Autism United :: CBS owes Persons with Autism Apology..

Couldn't say it any better than they did below.. From Autism United comes the following (via Glynda King at MHDDAD, hugs)..

For what it's worth, the "r" word (retard, retarded) along with other similar disabilistic references have been making a tremendous comeback in television scripts the last few months.. Oh, for a cheap 'puter to have been able to realtime rock the word in rebuke as they appeared.. :hint, hint, wink:

CBS owes an apology.

People with autism are not "retards."

Last week on an episode of the CBS program "Big Brother" cast member Adam Jasinski referred to people with autism as "retards." This dehumanizing language is unacceptable. When Don Imus used racially callous language on his program CBS executives Leslie Moonves and Sumner Redstone issued an apology, fired Imus and cancelled his show. We call up Mr. Moonves and Mr. Redstone to issue an apology to people with autism and other developmental disabilities, fire Adam Jasinski, and cancel Big Brother.

Please forward this message to friends and family.

If you would like to write to Mr. Moonves and Sumner here is their contact information

Mr. Leslie Moonves
Chief Executive Officer
CBS Corporation
51 West 52nd Street
New York, NY 10019-6188
Phone: 212-975-4321

Mr. Sumner Redstone
Executive Chairman
CBS Corporation
51 West 52nd Street
New York, NY
10019-6188
Phone: 212-975-4321

The text of Autism United's letters to Mr. Moonves and Mr. Sumner is below.

We are writing to express our dismay and disgust at comments that were made by Adam Jasinski during the broadcast of "Big Brother" program. In episode 2, Jasinsiki describes his plans to open a hair styling business catering to people with autism who he refers to as "retards."

Just as we are confident that CBS would not tolerate the use derogatory epithets regarding race, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation we hope that the use of derogatory terms for people with disabilities in also unacceptable in your programming.

We believe Jasinski should be terminated immediately, and we believe that the show should be cancelled. Further, we expect an apology to people with autism, developmental disabilities and their families from Jasinski, Big Brother, CBS and National Amusements. While Jasinski displayed gross ignorance, the producers of the show chose to use his comments to forward the show's storyline. This displays a conscious choice on their part to demean and hurt a large group of people to further their own commercial goals.

While a large number of people with autism do have mental retardation, a very large portion do not and they are perfectly capable of understanding that they have been denigrated in an extremely demeaning way by a program broadcast for profit by CBS.

Family members of people with autism, especially parents, are constantly challenged by the great deal of misinformation surrounding autism. Broadcasts such as Big Brother makes caring for a family member with autism all that more difficult.

It is appropriate I believe to note that the Holocaust began with the extermination of developmental disabled children in a secret program called Aktion T-4. The techniques, organization and personnel for Aktion T-4 went directly to run the extermination camps at Treblinka, Sobibor and others. All extermination campaigns begin with the de-humanization of the target group. And referring to developmental disabled people and people with autism as "retards" indeed fails to recognize the humanity of people with these disorders.

We have also contacted advertisers on Big Brother, including Saturn, Pfizer, Geico, Bertoli, Lowe's, Theraflu, and Taco Bell and have asked them if they want their products associated with language that demeans people with autism and other disabilities.

Thank you for your time and consideration and we look forward to your response.

Warmest cyber hugs from the hills of North Georgia..

UNITED IN ADVOCACY..!!

Up for telling Ted Nugent where to pluck it..?

Ted Nugent's the latest to cross my inbox as supportive of Dr. Uncouth, assisted suicide, legalization, and everyone staying out of it because it is, in his so many words, not a threat to vulnerable populations..

Sic 'em.. :wink:

Whoops, almost forgot..

Dear Ted Nugent:

Well spoken from your Ivory Tower of Celebrity Privilege.. When it comes to speaking about the slippery slope from these Shoes, YOU need to listen a little bit more as to why people fear.. people like you who don't even pretend to try to understand but who rant on and on from self-important possible positions of power to change the iffies on this Life-affecting debate..

Grrrin.. You said it yourself, Ted, when you said: "I would love to know who thinks he or she has any right to tell family members or loved ones just how, when or if they can compassionately end their suffering and meet their maker."

THAT'S what we're trying to tell people like you.

Right now, these types of decisions are being made not based on Love and Compassion but instead are being made based on how much trouble persons of all disabilities are to others.. Making it any more legal, any easier than it already is ups the verticality of that "slippery slope" we all speak of these days..

Shaking your head in retort..? (Can feel the residual disturbance in the air waves from here..)

'Splain to me, then, what was the excuse Ashley's parents, of Ashley's treatment fame, gave for why they violated her womanhood, her human rights, her Life's dignities.. Because it convenienced them, because it made things easier on them..

Whether or not you'd ever admit it publicly now, you and I both know there is no way in H-E-Double-Toothpicks the Ashley treatment parents are the only ones pulling this kind of cr#p on my extended family of friends..

'Nuff said.

Reference - Waco Tribune-Herald :: Ted Nugent: When my time comes, Big Brother, butt out, Ted Nugent, Sunday, July 01, 2007..

Personal to Self-Advocates :: Two questions to ask any entity..

You're contemplating supporting, be it virtually, financially, or spiritually:

• Does the organization in question advocate the support of the self-advocate Voice under all circumstances..?
• Does the organization in question advocate the desegregation of persons with disabilities under all circumstances..?

If you encounter a "yes" answer to the first, cool beans, for there are those who answer "no".. Should an entity choose to advocate the squelching of the newly empowered self-advocate Voices springing up all over our World, one cannot help but doubt the motivation of an entity that openly, publicly advocates to (seemingly) more powerful entities that they throw the self-advocate Voice into the figurative Trash, especially should that original entity be one that itself presents a public facade of encouraging independent living..

If you encounter a "yes" answer to the second, the desegregation of persons with disabilities under all circumstances, cool beans, again.. To those who answer "no" to this question, one might do well to ask why they choose to support an action that will only serve to encourage other entities to follow suit, thus setting backwards a movement that has taken some 30, 40-odd years plus to create, the 100% full, unfettered inclusion of all persons with disabilities in our communities..

Just one person's most humble O.. The Choice, as always, is yours..

Georgia Tools For Life's ReBoot Program..

One of the latest emails in my inbox served as a reminder of the existence of the Georgia Tools For Life ReBoot computer recycling program.. Computer parts along with other miscellaneous technologies donated to Georgia Tools For Life's ReBoot are recycled, revamped through this non-profit then given to persons with disabilities across the state..

What I REALLY like about this program is that they ask for those who receive computers to pay it forward by donating, volunteering so many hours of time to ANY other non-profit entity of that person's choosing.. This is not just some kind of handout deal..

With all the wonderful interest in Freecycle-type programs going on right now, please think of adding TFL's ReBoot program to your bookmark index for the next time you upgrade your equipment in the future and just don't know what you're ever going to do with the backlog of computer parts beginning to pile up in that back closet of yours..

Statement of Solidarity for the Dignity of PWDs..

A Statement of Solidarity for the Dignity of People With Disabilities: A Reaction to, against the "Ashley Treatment"..

pub6.bravenet.com/guestbook/501900445.

Resource: People First of Georgia.