Letter to a Nonexistant Senator
Rettdevil has a blog entry Combating the Combating Autism Act. I read it through, down to the link where she has a form to help people write letters lobbying against the Combating Autism Act, wrote my letter, then realized that you're supposed to be a US citizen to speak out about US laws. I'm Canadian. So, instead, I'm posting my letter here:
I urge you to not support S. 843, the Combating Autism Act of 2005, when it comes before the U.S. Senate in the coming weeks. This legislation, while it is important in awareness, is not conducive to supporting the individual with autism. Instead, it would likely lead to glorified genocide, under the guise of being good for the society, with the added bonus of maybe helping the person.
Autism is a complex developmental disability that affects an individual in the areas of social interaction, play and communication. Children and adults with autism are often unable to communicate, have differences in social interaction, are interested in different things (one kid might like cochroaches, another might have an enduring love of elevators). Autistic people are different even in how their minds work. Many autistics have described cognitive differences such as tangentiality, spatial or picture thinking, and other differences. Also, there are emotional differences. Apart from different interests, autistics may be less easily lonely, less interested in sexual activity, or less concerned with fitting in.
Autistics are people with the right to exist. Would you want to have a personality transplant and be told it was because you were not acceptable before when all is said and done? Would you like it if you knew that people were getting abortions to prevent children like you? Anya Souza, a self-advocate with Down Syndrome, certainly doesn't. She and her supporters once attended a conference about prenatal screening in order to protest the fact that 90% of prenatally diagnosed Down Syndrome infants are aborted. You can read about that here: http://www.mouthmag.com/issues/78/30_souza.html
The Combating Autism Act is a critical piece of legislation that authorizes more than $1 billion in federal funding for autism related research, early detection, and intervention, but does absolutely nothing for awareness in American Society. A revised plan of action for this legislation needs to be made in order for it to benefit the autistics currently in society, instead of merely being a tool of those seeking to eradicate them. By curing autism, there would be a loss of an abundance of creative and unique individuals that contribute to the greater good of society, each in their own ways. Instead, we need legislation that affirms that there are many ways of being a valuable person.
We, the autistic people, their families and friends, beg you to reconsider supporting this act if you already do so. If some species of fox is endangered, they are not expected to prove their worth for people to lobby to protect them. Why is it that certain varieties of human beings are required to prove their value in order to continue existing?
Thank you for your consideration of this request.
Sincerely,_________ _______
I urge you to not support S. 843, the Combating Autism Act of 2005, when it comes before the U.S. Senate in the coming weeks. This legislation, while it is important in awareness, is not conducive to supporting the individual with autism. Instead, it would likely lead to glorified genocide, under the guise of being good for the society, with the added bonus of maybe helping the person.
Autism is a complex developmental disability that affects an individual in the areas of social interaction, play and communication. Children and adults with autism are often unable to communicate, have differences in social interaction, are interested in different things (one kid might like cochroaches, another might have an enduring love of elevators). Autistic people are different even in how their minds work. Many autistics have described cognitive differences such as tangentiality, spatial or picture thinking, and other differences. Also, there are emotional differences. Apart from different interests, autistics may be less easily lonely, less interested in sexual activity, or less concerned with fitting in.
Autistics are people with the right to exist. Would you want to have a personality transplant and be told it was because you were not acceptable before when all is said and done? Would you like it if you knew that people were getting abortions to prevent children like you? Anya Souza, a self-advocate with Down Syndrome, certainly doesn't. She and her supporters once attended a conference about prenatal screening in order to protest the fact that 90% of prenatally diagnosed Down Syndrome infants are aborted. You can read about that here: http://www.mouthmag.com/issues/78/30_souza.html
The Combating Autism Act is a critical piece of legislation that authorizes more than $1 billion in federal funding for autism related research, early detection, and intervention, but does absolutely nothing for awareness in American Society. A revised plan of action for this legislation needs to be made in order for it to benefit the autistics currently in society, instead of merely being a tool of those seeking to eradicate them. By curing autism, there would be a loss of an abundance of creative and unique individuals that contribute to the greater good of society, each in their own ways. Instead, we need legislation that affirms that there are many ways of being a valuable person.
We, the autistic people, their families and friends, beg you to reconsider supporting this act if you already do so. If some species of fox is endangered, they are not expected to prove their worth for people to lobby to protect them. Why is it that certain varieties of human beings are required to prove their value in order to continue existing?
Thank you for your consideration of this request.
Sincerely,_________ _______
posted by Ettina at 9:03 AM
1 Comments:
It is amazing how much more fluent and reader-friendly the letters can be when it wasn't an angry autistic writing a draft. I really like your modifications, thank you so much for sharing them.
Legal changes in all countries have impact on all other countries, more so on those immediately surrounding them. Write them anyways. This is one of the VERY few instances in which I will advocate dishonesty--use someone else's address. Your letter is coherent, well thought out, and truthful. Thank you.
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