I just wanted to know if there is anyone else here who is autistic apart from me. I've got Aspergers Syndrome, to be exact. If your not autistic, you can still discuss it.

Hi Baron von Gikkigen:

I am glad you want to discuss your autism with other members of the Merqury City community.

It is about time that someone who has Asperger's Syndrome (AS) decided to speak from personal experience. I am getting tired of some of the "quacks" and "shrinks" acting like they know more about the challenges that a person with AS experiences than the individual with AS actually does.

Also, I would like to go on record saying that the Church of Scientology's claim that autism is "a mental disease or defect" is a prevarication. Tom Cruise, for instance, played Ray's brother in Rain Man, a movie about classical autism. In the film, Ray, played by Dustin Hoffman, suffered from classical autism, and displayed some of the traits of a savant. Ray could, for example, calculate complex mathematical problems in his head, but never got the correct answer to the simple ones. After Cruise's conversion to the Church of Scientology, though, he began construing autism less as a disability and more as a mental illness. Also, when John Travolta's autistic son died, he wanted to leave the Satanic Church of Scientology. The Scientologists, though, threatened to expose embarrassing secrets about his life if he left, so, as a result, he chose to remain a Scientologist.

Today's medical research suggests that, unlike in Rain Main, where autism was thought to be caused by blunt force trauma, this particular disability is primarily genetic. (In 1994, the DSM4 removed autism and homosexuality from the category of mentally deficient conduct.)

Take care--I do not suffer from AS, but am greatly impressed with your plan to educate Merqury City members about autism.

I have an exceptinally close friend who is Autistic, he is an incredible person. He plays the drums better than anyone I know and is so passionate about his love for rock music, we love taking him to concerts he is just fantastic fun to be around.

Obviously he has his ups and downs, he gets frustrated when he can't work things out and we have to be careful not to be sarcastic around him because he just can't get it. He can also sometimes be quite argumentative and specific so we have to calm him down but another one of my friends handles this really well and they've built a great friendship.

Really though, on the whole we treat him as normal as possible, he has a job he enjoys, he has a supportive girlfriend etc, so he deals with it quite well. Obviously it affects him but generally you wouldn't know he had it if you met him on the street.

_________________
Midian: Real authentic stuff is the pizza the Teenage mutant Ninja Turtles eat. Fast, cheap and sloppy
Midian: Like NA
CurryKing: I wanted the title to be: This image is in no way grooming you for Thor's mighty hammer

There's this girl in my class who has Aspergers Syndrome. She is top "group" in every subject (so we see each other often - not that I'm bragging I'm top ) but she seriously doesn't have many friends. She is obsessed about cats, "timelords" and snape (you should know who snape is if you are a keen youtuber) and computers.

_________________
This post was sponsored by my parents.

Hi Baron von Gikkigen, NA, and Kubi:

Bill Gates has AS, yet is immensly successful in the computer industry.

By the way, for those interested, Temple Grandin wrote an autobiography about her struggles with autism. (Grandin has a Ph. D., and is particularly interested in animal husbandry.) It is refreshing to read a book from the perspective of someone who actually has AS, rather than a so-called "expert," who thinks that he or she has the right to speak for all individuals with AS.

I am going to "yield the floor" now to Baron von Gikkigen. I am interested in hearing more about what he has to say about his struggles with autism.

damn yo! i gotta say, i'm very impressed. i don't know very much about AS or autism, but it's pretty awesome that you're here today! (and with such great taste in music!). i have a step cousin (if that's even right) that has AS. so i'm around it, but my knowledge of it is limited indeed. cheers, twin!

_________________

my younger brother is slightly autistic. he's thriteen now and is extremely shy around people. he barely ever talks and just shakes his head yes or no when asked a yes or no question. hes extremely smart. at 7 years old he wrote on the sidewalk every state in the U.S. and all of their capitols. he goes to a special school and is top of class.

and Baron von Gikkigen, thanks for sharing that with us

Hi Tunes and A Sick One With A Smile:

Isn't it wonderful that autism support groups from various countries are educating others about this particular disability on a global scale? Here is what I mean: http://www.worldautismawarenessday.org/site/c.egLMI2ODKpF/b.3917065/k.BE58/Home.htm.

By the way, Baron von Gikkigen, let me admit something which I denied in my first post: I have AS too. The first person I confided in about my disability was my girlfriend, around 2005. Fortunately, she was very accepting of my autism. Afterwards, I told my friends, and they, too, were tolerant of my shortcoming.

