic organizations are welcoming the “The bipartisan Transformation to Competitive Employment Act (H.R. 873/S. 260) – which addresses barriers to employment and expands opportunities for competitive integrated employment for people with disabilities while phasing out subminimum wage certificates under 14(c) of the FLSA over a six-year period. This bill was introduced in the Senate by Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and in the House by Chairman Bobby Scott (D-VA) and Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA).
Captivity – The path to captivity for autistic individual resembles a marked trail in the wilderness; this wilderness is autism and the path has been marked by people with credentials and power. Rare are the parents who dare to step away from it even as they begin to realize where it leads.
The path to captivity converges with a path to segregation; they both begin with intervention: time taken from free play, restriction of free movement and exploration that adversely impacts ability to gain a versatile control of bodily movement. These are the parameters of a captive being.
Commonly by the time autistic child reaches school age the mode of captivity sets in – and from that time on while the typical children would begin gaining the gradual independence with each passing day, they will begin becoming more and more restricted; restricted both in the institutions which would increasingly dominate their time as well as becoming constrained captives in their own homes.
By many accounts within just a few years after child entering special ed. school environment the parental attempts to ‘elevate’ their child to the world of typical and acceptable become exhausted – their own trauma resulting in profound numbness and acceptance of being powerless to change their child, who is often regressing, and that the only thing they can do in the surrounding hostile world is to protect their child by keeping them safe inside the walls of their homes in submission under strict control and a watchful eye.
The trail to captivity reaches a plateau where all involved can foresee already where it leads. The Guardianship and Institution become visible as they begin descending; it is a treacherous path into the darkness. What happens in between and inside is hidden from everybody by the family and institutions; it is often abusive and invariably tragic.
Our country is celebrated for embracing the ideals of Integration and Personal Freedom, yet in our modern times our society got entangled in the practice of segregation and repression of Autistic people. This practice has devastated multitudes of Autistic people as well as their families.
This grievance is on behalf of all the Disabled and Divergent people – a population that is segregated, stigmatized, and handled as subhuman from early childhood; a population subjected to a life of isolation, discrimination, and captivity.
Our Slogan – Return our Freedom – Return our Rights!
