Re: a sort of bitter hello..

March 5, 2001

Hello:

I don't think you understood how most people felt about each situation. The Bill Mahr situation was a little different from ER . Perhaps you have to feel a personal connection to each issue. In my own experience, I was more offended with Politically Incorrect than with ER. I have a sister with mental retardation as well as a child with autism. Regarding Mr. Mahr's comments, I was shocked that he could display such a callous attitude towards those people with mental disabilities. On the other hand, his show as well as the attitude disaplyed by ER speaks volumes, in my mind, on the state of society. Aren't we all concerned about our children's future and how they will function in society? If P.I. reflects that opinion, even if it is the opinion of a few, then we need to get to work and strive even harder to spread awareness and educate the public on what our children are capable of achieving.

As to funding for treatments and programs, yes, we do need more help to secure these services for our children. However, if we sit idly by and do nothing while these public figures and immensely popular TV shows put forth such a biased, one-sided point-of-view and ridiculous statements, then WE are the ones who should feel guilty for not speaking up for what is morally and ethically right.

I believe that one person can make a difference, and that society can change from within itself. I am not ashamed to take a stand for what I believe is right.

Vickie N.

March 5, 2001

Hello:

I don't think you understood how most people felt about each situation. The Bill Mahr situation was a little different from ER . Perhaps you have to feel a personal connection to each issue. In my own experience, I was more offended with Politically Incorrect than with ER. I have a sister with mental retardation as well as a child with autism. Regarding Mr. Mahr's comments, I was shocked that he could display such a callous attitude towards those people with mental disabilities. On the other hand, his show as well as the attitude disaplyed by ER speaks volumes, in my mind, on the state of society. Aren't we all concerned about our children's future and how they will function in society? If P.I. reflects that opinion, even if it is the opinion of a few, then we need to get to work and strive even harder to spread awareness and educate the public on what our children are capable of achieving.

As to funding for treatments and programs, yes, we do need more help to secure these services for our children. However, if we sit idly by and do nothing while these public figures and immensely popular TV shows put forth such a biased, one-sided point-of-view and ridiculous statements, then WE are the ones who should feel guilty for not speaking up for what is morally and ethically right.

I believe that one person can make a difference, and that society can change from within itself. I am not ashamed to take a stand for what I believe is right.

Vickie N.

March 5, 2001

Hello:

I don't think you understood how most people felt about each situation. The Bill Mahr situation was a little different from ER . Perhaps you have to feel a personal connection to each issue. In my own experience, I was more offended with Politically Incorrect than with ER. I have a sister with mental retardation as well as a child with autism. Regarding Mr. Mahr's comments, I was shocked that he could display such a callous attitude towards those people with mental disabilities. On the other hand, his show as well as the attitude disaplyed by ER speaks volumes, in my mind, on the state of society. Aren't we all concerned about our children's future and how they will function in society? If P.I. reflects that opinion, even if it is the opinion of a few, then we need to get to work and strive even harder to spread awareness and educate the public on what our children are capable of achieving.

As to funding for treatments and programs, yes, we do need more help to secure these services for our children. However, if we sit idly by and do nothing while these public figures and immensely popular TV shows put forth such a biased, one-sided point-of-view and ridiculous statements, then WE are the ones who should feel guilty for not speaking up for what is morally and ethically right.

I believe that one person can make a difference, and that society can change from within itself. I am not ashamed to take a stand for what I believe is right.

Vickie N.

March 6, 2001

> I just can't help but feel that you may be misdirecting lots of useful

> energy. If people could spend 1/2 of the time they have been using

> bitching at Bill

> Mahr and ER and use that time to ensure their own child has funding

> for a good, comprehensive therapy program, it wouldn't be 1/2 as hard

> for those of us who are working on just such funding.

Hi, ,

I take no offense at your comments!!! :-) I would like to make you aware that

some of us would prefer expending positive energy with our children, rather

than negative energy at the system, whether it be idiot TV personalities or

the red-tape-bound bureaucracy of the school system! In our case, we decided

to homeschool our daughter with autism (as well as our NT son) and work on

creating autism awareness in a community of people not usually targetted

(homeschoolers).

We have moved three times since 1995, when we made the decision to homeschool

our children, so it's not simply a mature of getting the ball rolling for

funding and then being able to back off when word gets around that we mean

business. Every time we moved we would have fought long and hard (except

maybe in Connecticut which had a good reputation for services). I met a

paraprofessional who specializes in autistic children the other day and she

told me that very few people in our very rural county are trained to teach

autistic children. So, do I let her languish in school with people who do not

know what social stories, sensory integration, ABA, gf/cf diets, etc. are,

while I fight to get funding for them to get trained (however long that

takes)?

Some research suggests children with autism need 1:1 teaching in a quiet,

distraction free setting. Pamela gets that at home. In our case, we know how

to apply many educational techniques for teaching autism and, if we are not

the greatest at everything, we are more knowledgeable than a teacher who has

no training on autism (either professionally or on their own). We are very

active in our homeschool support group (the kids take karate, go swimming

weekly, rehearse for a musical, etc.) in addition to other activities like

4-H and church. So, Pamela is getting the 1:1 attention she needs when it's

time to learn AND she's fully included with her peers for non-academic

classes.

Homeschooling is not for everyone, but it's not simply a cop-out. I have done

autism awareness training and learning disabilities workshops with every

support group I've been in. Because I can reach both parent and child at

homeschooling workshops, I have a greater chance to touch the hearts of

children with my message as well as the source of their views (their

parents). When people have concerns about their children's learning, they

usually come to me and I have been able to identify 3 (possibly 4) children

with sensory integration issues. I have been able to help those whose

learning styles are unconventional (because my NT son has an unconventional

learning style). The bottomline for me is that the drain of being with my

kids 24/7 outweighs the drain of trying to work within the system. My kids

are sweeter and much more fun, especially when they say the darnedest things!

:-)

We are all entitled to have our own views and thank you for sharing yours

! :-)

--

Tammy G.

" A parent's love perceives no limitations. "

December narrations are done: http://home.earthlink.net/~tammyglaser798/

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March 6, 2001