I just saw a story on CNN about the famous conservative political pundit, Michael Savage. (He is the third most listened to radio commentator below Limbaugh and Hannity, for anyone that didn’t know)
Anyhow he made some completely unacceptable comments about individuals with autism. He said quote:
“You know what autism is? 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.’ Autism — everybody has an illness. If I behaved like a fool, my father called me a fool. And he said to me, ‘Don’t behave like a fool.’ The worst thing he said — ‘Don’t behave like a fool. Don’t be anybody’s dummy. Don’t sound like an idiot. Don’t act like a girl. Don’t cry.’ That’s what I was raised with. That’s what you should raise your children with. Stop with the sensitivity training. You’re turning your son into a girl, and you’re turning your nation into a nation of losers and beaten men. That’s why we have the politicians we have.”
…..my god people. When are his listeners going to wake up and realize that this man, and the people that are like him, are thugs and bullies. I have had extensive work with kids and students that are diagnosed with autism and I can tell you right now it is not a made up disease. Even if it is an over diagnosed disease, which it isn’t, why would Mr. Savage choose this to attack? Seriously, what is his goal? A bunch of conservative jerks crying afoul on autistic programs throughout the US? How is this compassionate, good or moral in any way?
Personally I think someone should arrange for Mr. Savage to do some socialization work with a young autistic boy so he can learn a little bit more about his righteous crusade against the mentally ill. But he WOULDN’T do that because he is a “compassionate” conservative and spreading hate is more important than doing something good.