Congratulations to ASAN PDX for holding a successful protest against Autism Speaks in Portland this weekend. Elesia Shkenazy did a superb job of articulating problems with the "I Am Autism" video. This report from KOIN TV leaves out at least two crucial points: Autism Speaks works actively to silence people with autism and it is a eugenics focused organization that spends nearly all its resources seeking a cure rather than on support for people with autism or their families.

In 1915, D.W. Griffith released what was the masterpiece of the film genre at the time. His use of close-ups is the most obvious influence Griffith's movie had on virtually every movie made later, but his invention of the grammar of film, establishing storytelling techniques that are still used today, is even more significant. If you've heard of the movie, it's by its second title, The Birth of a Nation. The original title was The Clansman, because this masterpiece is a racist screed.

It glorifies the KKK, showing them as rescuers. Most disturbingly to me, it takes the attitude that integration is simply impossible. The movie's African Americans are subhumans who cannot be integrated into society. I see a similar attitude in the "I Am Autism" video from Autism Speaks that many people were offended by when it was released this week.

If you are interested in how people with autism are depicted in the media, please read the following post at The Standard Review:

http://diversityrules.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/09/not-rethinking-autis...

I like the "Rethinking Autism" ads quite a bit. I like Ed's critique of them a lot, too. I have to go watch SNL now.

Not a fan of Autism Speaks? Me, neither.

Still a big fan of parents working hard for their kids? Me, too

A HUGE fan of cheesy newscasters who apparently graduated from Ted Baxter's Famous Broadcasting School? Meet Sy Becker. He's mine. Move along.