I about shit my pants when I saw some crap on Facebook incorrectly, and very insultingly, “defining” Autism. While I’m probably not the person most qualified to break this down for your ass, I’m certainly the most loud-mouthed person to take on this topic.
***
What is Autism? Facebook Answer:
Most autistic people are born to drug addicts.
What is Autism? Correct Answer:
Facebook users who honestly think most autistic people are born to drug addicts are probably on crack themselves and should be banned from using up my oxygen.
The truth is, sometimes people with autism are born to drug addicts, and sometimes people WITHOUT autism are born to drug addicts. Being a drug addict is scaggy, and being a PREGNANT drug addict is super-duper shitty, but the correlation Facebook users draw is incorrect. And also? It puts the blame for the issue on the wrong person. If you’re unhappy with drug addicts, an attitude with which I approve, then go do something about it. But don’t attack their blameless babies — kids of drug addicts are likely to have a rough enough time of it without you adding MORE stigma to their lives.
***
What is Autism? Facebook Answer:
Most autistic people are extremely violent.
What is Autism? Correct Answer:
Facebook users who honestly think most autistic people are violent have obviously fallen out the tallest dumb-dumb tree and need a fucking spanking.
The truth is, sometimes people with autism are violent, and sometimes people WITHOUT autism are violent. Sometimes is has to do with shitty parenting, sometimes it has to do with genetics, and sometimes children are just miniature assholes. There are plenty of violent people out in the world — enough that trying to pigeonhole their minds into one WedMD subject-of-the-day diagnosis is like trying to say that all humans are white or all sodas are Coke. Violent children, regardless of the reason(s) behind their aggression, should all be in therapy so their individual issues can be addressed.
***
What is Autism? Facebook Answer:
Most autistic people are evil.
What is Autism? Correct Answer:
Facebook users who honestly think most autistic people are evil should look out for lightning strikes because if there IS a god, the ignoramuses who spread such nonsense will be the first to get hit.
The truth is, if you are all Christian or Catholic or whatnot, you believe that ALL people are evil, regardless of whether or not there is autism involved. And if you AREN’T all Christian or Catholic or whatnot, you probably have your own opinions about the human condition and what it means to be alive in this cesspool of cellular nonsense. Only the Buddhists believe we are inherently GOOD, not BAD… but even their assessments have to do with humanity as a whole. So they would believe that even people with autism have the spark of decency which only needs to be nurtured to see fruition.
But look, okay? Let’s leave all that religious junk out, because it is meaningless unless we’re all of the same faith, which we most obviously are NOT. What I’m trying to get at here is this: Evil exists in people of all genetic makeups. Evil people troll the internetz daily. They do not all have autism.
***
While we’re on the topic of mental issues, let’s talk about what it means to have a brain that operates differently from others. That covers a huge spectrum of possibilities. You don’t really know to which group of individuals I’m referring, do you? Could be depressives, or schizophrenics, or autistics, or bi-polars, or challenged, or addicts, or any number of other disorders. Everyone in this group could find themselves holding a gun. And you know what? Everyone OUTSIDE this group could find themselves holding a gun, too.
***
What is Autism?
Autism is not for me to define. It’s not for YOU to define. It’s for mental health professionals, or relatives, or caretakers, to figure out. I know you are eager to blame someone for the recent violent tragedies. And that’s fine. But don’t be an asshole about it. Know what you’re talking about. Research, ask questions, discuss. Reach out to people who might have the answers, because chances are, you’re not one of them. I know I’m not.
I have exactly ONE friend who is the parent of an autistic child. She does not fit your stupid criteria for parent of Satan, and her child does not fit your stupid criteria of evil incarnate. So right away I can say, from personal experience, that your theories make as much sense as an elephant giving birth to an ostrich.
Even so, one experience does not make me an expert. I would not deign to speak definitively about such an allusive topic, since my knowledge and experience is limited. So tell me:
What the fuck makes you think YOU’RE qualified to say anything about it, Facebook idiots?
