(no subject)

[anitabuchan]

Well, at least we got beaten by the best team in the world. And how good is it, having four different nations in the CL semi-finals?

Two days of election coverage and I'm already bored. I can also already tell you that on May 6th my MP will be Ann McKechin (Lab). I know electoral reform isn't the sexiest of issues, but it's worth pointing out that almost 400 seats are safe and won't be changing hands - that's 25 million people whose votes won't count.

I know it's Austism Awareness month right now, although I'm not sure if it's a worldwide thing or just American, but I'm kind of ignoring it. I don't really think we need more scaremongering or tragic stories from parents about their autie kids, and my optimism of anything better happening was kind of soured when CafePress announced they would be donating 10% of proceeds from all 'autism' tagged products to Autism Speaks this month. Because that's how to help ASD people - donating money to an organisation which hates us, thinks it's understandable to want to kill us, and claims we have no souls.

/anger

In other news, I have started rewatching The West Wing, and now remember how completely awesome C.J is.

Comments

[logophilos.livejournal.com]

I know nothing about "Autism Speaks" - can you link me to where it's saying this shit?

You might enjoy this post and others by Sharkfu - she has an autistic brother and is a passionate advocate for his and other autistic people's rights:

http://angryblackbitch.blogspot.com/2010/04/on-autism-awareness-month.html

She speaks with so much love and pride about her brother, even though she and her sisters, who are his guardians, have to deal with an enormous amount of crap from the Missouri health care system.

I had no idea you were ASD.

[anitabuchan.livejournal.com]

You can find lots of information on Autism Speaks under their tag (http://community.livejournal.com/asperger/tag/autism%20speaks) on asperger. Basically, they're a cure organisation - they don't want to help people with autism, they want to get rid of it, and so to raise money they try to make autism sound like the most terrifying and horrific thing ever. This article (http://www.oudaily.com/news/2009/may/05/column-autism-speaks-promotes-hysteria-ignorance/) is a good primer, while this thread (http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6100685) at Etsy (who last year used Autism Awareness month to give money to Autism Speaks) has some links to videos and so on.

I normally lock all my autism related posts, just because the internet is the one place I can pass as normal and it's nice to do so. But I just get so frustrated during April at the amount of attention (and money!) Austism Speaks and their friends are given.

Thank you for the link - another to add to my autistic blog roll!

[logophilos.livejournal.com]

Thank you for those links. Wow. No wonder ASD people are pissed off!

[shylemon.livejournal.com]

Yay Bayern! I was cheering them!

I hate April. It's like, just as I'm getting all happy that spring is here, Autism Speaks has to come along and ruin it for me. I get that awareness is a good thing, but what about understanding?

*loves West Wing*

[anitabuchan.livejournal.com]

I almost didn't bother watching - I saw Man U had gone 2-0 and just thought it would be too depressing. But Bayern did it!

I know. It just seems to mean a month of being annoyed, and watching as organisations and people I used to like fall over themselves to help a charity which hates us.

[kels450.livejournal.com]

Ah, i'm bored of the election coverage already too - it's going to be a long month, i think.

I should start watching The West Wing again too, i completely adore that show! My favourite character keeps changing depending on which episode i'm watching, lol!

[anitabuchan.livejournal.com]

I know! Especially since it seems inevitable the wrong party is going to win :).

Yes! It is an appropriate show for election-times, I think. I like them all, but I think because female characters like C.J are so rare, I just completely love her.

[burn-so-pretty.livejournal.com]

Sad to say, West Wing wasn't really my thing. I watched the season 1 episodes with Laurie/Lisa E in them because I'm a very dedicated fan of the woman, then I dropped it. But to each their own of course. And Rob Lowe wasn't bad eye candy either. ;)

[anitabuchan.livejournal.com]

Lisa E was good in it! I wish they'd kept her longer as a character. I get why people don't like the West Wing - I stopped watching around season 4, as after that it just seems to get too repetitive. But C.J will always be one of my favourite female characters.