It is difficult to tell that I have AS, but, I exhibit three habits that are usually found in people who have my disability: 1) I don't look at people when I talk to them, 2) I tend to dwell on certain topics, and 3) I often get disoriented. Due to my latter difficulty, I always keep a GPS in the car when I to literary conferences.

I am lucky to have attained the social and academic success which I did during my lifetime. I am cognizant of the fact that some autistic individuals struggle with both life skills and scholastic assignments.

If everyone who reads my first post in light of this one, then can they see why I abhor the Church of Scientology.

Once again, Baron von Gikkigen, I apologize that "I chickened out," and did not tell you that I also have AS when I first commented upon the subject.

That's okay dude, I know how you feel. I exhibit Habit's 1 and 2, but not 3. It's not "chickening out", it's okay to be a bit shy and not talk about it. I did that before. Aspergers, for me, is something to be proud of - letting everyone know that i'm unique...i'm differrent, and in a way, everyone is different.

And its a very unique quality to have. Im very glad to see your proud of you are

Hi Baron von Gikkigen and A Sick One for a Smile:

Thank you both for supporting my decision to discuss my autism openly. I really appreciate it.

I am wondering why the media deems it acceptable to make fun of autistic people, but forbids other marginalized groups to be subjected to the same ridicule. My girlfriend and friends always ask me, "Don't you feel indignant over MTV allowing a show called 'Idiot Savants' to be aired?'" I always answer, "Yes." However, I also tell them that there will always be ignorant individuals out there looking for notoriety by ridiculing a person's debility. What is patently unfair about the above equation, though, is that if MTV launched a spoof on gays called "Flamers," the FCC would remove the program from the air within a matter or days.

Personally, I do not believe that anyone has the right to make fun of other people's disability or sexual orientation. (As a heterosexual, I used to ignore cruel jokes about gays, transvestites, and transexuals. Now, though, I speak up, and tell them that, "If one were to look hard enough, he or she could surely find an embarassing moment in your life to mock.") My girlfriend and friends harbor the same mindset. Everyone has freedom of speech in the United States, but, by the same token, the listener has every right to inform a person who chooses to spew vitriol about a particular marginalized group that what he or she is spewing is tantamount to bigotry.

Here you state plainly that you "do not suffer from AS".


Yet here you say that you merely omitted the fact. You denied it, i.e. lied by fabrication. Not a problem for me or the posters here, but God might not think very highly of that.



That's interesting, that you're allowed to mock/disrespect autistic people. Guess how many autistic people control the media? Daily vitriol against Moozlimz, 'Idiot Savant', 'Good Christian Bitches', Larry David pissing on Jesus, etc. But Jews, LGTB degeneracy, and Black on White crime, those are taboo topics. Ain't the "American" media great? Keep "wondering" and don't look at the facts of who runs the media.

_________________

Are you a patriot? Then spend 1 hour reading this site.

Hi RE Virus:

As I have maintained in previous posts, the reason that the media can be manipulated rather easily is that many reporters do not read. Instead, they choose to parrot what is on a teleprompter, even if the information provided by that particular piece of equipment is incorrect. If you asked some of the news anchors to name the capital of specific states in the United States, they would probably get the majority of the questions wrong. It is interesting to note, though, that if some media personalities spent as much time reading as they did caring about when they will get their next plastic surgery, they could probably give well-informed reports about what is transpiring in the world. My girlfriend and I, for instance, find it farcical about how news reporters think autism comes from a vaccine, when, in reality, autism is wholly shaped by genetics. Hence, the problem is not caused by the media, but from people's ignorance, which stems from not being well-read.

As far as religion is concerned, the Bible says no one is perfect. Nevertheless, God is far more critical of self-righteous individuals who think that they are perfect (e.g., the Pharisees) than imperfect individuals who recognize a need for salvation (e.g., the Ninevites and Mary Magdalene.) Of course, sinners who beg for mercy for salvation were predestined to do so, but I do not wish to revisit this topic again, since it will lead to tension between members of the Merqury City community.

Take care.

As usual, this block of drivel does not address the points raised at all. Too funny. BTW, the correlation between vaccination and autism cases is obvious if you care to research. One thing a few reporters get right and you think they're wrong!

_________________

Are you a patriot? Then spend 1 hour reading this site.

The correlation is hogwash RE, the study that provided the one source of "concrete" evidence has been redacted by the journal that published it. Perpetuating this hurts children. Jenny McCarthy should be ashamed of herself.

