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Sensitive Topic Ballarat Autism blogger recieves death threat by American Anti-Autism blogger

AGXStarseed

Well-Known Member
(The following is not written by me and is a sensitive subject).

Two "keyboard warriors" - one in Victoria and one in Los Angeles - were involved in heated online arguments over the existence of autism that quickly escalated into death threats, a court has heard.

Philip Gluyas, 49, an umpire in the Ballarat junior football league with Asperger's syndrome, claims to be living in fear after anti-autism blogger Oliver Canby urged people to kill him in a series of posts on the website 'Autism is Bad'.

Canby, who lives in Los Angeles, wanted people to show up at Mr Gluyas' Sebastopol home and murder him, the Supreme Court was told on Tuesday.

Canby, who does not believe Asperger Syndrome exists, claimed he would offer a $500 reward to anyone who carried out the murder.


1421125154752.jpg

Philip Gluyas, an Aspie and advocate for Autism rights.

Mr Gluyas, an outspoken advocate for the rights of people with autism, is suing Canby in the Victorian Supreme Court for defamation claiming he had made false and malicious statements about him, exposing him to hate, ridicule and contempt.

Mr Gluyas, who runs the blog 'Phil Gluyas: Autism News and Views. The truth about Autism is here', was first diagnosed with Asperger's in 1997. The condition is considered to be part of the autism spectrum.

In his statement of claim, Mr Gluyas revealed one of Canby's posts on the 'Autism is Bad' website went on to say: "Just to clarify, this is a threat of bodily harm, as well as a threat on Phil Gluyas' life".

Canby also wrote: "I hope someone comes to your house with a knife tonight and saws your head off".

Mr Gluyas was previously awarded $54,000 in damages in a separate defamation case in 2013, against another US anti-autism blogger - John Best - who lived in New Hampshire.

Best had claimed all forms of autism were caused by mercury poisoning and could be cured by a form of treatment known as chelation. But Mr Gluyas challenged this view, posting how conditions on the autism
spectrum were congenital and could not be cured.

In one of Best's posts on the 'hatingautism' website, he claimed an AFL official should be informed of "the deranged nature of the psychopath Gluyas", claiming Mr Gluyas suffered from a serious mental
disorder that caused him to be violent towards others.

Best even compared Mr Gluyas to the serial killer Hannibal Lecter.

Mr Gluyas rejected the claims and successfully sued Best for defamation.

The former Australia Post worker, who is on a disability pension because of his Asperger's, which his psychiatrist says makes it impossible for him to work in a social environment in the workplace, told the court on Tuesday that he was angry and disgusted by Canby's posts.

In his posts, Canby falsely claimed Mr Gluyas did not have Asperger's and was a paedophile, homosexual and sexual deviant.

Mr Gluyas said Canby's false statements had negatively impacted on his credibility and his efforts to fight for the rights of people with autism.

Psychiatrist Dr Bernard Hickey, who has been treating Mr Gluyas for more than a decade, told the court the death threats made by Canby had made Mr Gluyas "genuinely fearful".

Justice Jack Forrest accepted Canby, who did not appear in court, had made vile accusations against Mr Gluyas after the two men had become "keyboard warriors".

The judge will hand down his decision on January 21.


SOURCE: Ballarat autism blogger threatened with death
 
I think if that was me, instead of suing for defamation I would be getting a court order to have that guy's head examined. He quite obviously has some screws loose and needs some serious therapy. Death threats are nothing new with internet trolls, but a hit? He can't be serious! What kind of an idiot goes public about a hit? I know the police don't care about death threats until after somebody gets killed, but all he's doing is setting himself up perfect for a framed murder and a long jail sentence should one of his more skillful haters decide to take advantage of the situation. And if somebody actually does take out a hit, the judge would have to be pretty crooked not to hold him accountable in some manner. Kids these days just don't have the sense God gave a rock, I swear... :sweat:
 
I think if that was me, instead of suing for defamation I would be getting a court order to have that guy's head examined. He quite obviously has some screws loose and needs some serious therapy. Death threats are nothing new with internet trolls, but a hit? He can't be serious! What kind of an idiot goes public about a hit? I know the police don't care about death threats until after somebody gets killed, but all he's doing is setting himself up perfect for a framed murder and a long jail sentence should one of his more skillful haters decide to take advantage of the situation. And if somebody actually does take out a hit, the judge would have to be pretty crooked not to hold him accountable in some manner. Kids these days just don't have the sense God gave a rock, I swear... :sweat:

Sadly, this isn't the first time nor will it be the last that I have seen this kind of thing. I was once looking up information on Autism for a project I was doing and came across a blog page - written by a mother of an Autistic child, no less, who claimed that Autism and Aspergers didn't exist. Her basis for her argument was that it wasn't around when she was a child, so it couldn't possibly exist now.
Well I know people diagnosed with Autism/Aspergers can be 'good actors', but to pretend from an early age and continue a facade throughout our lives is pushing it a bit, don't you think?

