Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Michael Savage Speaks Out Against Autism

The newest flake to become an expert on autism, Michael Savage, shock jock, that makes his money disparaging others. Not such a stretch that he felt compelled to slander mentally handicapped children who can not speak for themselves. Savage recently shared his thoughts on autism on a broadcast that aired July 16th, claiming that children with autism were "frauds", and that their parents were perpetuaters of the lie.
Somehow Michael Savage has found the answer to the question that all of us as parents with children who suffer from this disability have so earnestly sought after. He knows what autism is, what causes it, as he disclosed on his show last week. "I'll tell you what autism is. In 99 percent of the cases, it's a brat who hasn't been told to cut the act out. That's what autism is. What do you mean they scream and they're silent? They don't have a father around to tell them, 'Don't act like a moron. You'll get nowhere in life. Stop acting like a putz. Straighten up. Act like a man. Don't sit there crying and screaming, idiot." From the mouth of Michael Savage. All I needed to do was berate, ridicule, and yell at my son and he would have been normal. No pill, no diet, no therapy required. So simple, how did I not see it?
And why do I want my son to have autism so badly? Well, for the money of course. Mr. Savage believes that parents who claim their children have autism somehow benefit from it. It's "a fraud, a racket"... "the illness du jour". After waiting for two years to get government assistance for my son's medical bills, I have been told that this is the year. This is the year that I might receive help for the medication that must be purchased every month, for the dental bills that are piling up, for the many needs of a boy who is suffering from autism. This for a child who we cannot get insurance for because he suffers from a 'pre-existing condition'. All this time I have been banking on the dough rolling in, willing to put up with a son who is ostracized for his behaviors, forgoing public appearances, allowing my family to become dysfunctional, and I haven't seen a dime. I would like to file a formal complaint because, apparently all of these other people who have children with autism are getting their financial gain.
Well, Michael Savage, for saying something so completely insensitive, so socially taboo, so completely foolish, I'm wondering if you've ever considered being tested for autism? If you loose your job, perhaps the government could support you.

2 comments:

Paula Dawidowicz said...

Tracy, I have an Asperger's child--looks normal, and is now 22. Unfortunately, emotionally he's about 14, and will be a teenager for three times the average length of time most parents deal with. Like Tom Cruise, it's easy for many people to deny the reality that brains and bodies are not always wired correctly, or even in an understandable manner, but it doesn't change the reality. Someday that reality will be inescapable for them... Hang in there! It's the great ones (like you) who share love daily with those who are perpetually misunderstood and undervalued by others!

Elisabeth Taylor said...

So I asked Mark if he'd heard about this since he listens to Savage quite often b/c he drives so much and he said it was totally blown out of proportion- that the media only plays certain snippets of what he was saying and totally took it out of context. He said he spoke for a really long time about it and didn't disrespect the condition at all and recognized it as valid. I think the media might be to blame here.