This post is more a rambling than anything else. I’ve been trying to process a great many things and these are some of my inner most thoughts right now…..
In the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings and all the tragedy these two monsters left behind, I’ve been wondering something.
Is there really a need for Autism Awareness Month? I mean, in all honesty, April is already done with. The world’s focus, and rightfully so, in on Boston and Texas.
For me personally, I’m wondering if we are taking the wrong approach to a great many things.
Reading the stories from the survivors on the boom blasts, especially the family of the little 8 year old boy who died, is absolutely heartbreaking. I’m not afraid to admit that I was crying when I read this.
I’ve realized that maybe Autism Awareness Month isn’t the most important thing in the world.
Perhaps, there are things of greater importance than a month dedicated to a certain cause. Maybe all the time and money spent on these events would be better spent on something different?
Here’s the reality as I see it.
9-11 was a hugely, world changing event. For a really long time after, nothing else seemed to be quite as important as making sure my family was physically safe. At that point in time, it was just Lizze and Gavin but I considered us family already.
Fast forward a few years and I find myself deeply entrenched in the whole Autism Awareness thing.
For a long time now, I’ve felt like Autism Awareness was one of the most important things in the world. The logic behind awareness is that the more people know, the less they will fear and the more accepting and compassionate they will be.
Having said that, I’m wondering of our efforts, combined with the efforts from all the other monthly awareness campaigns, would be better served at addressing a more basic need in the world?
What of we focused on reminding people that we are all brethren, despite our looks, beliefs or abilities. Everyone is human and we should treat each other in a manner that provides for everyone’s basic rights to human dignity.
Why do we have to blow each other up or murder people because of religious differences?
Honestly, what’s the point of things like Autism Awareness Month if we can’t even treat each other with basic human dignity?
If we could find a way to address all the hate, maybe people would become more human. Maybe they would see others as human as well and be a bit more forgiving of our differences.
I know that this is very likely a lost cause but that makes me sad.
On the most basic level, I think we all want the same things. Why we don’t realize that, remains a mystery to me.
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In all honesty Rob it is possible to do both.
It is possible to advocate for autism and at the same time to work to make the world a bit of a safer place. And in some cases those two things do not really need to be separate.
Where I live, I do work on autism awareness, I also have been for the last few years involved in politics.
The reality from my perspective being that it is going to take political change to also create the autism awareness, that said it is also going to take political change to improve our world.
While I am Canadian and as such many of your readers will find our system unfathomable I am a VP of a provincial (read state level) political party called the People’s Alliance, we are at the moment what is classed a “third party” one of the parties that are not the main two (or three depending on the province) I will not get into the heavy philosophy of the party except to say that we are different in thinking and draw support from members who were previously both on the left and the right of the political spectrum, all based on the belief that our present system is seriously broken and needs to be rebuilt to help us as a province, a nation and a world actually survive.
That said, the underlying point of my message is that making things better does not necessarily need to take away from being an autism advocate, it is just a different version of working towards the same goals. A place where everyone has a right to be themselves without fear of ridicule or discrimination.
CarlBainbridge well said
I had desperately hoped the bomber would turn out to be a white Christian American of European descent, somebody who wasn’t a part of any identifiable ethnic group for people to stereotype and hate. Most Americans don’t know squat about Chechnya, but the fact that these two young men are/were Muslims is enough for them. But who knows why they did it. We may never know. I feel really sorry for their family right now. They have to deal with the grief of the death of the one and the fact that the other might as well be dead, they have to deal with the shock and horror of knowing it was their loved ones who did this, they will get no support, the police will be grilling them and everyone is going to hate them.
Violence begets violence. So many struggles and tragedies, so much sorrow and egotism in this dark, in this rotting century of hate.
unfortunately this type of behavior is not only condoned but encouraged by media, and media seems to shout the loudest and the farthest. There is no excuse and no i dont condone the behavior and i dont for one second believe religion realy has anything to do with it religion is the excuse given. kind of like the saying ” the devil made me do it”. There is a lack of compasion, of mercy, and of love. If these behaviors are exhibited, media mocks it, be littles it, and burys it with twisted lies. My heart goes out to those so deeply affected by this selfish act. I had to explain to my son (also has autism) that the bombs made where made to maim and destroy to cause as much inflicting pain as possible, the people over seas that make their IEDs dont even make them. So yes there is a difference when choseing to inflict pain or to kill. Sorry i am angry and if my words offend anyone i appologize but i will not take back my words.
Bonnie Dotson no need to apologize. The whole thing makes me angry. People hide behind religion to justify their acts of hatred. Unless your hard core worshiping Satan and maybe not even that, I don’t know of any recognized, modern day religion that condones mass murder of innocent people.
I’m not super familiar with Islamic beliefs, but I do know that it doesn’t require people to blow up buildings and kill innocent men, women and children in its name.
Very sad indeed.
You’re on to something here!