I don't know about Mr. Carnby's opinion as to why he thinks it doesn't exist, but I agree with you - to openly put a price on someone's head is absolutely ridiculous. I certainly wish Philip the best of luck with his court case and I hope he wins. It saddens me, though, to think that we continuously hear people inform us of how we are becoming more intelligent and non-judgemental, and then we see stuff like this from people who seemingly have nothing better to do.

We Auties and Aspies need to watch each others backs. We've got a lot of enemies in this world from singular individuals up to big-name corporations like Autism Speaks and the Judge Rotenberg Centre.
May we continue to stand united against these oppressors, for we have the same rights and entitlement to be here and be ourselves as anyone else on this little blue planet we call home - even if we do call ourselves aliens :D.
 
Absolutely atrocious behavior... How we (I live in the US) have so many assholes, I struggle to understand. There's just not much more to be said on this front, the man has problems on the level of Westboro and needs to stop tossing his sh*t in the communal well.

At least nobody but a junkie would kill a man for $500? Not too much comfort, on second though. =\
 
This obviously is atrocious behaviour and not to be condoned, but why keep such a dialogue open in the first place?
I found early on, with my ex-wife, that responding to texts and phonecalls just opened a channel for dialogue that was, obviously, never going to be good. So why respond.. why encourage dialogue in the first place?
Is this the American sueing culture at work (rapidly spreading to the UK, btw) Or an example of two immature people, neither with the maturity to walk away from a potential argument?
I'm sorry to be such a pacifist, but I'd rather turn away than end up in fisticuffs.
How much do such petty squabbles cost the judicial system and tie it up when more vital issues are at stake?
Just a thought..
 
It's an example of a disease. This guy and like-minded individuals need help, and I'm not even saying this out of spite. I'd feel bad for the man if he weren't threatening another human being.

There needs to be something done about this kind of mindset, it's not healthy.
 
Unfortunately, taking squabbles to court doesn't make them go away, it just exacerbates them.
I agree it's dis-ease, a 'mistaken state of mind', but the cure is acceptance and education, not fighting.. we're not 12 year-olds in the school playground anymore, are we?
I feel bad for them both, for allowing themselves to be goaded into a fight in the first place.. it's like they want that circle of spectators around them, outside the school gates..
I'd far rather discussion and compromise, Vulcan-style (forgive the StarTrek Reference) :cool:
 
Acceptance and education can't be forced, we've seen it with other groups. You can't reason with everyone. I've had a few close calls in my own life. Moreover, this isn't how well-balanced people act. It's criminal and it's being addressed, at the very least, but I hope this kind of warped thinking doesn't continue into the future.
 
Throughout the UK, Autism and Mental Health Charities are striving to bring awareness of these conditions into public awareness with the aim of preventing this kind of discrimination.
I can only imagine that, no matter the response I get, my calm, open and reasoned discussion will get through to at least some, where-as a row will only make me public enemy wierdo number one.
I live with hope :)
 
Agreed with regards to the optimism in the end, but I don't worry about these things because they matter on a larger scale. Their tenacity, and to be honest, how vocal these people tend to be irks me. The loud idiots can seem like majorities nowadays compared to the silent majorities. I just wish that everyone was with the program.

Aren't I fantasizing. But it is an annoyance of mine, and I feel awful that these people have to live burdened by such irrational hate. I think they need some kind of help that isn't being offered, or, in these criminal cases, isn't being made mandatory. This surely is not acceptable.
 
Sadly, this isn't the first time nor will it be the last that I have seen this kind of thing. I was once looking up information on Autism for a project I was doing and came across a blog page - written by a mother of an Autistic child, no less, who claimed that Autism and Aspergers didn't exist. Her basis for her argument was that it wasn't around when she was a child, so it couldn't possibly exist now.
Well I know people diagnosed with Autism/Aspergers can be 'good actors', but to pretend from an early age and continue a facade throughout our lives is pushing it a bit, don't you think?

I don't know about Mr. Carnby's opinion as to why he thinks it doesn't exist, but I agree with you - to openly put a price on someone's head is absolutely ridiculous. I certainly wish Philip the best of luck with his court case and I hope he wins. It saddens me, though, to think that we continuously hear people inform us of how we are becoming more intelligent and non-judgemental, and then we see stuff like this from people who seemingly have nothing better to do.

We Auties and Aspies need to watch each others backs. We've got a lot of enemies in this world from singular individuals up to big-name corporations like Autism Speaks and the Judge Rotenberg Centre.
May we continue to stand united against these oppressors, for we have the same rights and entitlement to be here and be ourselves as anyone else on this little blue planet we call home - even if we do call ourselves aliens :D.
I wish I could use that argument about dinosaurs having feathers. Dinosaurs only had scales when I was growing up! Where'd all these feathers come from? These kids and their new-fangled ideas...

