Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Autism Acceptance Challenge 19 Cannot Happen

This can’t happen. Not today. Not yesterday. I made a commitment to write 20 challenge posts this month and there is only one more day. Maybe tomorrow.

Should I ask you to watch Wretches and Jabberers or Citizen Autistic? Participate in scripts? Respect boundaries? Yes. I should. None of this is trivial. But today, they are not the most important things.

Supporting acceptance of autism and autistic people matters and will always matter to me. The truth is that our lives depend on it. On another day, I will talk about what that means.

Today I have to look beyond autism, beyond myself, beyond the people I know best. Other people are hurting more. Other lives are in danger, immediately and always.  I don’t have a lot to say about it, except to other white people. Some of you won't like it. I don't like what I've been hearing from some of you either. 

Stop saying “thug.” Stop saying “like animals.” Stop saying “but they are destroying their own neighborhoods.”  Stop saying “violence is not the answer.”  Stop hijacking hashtags to include yourselves.  Everyone already agrees that your white life matters. Stop it. Stop acting like you know something. Stop saying anything and start listening to and boosting the messages of Black people.

Think about why this should matter to anyone who cares about justice for autistics/disabled people/people with disabilities. Think about how empty and meaningless our advocacy is if it doesn't. Talk about that. But first, listen. Listen more. Support and boost. If you came here looking for a challenge, let this be that. But don't think this is part of some contest or game. Freddie Gray deserves better than that.  

#BlackLivesMatter
#JusticeforFreddieGray

2 comments:

  1. Yes! Thanks for pointing this out to me. I once read a very intriguing post on Tumbler which basically said, if you belong to a hundred minority groups, but you are White, you are still and will Always be White. I will go check otu your links now, and it's proving my urge to talk over people's heads that I comment first and then read. Sorry about that.

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  2. It is difficult diagnose famous Asperger's for those who are well into adulthood. This has been especially common in the past when the disorder wasn't as well known and understood as it has become in recent years.

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