Hannah Brown: 5 Facts Autism Families Want President Obama to Know

Hannah Brown: 5 Facts Autism Families Want President Obama to Know

Concerns raised over possible exploitation of mentally disabled voters

FayObserver.com - Concerns raised over possible exploitation of mentally disabled voters

Jimmy Green's stepdaughter had never voted before. The 57-year-old is mentally disabled, and Green said she doesn't understand the concept of casting a ballot.  But this week, she called her parents to say she had voted for President Obama. The care home in Fayetteville where she lives registered its residents to vote and drove them to the polls, Green said.  "My concern is that somebody told her who to vote for," he said. "She didn't even know there's two different parties."

...

"The audacity of it to me, it is shameful, but both parties do it," said Talbot, a former Fayetteville city councilman. "When you haul people that are not competent and you do their voting for them, that's fraud."

Pathetic Paul Wallis - American Conservatism Autism Comparison

As a father of a child with autism, I must say, this is pathetic.  Paul Wallis accomplishes the difficult task of looking more craven than the politicians he is trashing.  While we do have a lot of pretend conservatives in the United States, they apparently have a pretend writer or two in Australia.

Op-Ed: Is American conservatism a type of autism? 

Washington - Autism is described as a medical condition whereby people are self-centred, uncommunicative and at a remove from their social environment. There are many different types of autism and degrees of it. A type of “social autism” is also quite possible.

Autism ticks all the boxes for behaviour in relation to social issues by conservatives. It seems that there is no society except the one they choose to acknowledge. This is “social autism”, and it comes in many forms.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/333662#ixzz27hfMPQxU

Darrell Issa/Dan Burton: Schedule Promised Vaccine Hearings

"Call Reps. Burton and Issa Today Ask them to Schedule Promised Vaccine Hearings Representative Darrell Issa, the powerful Chairman of the House of Representatives Oversight and Reform Committee, has promised hearings on the actions of the federal government - the Department of Justice, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) – in the conduct in the Omnibus Autism Proceedings and on the actions of the CDC regarding the 2004 IOM report on mercury and vaccines. However, so far the hearings have not been scheduled on calendar of the Oversight and Reform Committee. Please call the district office of Congressman Darrell Issa at (760) 599-5000 and the district office of Congressman Dan Burton at (317) 848-0201 and thank them for the efforts they made so far to move these hearings along and politely let them know that it is very important to you that the hearings are scheudled for September or October. Congressman Burton is retiring this November and this may be our last best chance for awhile to have hearings on vaccine issues. The time is now to push Congress to hold hearings. We greatly appreciate the efforts Reps. Issa and Burton have made, you can be sure that they are getting huge pressure not to look at these issues, we need to provide them the support they need to move forward."

Issa - http://issa.house.gov/Burton - http://burton.house.gov/

Joe Scarborough – Batman Autism Apology | Autism Dad

Joe Scarborough – Batman Autism Apology | Autism Dad

I mentioned yesterday that Joe Scarborough of MSNBC will most likely be feeling the wrath of the autism community over his recent comments made during Monday morning’s edition of “Morning Joe,  that the Batman shooter is probably on the autism spectrum.  Despite having a child of his own on the spectrum, Joe is getting some heat. This is one of those rare moments were lots of factions of the autism community will agree.  This is not in the realm of Michael Savage or Dennis Leary, but Joe should probably clarify his remarks / apologize. 

Full @ http://autismdad.com/2012/07/24/joe-scarborough-batman-autism-apology/

Autism Dad | Joe Scarborough, Meet Autism Backlash

Joe Scarborough, Meet Autism Backlash

Even though Joe Scarborough has a child on the autism spectrum, he is in for a can full of holy whoop ass over the statements he made today.  Disclaimer: I like, Joe.  I think Joe should have run for president.  I am not sure why he didn’t despite a lot of conjecture.  That said, Joe will be promptly back-tracking and reexplaining what he meant to say by the time you read this post.

Rolf Hazlehurst: Bruesewitz v. Wyeth SCOTUS Vaccine Case Press Conference 3/3/11

Rolf Hazlehurst, Esq (Father of an autistic child whose claim was denied in Vaccine Court)

"My son's case was the second test case in the Omnibus Autism Proceeding in what is known as Vaccine Court.  ...My son is eleven years old.  He suffers severe and permanent brain damage. In all probability, he'll spend his adult life locked in a mental institution. ... When you consider that the rate of autism has risen from one in 10,000 to one in 100 in less than twenty years, we as parents have a moral obligation to legitimately question vaccine safety. ...If I had time to explain, I'd like to talk about the financial conflicts of interest between the pharmaceutical industry, the FDA, and the CDC, but unfortunately, that would take all day. 

