Ruby_Aspergic
Well-Known Member
Hey, guys! Ari Ne'eman, founder of the Autism Self-Advocacy Network, has
been nominated by President Obama to serve on the National Council on
Disability. Mr. Ne'eman found my blog recently and has been taking the time to personally email me
since then to coach me through advocacy issues and helping me get support
systems in place in Washington DC so I won't be on my own when I move there
next Winter. He doesn't know me, I don't know him, but he has been taking
time out of his personal schedule to help a random girl he found on the
internet. That kind of passion is what we need to see rising through the
ranks. He also has Asperger's Syndrome himself, and it is a major thing
for people with disabilities for him to have the honor of the nomination.
If he can get this far, so can we. This is huge, and he would be the first
person with autism to serve on the council.
It seems due to differences in opinion about the direction autism research
should take, his nomination has been placed on hold. I would like to urge
you to write, call, or email your senators prompting them to support Ari
Ne'eman! I have already done so myself.
Here is a website to find who your senators are...
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
Here is the article I found about the hold...
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/28/health/policy/28autism.html
"Mr. Ne’eman declined to be interviewed, citing the pending action on his
nomination. But in previous interviews with The New York Times and other
publications, he has argued that those most severely affected by autism are
the ones who benefit least from the pursuit of a cure, which he suggests is
unattainable anytime soon. Instead, he says, resources should be devoted to
accommodations and services that could improve their quality of life.
Historically, the kind of genetic research supported by many parents of
children with autism, Mr. Ne’eman has said, has been used to create
prenatal tests that give parents the ability to detect a fetus affected by
a particular condition, like Down syndrome, so that they can choose whether
to terminate the pregnancy.
“We just think it makes more sense to orient research to addressing
health problems or helping people communicate rather than creating a mouse
model of autism or finding a new gene,” Mr. Ne’eman has said."
been nominated by President Obama to serve on the National Council on
Disability. Mr. Ne'eman found my blog recently and has been taking the time to personally email me
since then to coach me through advocacy issues and helping me get support
systems in place in Washington DC so I won't be on my own when I move there
next Winter. He doesn't know me, I don't know him, but he has been taking
time out of his personal schedule to help a random girl he found on the
internet. That kind of passion is what we need to see rising through the
ranks. He also has Asperger's Syndrome himself, and it is a major thing
for people with disabilities for him to have the honor of the nomination.
If he can get this far, so can we. This is huge, and he would be the first
person with autism to serve on the council.
It seems due to differences in opinion about the direction autism research
should take, his nomination has been placed on hold. I would like to urge
you to write, call, or email your senators prompting them to support Ari
Ne'eman! I have already done so myself.
Here is a website to find who your senators are...
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
Here is the article I found about the hold...
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/28/health/policy/28autism.html
"Mr. Ne’eman declined to be interviewed, citing the pending action on his
nomination. But in previous interviews with The New York Times and other
publications, he has argued that those most severely affected by autism are
the ones who benefit least from the pursuit of a cure, which he suggests is
unattainable anytime soon. Instead, he says, resources should be devoted to
accommodations and services that could improve their quality of life.
Historically, the kind of genetic research supported by many parents of
children with autism, Mr. Ne’eman has said, has been used to create
prenatal tests that give parents the ability to detect a fetus affected by
a particular condition, like Down syndrome, so that they can choose whether
to terminate the pregnancy.
“We just think it makes more sense to orient research to addressing
health problems or helping people communicate rather than creating a mouse
model of autism or finding a new gene,” Mr. Ne’eman has said."
.