_________________

Hi gondee:

I agree with you. Many people have pointed out to me that celebrities often feel that, because they are talented in sports or acting, they are equally knowledgeable in all other facets of life. Yet, would it be wise to let a baseball star who knows nothing about football coach a football team? Many people would argue that a baseball player who lacks a fundamental comprehension of football rules will make poor strategic decisions if he became a football coach. Also, a storied movie actor might become famous by "getting things right" on the twentieth try. Nevertheless, would he or she do well in a play, where one has to play his or her role flawlessly during a live performance? Not necessarily. The movie actor might forget lines, and ruin the play.

On the same grounds, I think that some celebrities believe that, since they are qualified to talk about their area of expertise, they also have the credentials to discuss other problems, such as autism, in an intelligible manner. Hence, much of the information arising from these celebrities, however well-intended, is often not cemented in fact.

I will, though, excuse John Travolta and Jenny McCarthy for their misguided view on autism. Travolta's Church of Scientology believes "autism" constitutes some type of "mental disease or defect," a view with which he sides. McCarthy parrots Hollywood's opinion that autism is the side-effect of a vaccine. However, Travolta loved his autistic child very much, and was devastated when he died. He even considered leaving the demonic Church of Scientology, until they coerced him into staying by threating to make embarrassing secrets of his personal life public. McCarthy, despite her misinformed claim that a particular vaccine causes autism, also loves her autistic child, and is profoundly hurt by the suffering which he endures on a daily basis.

Almost about every male in my family has autism its crazy, sometimes violent but we learn to love and make it through I guess.

_________________

Hi PaRTYRock3r:

My girlfriend often asked me why I wasn't open about my disability earlier my life, and, instead, chose "mask" it. I turned to her, and said, "Darling, before 1994, the DSM4 categorized autism as a mental disease or defect. It wasn't until 1994 that the DSM4 listed autism as a disability." People are also generally kinder towards those with a disability than those with a mental disease or defect, and consider such persons as "disadvantaged." By contrast, if you have a mental disease or defect, individuals will construe you as "nuts," and "keep their distance." As a result, I learned to hide some of my awkward "habits"--such 1) not looking at people when I talk to them, 2) dwelling on certain topics, and 3) becoming disoriented when given directions in follow. To veil these "problems," I informed other persons whom I was talking to that I had eye problems, told other individuals that the reason I had an unbelievable amount of interest in certain subjects was because I was doing research on them, and "followed the lead" of other persons when I was given instruction to do certain things to avoid becoming disoriented. However, after the DSM4 discontinued defining autism as a mental disease or defect, and, instead, listed it as a disability, I became more comfortable with being "more open about" my autism.

Take care, and thank you for supporting individuals who have autism--I deeply appreciate it!

I'm autistic Baron! I didn't know you had aspergers.

Sometimes I feel like a problem that has to be solved.

_________________

Hi SpoofFilmsinc:

I am hoping that they will find a cure for autism in the future. In the meantime, people like us will just have to use their strengths "to the best of their abilities."

Take care.

i think i might be a little bit, im not sure though.

i find eye contact during conversation really quite awkward, and dont understand why people seem to demand it. Im listening to you, im just doing this other thing too. or observing my surroundings. im pretty good at making friends but not so good at making those really close relationships everyone else seems to have.

if im totally enthralled in what youre saying, i'll probably be looking at you yeah. but not if youve interrupted me doing something to jabber on about how your boss is a dick for the 10000th time or other things i dont really care too much about. Im listening, my focus is just split between the two tasks.

True. Im not comfortable when in a conversation, It's hard for me to MAKE friends and sometimes gets bullied. (50% of autistic children woldwide get bullied) Also I'm worried about the future, what job will I have, (1 in 4 autistic adults has got a well-paid job) what will my kids be like. (Is it genetic?)

P.S I have awkward eyesight so I wear glasses.

_________________

Hi Resetting and SpoofFilmsinc:

My greatest difficulty is probably with disorientation--I tend to "get lost all the time" whenever I drive to a hitherto unknown destination. That being said, I am glad the GPS's were invented--they are tremendous help to some people who have AS, such as myself.

Take care.

If there is ever a cure for Autism, I ain't taking it. I'm happy the way I am, my friends are happy with who I am and I don't want to be anyone else.

Hi Baron von Gikkigen:

You raised a very good point concerning whether or not individuals with AS should strive to eliminate their disability altogether. As a person with AS, I would never take an "elixir" that would "fix" my personality. However, if the medical community found a "panacea" for some of the symptoms of my autism, such as my disorientation, I would take it. Even then, I would only "change" the autism-related factors which I felt have had a negative impact on my life, and not the positive aspects of my character, irrespective of how quirky some of them might be.

Take care.