"The main point I want to talk about is my personal experience in Vaccine Court. For twenty-five years, the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Act of 1986 has kept vaccine-injured children out of state and federal court.  It should be called the National Vaccine Manufacturers Protection Act. ...  For twenty-five years, the government has said that before you can go to a court of law, you must first to Vaccine Court.  It's highly misleading for the government to refer to Vaccine Court as a court.  In Vaccine Court, there is no judge, no jury, and the most basic rules of law do not apply.  The rules of evidence do not apply.  The rules of civil procedure do not apply. The rules of discovery do not apply.  In Vaccine Court, the rule of law and the American legal system has been replaced by what is known as a Special Master.  A Special Master is nothing more than a politically appointed, government attorney.  Vaccine Court is nothing more than a procedural hurdle that has kept the vaccine-autism issue out of court for twenty-five years.  I truly believe that if it were not for the Vaccine Act of 1986, the autism epidemic would not be possible.  I've been an attorney for 15 years and in my personal opinion the actions of the government officials in Vaccine Court is part of the most frightening and blatant abuse of power that I've ever witnessed. 

"I'd like to explain just one example. ... That's the case of Hannah Poling and what I call the the Zimmerman issue.  In essence, Dr. Zimmerman is one of the top neurologists in the country.  He was an expert witness for the government.  He submitted a written opinion which stated, there is no scientific basis for a connection between the MMR, mercury intoxication, and autism. 

"When the Cedillo case went to trial, the government did not call Dr. Zimmerman as a witness.  But since we're not in a court of law, his opinion was allowed to remain in.  Dr. Zimmerman subsequently filed a second opinion.  He filed it on behalf of his colleague, for Hannah Poling.  In that opinion, Dr. Zimmerman's opinion states words to the effect that she suffered a vaccine injury which manifested as autism.  Manifested as autism, is autism.   

"In the first opinion, our government relied upon his evidence.  In the second, contradictory opinion of Dr. Zimmerman, the government placed it under seal and it was not allowed to be used as evidence.  In fact, during the closing arguments in my son's case, the government's attorney read from Dr. Zimmerman's report, read that there is no basis that thimerosal-containing vaccines and the MMR cause autism.  However, it was only three weeks later that the same government attorneys used Dr. Zimmerman's second contradictory opinion to secretly and very quietly compensate Hannah Poling.  I submit that the government compensated Hannah Poling as a tactical decision and procedural maneuver to prevent Dr. Zimmerman's second opinion from being used as evidence. 

"I want to clarify.  I am in no way critical of the Polings.  They have done anything wrong at all.  For that matter, I'm not critical of Dr. Zimmerman.  In fact, the Polings filed what is called a motion for complete transparency.  Basically what that means is Hannah Poling's parents wanted to talk about their child's case.  They wanted to make their child's medical records public.  They wanted to make their child's records public in order to help other children.  The government opposed that motion for complete transparency, continues to oppose that motion for complete transparency and has done everything that they possibly can to prevent her records from being used as evidence.  ...I sincerely believe that the records in Hannah Poling's case could help an untold number of other children.  I do not contend that Dr. Zimmerman did anything unethical or wrong.  He's an expert in a ...rapidly deve loping field of medicine; he's entitled to change his opinion.  What is wrong is for the government to have one expert with two opinions, use the opinion which says vaccines do not cause autism, take the second opinion, which said that the vaccines did cause autism, and seal it up. 

"In a strange twist of fate, my son Yates was also was also a patient of Dr. Zimmerman.  My son also has the same neurological diagnosis, regressive encephalopathy with features of an autism spectrum disorder.  Dr. Julie Gerberding, who's the former head of the CDC, tried to twist this into, oh well, Hannah Poling's case is different from everybody else's.  She's really not autistic.  It’s all a mitochondrial disorder.  I don't doubt that Hannah Poling does have a mitochondrial disorder.  We subsequently learned that my child has a mitochondrial disorder.  In fact, many of the parents that I know who’ve been able to afford to have their children tested, [have found that their children have] a mitochondrial disorder. 

"The President promised us complete transparency.  That's not the case in the autism proceeding.  Again the government has done everything that it can to prevent the fact that the government's expert witness submitted two contradictory affidavits, the government using the one that is favorable and sealing up the one that is not. The actions of the government in sealing up Dr. Zimmerman's second contradictory opinion is wrong, dishonest, corrupt, obstruction of justice.  I would call it perpetration of fraud upon the court, except we're not in the court, we're in the so-called Vaccine Court.  Now the Supreme Court has told us that in almost any case, if your child is injured, you cannot go to a court of law.  Instead, you must go to Vaccine Court.  I submit to you, look up kangaroo court, in a legal dictionary and it'll describe the Vaccine Court to a tee.  Unfortunately, in the past nine years, I 've learned more than I ever wanted to about vaccines, autism, the National Vaccine Injury Compensation  Act of 1986.  And of this I am certain: One of the fundamental causes of the autism epidemic is the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Act of 1986.  This program is broken and it is out of control.  I hope every American will join us in demanding a Congressional inquiry into the vaccine program.  I think most Americans would be shocked if they knew what has happened.”

