The Meaning of Cure 2
May 26, 2006 by Kristina Chew, PhD
Filed under Health
“Cure” is a fighting if not a four-letter word in discussions about autism. I will be very interested to read the future “Articles of Understanding” by Alison Tepper Smith, senior Vice President of Autism Speaks, and by Michael John Carley, Executive Director of GRASP (the Global Regional Aspergers Partnership), who has AS.
Two Leading Autism Organizations Will Post Articles Online in an Effort to Foster a Respectful and Productive Dialogue About Their Differing Viewpoints (May 17, 2006) – Autism Speaks and GRASP….. will pen articles for each other’s web sites in an effort to create a substantive and mutually respectful dialogue about why they differ on using the word “cure” in relation to autism, the two organizations announced today. The articles, which will be written by Autism Speaks Senior Vice President Alison Tepper Singer and GRASP Executive Director Michael John Carley, will appear online later this spring and present the organizations’ differing viewpoints on this specific issue. Autism Speaks, a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing awareness of autism and raising money to fund autism research, uses the term “cure” in its discussions about autism spectrum disorders while GRASP, the largest organization of adults diagnosed along the autism spectrum, does not. [emphasis added]
I look forward to the “Articles of Understanding.”
But I don’t think that we only need to hear what Autism Speaks and GRASP have to say.
Kev, I think the Autism Hub and all of you autism bloggers out there need to get in on this exchange and write our own “Articles of Understanding.”
We have a lot to say.
I am not looking forward to the “Articles of Understanding”. I think they are going to be an empty gesture after which Autism Speaks will be able to say they have “listened” to someone. GRASP is not even representative of our community, so this will give Autism Speaks an easy out.
Er, I should further specify that GRASP is pretty much only representative of its founder, he has total power including the power to throw out people who disagree.
I suppose it’s “looking forward” to the “exchange” with a grain of salt. But I think it would be good for the Autism Hub to intrude on that “exchange” or it’s going to be limited—and it will gets lots of media attention because of Autism Speaks.
I am not looking forward to this dialogue either. Neutrality is weakness here. Neutrality continues to hurt many people.
It is time to stand beside the adults with autism who are offended by the quest for a cure — an inappropriate quest in terms of measuring autism with diabetes, cancer and the like.
While I am one to accept many differing views, there is a need here to stand beside people with autism. If someone with autism said to me that they wanted a pill or a cure, then this entire issue would be moot.
Estee, you are right. The issue is hardly moot among the general public and we have to broadcast our beliefs as well.
Yes, having another voice heard, however, is important.
I don’t expect Autism Hub to have “articles of understanding” with Autism Speaks. Autism Speaks should simply retract its video and apologize (as Estee called for). Period.
How about articles of misunderstanding?
Or articles of total lack of understanding? [grin]
And willful ignorance.