I think we're slowly making headway as a species, but there will always be those of strong and seemingly backward opinions. For the most part, I'm okay with that. I just hope they don't get violent with it, that truly is a backward methodology! And just because you don't believe something is true doesn't mean you can't respect it or enjoy it. I really don't think a goddess danced the world into creation, but that'd be a pretty awesome way to begin the universe!

Oh yeah, and I'd like to add that dude probably isn't going to do well in court if all he had to put on a hit is $500. That would barely get you a sloppy murder, much less a good lawyer!
 
(The following is not written by me and is a sensitive subject).

Two "keyboard warriors" - one in Victoria and one in Los Angeles - were involved in heated online arguments over the existence of autism that quickly escalated into death threats, a court has heard.

Philip Gluyas, 49, an umpire in the Ballarat junior football league with Asperger's syndrome, claims to be living in fear after anti-autism blogger Oliver Canby urged people to kill him in a series of posts on the website 'Autism is Bad'.

Canby, who lives in Los Angeles, wanted people to show up at Mr Gluyas' Sebastopol home and murder him, the Supreme Court was told on Tuesday.

Canby, who does not believe Asperger Syndrome exists, claimed he would offer a $500 reward to anyone who carried out the murder.


1421125154752.jpg

Philip Gluyas, an Aspie and advocate for Autism rights.

Mr Gluyas, an outspoken advocate for the rights of people with autism, is suing Canby in the Victorian Supreme Court for defamation claiming he had made false and malicious statements about him, exposing him to hate, ridicule and contempt.

Mr Gluyas, who runs the blog 'Phil Gluyas: Autism News and Views. The truth about Autism is here', was first diagnosed with Asperger's in 1997. The condition is considered to be part of the autism spectrum.

In his statement of claim, Mr Gluyas revealed one of Canby's posts on the 'Autism is Bad' website went on to say: "Just to clarify, this is a threat of bodily harm, as well as a threat on Phil Gluyas' life".

Canby also wrote: "I hope someone comes to your house with a knife tonight and saws your head off".

Mr Gluyas was previously awarded $54,000 in damages in a separate defamation case in 2013, against another US anti-autism blogger - John Best - who lived in New Hampshire.

Best had claimed all forms of autism were caused by mercury poisoning and could be cured by a form of treatment known as chelation. But Mr Gluyas challenged this view, posting how conditions on the autism
spectrum were congenital and could not be cured.

In one of Best's posts on the 'hatingautism' website, he claimed an AFL official should be informed of "the deranged nature of the psychopath Gluyas", claiming Mr Gluyas suffered from a serious mental
disorder that caused him to be violent towards others.

Best even compared Mr Gluyas to the serial killer Hannibal Lecter.

Mr Gluyas rejected the claims and successfully sued Best for defamation.

The former Australia Post worker, who is on a disability pension because of his Asperger's, which his psychiatrist says makes it impossible for him to work in a social environment in the workplace, told the court on Tuesday that he was angry and disgusted by Canby's posts.

In his posts, Canby falsely claimed Mr Gluyas did not have Asperger's and was a paedophile, homosexual and sexual deviant.

Mr Gluyas said Canby's false statements had negatively impacted on his credibility and his efforts to fight for the rights of people with autism.

Psychiatrist Dr Bernard Hickey, who has been treating Mr Gluyas for more than a decade, told the court the death threats made by Canby had made Mr Gluyas "genuinely fearful".

Justice Jack Forrest accepted Canby, who did not appear in court, had made vile accusations against Mr Gluyas after the two men had become "keyboard warriors".

The judge will hand down his decision on January 21.


SOURCE: Ballarat autism blogger threatened with death
That's just terrible! What kind of person has the audacity to threaten any man's life, medical condition or no?! I believe that all human life is precious, and no one has the right to take it away! I hope that everything will turn out in Mr. Gluya's favor.
 
I will say that I don't believe it's "ridiculous" to openly put a price on someone's head. I think it's criminal behavior rising close to the definition of promoting a hate crime based on a medical diagnosis.

Free speech does not mean the right to call for explicit personal violence, and the reason we have hate speech legislation is that after an idea is acceptable enough to voice, the next threshold is acceptable enough to plan.
 
