Oh, the SAVAGE-ry!

“Now you want me to tell you my opinion on autism since I’m not talking about autism … a fraud, a racket”

“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.’”

Yup, these words were actually muttered and BROADACASTED (is that the correct past tense?)by a man named Michael Savage - not too long ago- on his radio show called “The Savage Nation.”

Naturally, this caused an uproar in the autism world - parents and other advocates (including Holly Robinson Peete and her famous family), who called for his resignation. We even got an email from a very active member of PHP in our community, inviting us to protest in San Francisco today.

Want to know how I feel?
*Bracing myself for a flurry of unhappy comments - or perhaps, flattering myself that I even get that many readers?*
I feel....that he has the right to say whatever the heck he wants to say. Nope, that doesn't mean I don't CARE what he said, or that what he said didn't HURT - because I do (a bit), and it did. But - like all else in life - you pick yourself up and you keep on living. Mr. Savage is obviously not one who deals with autism on a daily basis. He's never experienced an iota of the stress and TRUE pain that our community has to endure - and never mind just the autism community, how about ALL parents who have kids with special needs?

So, with that being said.....why should we even bother? We know our kids, we know we're great parents, we know how our lives are. If he wants to blame parents for something we know we didn't cause, or call our kids names we know they don't deserve - let him. Believe me, I have known worse pain. His rant is not worth my time. Our fight is not with him. We must fight against an entity even bigger than a puny radio message.

*lol* And to those of you who truly do know me, you know the LAST thing I am is a wimp. I have had enough "don't-you-DARE-even-THINK-about-saying-anything-about-my-kid!" moments that I care to remember. (the most memorable moment being when I confrontated that lady in church, I may add)

In closing, I will say this: Mr. Savage is savagely LUCKY that he decided to utter those words behind closed doors, in the safety net of a radio station building.

Had he decided to say that to MY FACE, or to the face of any parent who, unlike him, understands what it is like to have a child with autism, well then...that would be another story. Wouldn't it? *evil smile*

On the other hand, thanks for the wonderful (and free) PR, Mr. Savage.