Retired 9/11 Firefighter Writes to President Obama About Urgency of Autism - AGE OF AUTISM

Retired 9/11 Firefighter Writes to President Obama About Urgency of Autism - AGE OF AUTISM

By Tim Dwyer
President Obama 

I am sending you these boots to symbolize the fact that my son Colin will never be a third generation NYC Firefighter, Colin like 1.5 million other American children and young adults has Autism.  Our children are getting older and the Autism debate is endless, I just left my sons school and had to step around a student having a “difficult” time sprawled out on the floor, we parents are heartbroken and angry that our beautiful kids are so tormented, they have no future, and we anguish over what will become of them when we are no longer around to care for them.
 We need a cure, and we need your help, it won’t cost you a dime, just a few passionate words. We need you to be brave like my son and bold like President Kennedy when in dramatic and unforgettable fashion he challenged  the scientific community of the day to put a man on the moon, his words were powerful and inspired our nation to one of the greatest achievements in human history.  Our Autistic sons and daughters need you to push the scientific community of today the same way, inspire and challenge them to find a cure for Autism by the end of this decade. We need a champion and from where I’m standing saving 1.5 million lives plus future generations is a far greater achievement than putting a man on the moon.  

Ask the  X Prize foundation to set up a $10 million prize for our cure, if they are not interested we can raise the money ourselves through Autism Speaks the “A” prize,  (Managing Editor's Note: Tim and I had a good laugh over that suggestion but maybe if the President asks, they'll "listen" so to speak) there are so many of us it will only be a few bucks a head. Attached is a check for the first $100.00 for the fund, and I will mortgage my house and liquidate every asset we have if needed. 

More @ http://www.ageofautism.com/2012/05/retired-911-firefighter-writes-to-president-obama-about-urgency-of-autism.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ageofautism+%28AGE+OF+AUTISM%29

Autism Abuse: Sign Human Rights Petition - Cherry Hill School District: Fire Kelly Altenburg | Change.org

Human Rights Petition: Cherry Hill School District: Fire Kelly Altenburg | Change.org

When Stuart Chaifetz sent his 10-year-old son to New Jersey's Horace Mann Elementary School wearing a hidden audio recorder, he couldn't have predicted what he would uncover.
Akian, who has Autism, returned with a tape containing hours of apparent verbal and emotional abuse from his classroom aide and teacher -- whom Chaifetz identifies as "Jodi" and "Kelly" -- a recording which his father later published on YouTube. 

WATCH VIDEO HERE:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfkscHt96R0 

At various points in the audio recording, you hear the 10-year-old, almost fully non-communicative autistic boy being told to "shut your mouth" and that he "is such a bastard."
And as if that weren't bad enough, his teachers also talk about drinking wine and tell Akian Chaifetz that he won't be seeing his father anytime soon, to which the youngster responds by sounding as if he is going to burst into tears with disappointment and fear.
After Stuart Chaifetz showed the audio recording to school administrators, one aide was fired, but at least two other adults can be heard on the tape, and that is why Chaifetz is taking his case public. He has stated ""To this end, I seek a full and public apology from all those adults who were in my son's class for what they did to him," writes on his website. "It is also far past time that these issues are allowed to be hidden from public view."
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No teacher who bullies a child, especially one with special needs, should be allowed to keep their job in the field. With all the evidence against Kelly Altenburg, this petition seeks either her resignment or the termination of any position at Cherry Hill Schools.
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Contact Cherry Hill Schools here:
http://www.cherryhill.k12.nj.us/contact/

SIGN PETITION HERE!!!

4th Anniversary of Obama's broken promise to appoint a Federal ASD Coordinator

FLASHBACK*** AutismParents.NET! »Two years and counting, Still no AUTISM CZAR

Still no Autism Czar.

Candidate Obama on Autism …

“Many insurance companies have failed to assume their responsibilities. Individuals with autism are routinely denied insurance benefits for their treatments. As President, I will appoint a Federal ASD Coordinator, an “Autism Czar” to oversee and coordinate a nationwide effort to deal proactively with ASD. This effort will include diverse but credible research, treatment, personal care/assistance and family support and will work with existing national and state organizations and taskforces. We need to ensure thatcombating autism, once and for all, receives the recognition and priority it deserves at the highest level of government. This appointee will also have a mandate to eliminate bureaucratic obstacles that may be delaying implementation of important measures and will ensure that all federal funds are being spent in a manner that prioritizes results. We need to build effective communication and collaboration among federal, state and local agencies. Right now, our government is just trying to keep up and, as any family who faces autism will tell you, we are not even doing that. What we know and what we have seen is that America can and must do more.”

[Excerpts from Senator Obama's World Autism Awareness Day Speech]

Related:

• Obama’s Autism Czar Missing in Action
• As President, I will appoint a Federal ASD Coordinator, an “Autism Czar” …
• Autism Speaks Launches TV Ad Campaign Calling on Congress to End Insurance Discrimination Against Children with Autism
• Obama/Biden on Autism (.pdf)
• G20/World Autism Awareness Day - Brown Obama Must Help
• Progress is slow in the war against autism
• Prime Minister Gordon Brown Responds To Autism Campaigner On World Autism Day