Free speech can be practiced to the full extent, but ends when people encourage violence or hatred towards a person or a group. You can even find that in the laws of many western countries. Of course spamming people with deaththreats isn't new to those who have dealt with trolls, but this is different. When a person with a public platform and a clear goal threatens a person who is considered to be the opposition - things get serious. This guy should get dragged to court. Let justice have its way. ;)

By the way,
Is it just me, or are science-denying conspiracy theory idiots always assholes?
why-gif-03.gif
 
Sadly, this isn't the first time nor will it be the last that I have seen this kind of thing. I was once looking up information on Autism for a project I was doing and came across a blog page - written by a mother of an Autistic child, no less, who claimed that Autism and Aspergers didn't exist. Her basis for her argument was that it wasn't around when she was a child, so it couldn't possibly exist now.
Well I know people diagnosed with Autism/Aspergers can be 'good actors', but to pretend from an early age and continue a facade throughout our lives is pushing it a bit, don't you think?

I don't know about Mr. Carnby's opinion as to why he thinks it doesn't exist, but I agree with you - to openly put a price on someone's head is absolutely ridiculous. I certainly wish Philip the best of luck with his court case and I hope he wins. It saddens me, though, to think that we continuously hear people inform us of how we are becoming more intelligent and non-judgemental, and then we see stuff like this from people who seemingly have nothing better to do.

We Auties and Aspies need to watch each others backs. We've got a lot of enemies in this world from singular individuals up to big-name corporations like Autism Speaks and the Judge Rotenberg Centre.
May we continue to stand united against these oppressors, for we have the same rights and entitlement to be here and be ourselves as anyone else on this little blue planet we call home - even if we do call ourselves aliens :D.


"We Auties and Aspies need to watch each others backs. We've got a lot of enemies in this world from singular individuals up to big-name corporations like Autism Speaks and the Judge Rotenberg Centre."

I am new to this forum & to the community in general. When you have the time, would you mind please enlightening me ... what is up with Autism Speaks & why do you consider it an enemy? I am not disputing your characterization, I am merely mostly unfamiliar with that organization & am sincerely seeking knowledge. Thank you!
 
"We Auties and Aspies need to watch each others backs. We've got a lot of enemies in this world from singular individuals up to big-name corporations like Autism Speaks and the Judge Rotenberg Centre."

I am new to this forum & to the community in general. When you have the time, would you mind please enlightening me ... what is up with Autism Speaks & why do you consider it an enemy? I am not disputing your characterization, I am merely mostly unfamiliar with that organization & am sincerely seeking knowledge. Thank you!

Okay, more ignorance on my part ... I had never heard of the Judge Rotenberg Center! I just checked out its website. I already have my own 1st impressions but would again appreciate if others here would kindly enlighten me on YOUR take & opinions of the place. I say "YOUR" meaning the personal feelings & opinions of Auties & Aspies ... the people whose assessments IMO would matter. I myself am NT, the aunt of a nonverbal Autistic teenaged boy.

THANK YOU in advance to anyone who will take the time to educate me a bit further.
 
I think if that was me, instead of suing for defamation I would be getting a court order to have that guy's head examined. He quite obviously has some screws loose and needs some serious therapy. Death threats are nothing new with internet trolls, but a hit? He can't be serious! What kind of an idiot goes public about a hit? I know the police don't care about death threats until after somebody gets killed, but all he's doing is setting himself up perfect for a framed murder and a long jail sentence should one of his more skillful haters decide to take advantage of the situation. And if somebody actually does take out a hit, the judge would have to be pretty crooked not to hold him accountable in some manner. Kids these days just don't have the sense God gave a rock, I swear... :sweat:
you sir are ****ing god.

you think like a good hearted doctor and better than good human beings.

nice man nice.
 
Okay, more ignorance on my part ... I had never heard of the Judge Rotenberg Center! I just checked out its website. I already have my own 1st impressions but would again appreciate if others here would kindly enlighten me on YOUR take & opinions of the place. I say "YOUR" meaning the personal feelings & opinions of Auties & Aspies ... the people whose assessments IMO would matter. I myself am NT, the aunt of a nonverbal Autistic teenaged boy.

THANK YOU in advance to anyone who will take the time to educate me a bit further.


Okay, more ignorance on my part ... I had never heard of the Judge Rotenberg Center! I just checked out its website. I already have my own 1st impressions but would again appreciate if others here would kindly enlighten me on YOUR take & opinions of the place. I say "YOUR" meaning the personal feelings & opinions of Auties & Aspies ... the people whose assessments IMO would matter. I myself am NT, the aunt of a nonverbal Autistic teenaged boy.

THANK YOU in advance to anyone who will take the time to educate me a bit further.
"We Auties and Aspies need to watch each others backs. We've got a lot of enemies in this world from singular individuals up to big-name corporations like Autism Speaks and the Judge Rotenberg Centre."

I am new to this forum & to the community in general. When you have the time, would you mind please enlightening me ... what is up with Autism Speaks & why do you consider it an enemy? I am not disputing your characterization, I am merely mostly unfamiliar with that organization & am sincerely seeking knowledge. Thank you!


I'll have to explain it to you elsewhere, as it involves topics that are controversial.
 

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