I am so behind on my blog, I suppose it tis the season of always being too busy to get anything done. I promise my almost complete blog of Disneyland from several weeks ago will be posted shortly. But right now I have something weighing on me heavily.
A real tragedy occurred on Friday, one that I won’t easily recover from. One that has taken a toll on so many of us around the country and the world. As a parent one of the scariest things is to think of someone hurting your child or taking them away from you forever. We want to protect our children, shield them from pain and hurt. It is our job to protect them. But sometimes tragedies happen. Horrible events that everyone wants answers for.
And the media started looking for answers. Seeing who could break the story and find answers first. They started to throw the word Autism around. They started to throw in violent natures and they started to put Murder and Autism into the same sentence. And I got very upset.
Anyone that meets Mateo, my son, sees the sweet and caring boy that he is. He has so much love, so much empathy, so much compassion. He can’t always express those emotions, but when he does- you will feel it in every cell of your body. He will take a moment to look into your eyes and you will see it and know that he truly means it.
When I post on Facebook about Autism,which I do very frequently or me writing this blog, I do it to help people to understand. I do it to help spread awareness for every child, teenager and adult with Autism. I want people to be aware. I want them to understand, Autism isn’t to be feared. It isn’t this horrible disability, these are incredible people who deserve a chance. I wouldn’t change one thing about Mateo. I am so grateful to have this incredible boy with this amazing mind and this huge heart in my life. And he has inspired me to try to spread acceptance, understanding and support for people with Autism.
I want everyone to know that I have met a lot of children with Autism, I spend a lot of time on groups talking to other parents, that people with Autism are some of the most loving, incredible people out there. They are the ones that are targeted and discriminated against. They are the ones that need protection from bullies, and support. There is a danger when the media is spreading misinformation about a huge group of people. Once again they become relabeled as Monsters, as people capable of cold blooded murder, that they should be institutionalized or have to register like sex offenders. The fear begins to spread and the misguided and uneducated are the ones that will echo this misinformation.
Please take some time and Google Temple Grandin, Carly’s Voice, John Elder Robison…read my past blogs if you haven’t and know that one insane and disturbed person with a possible diagnosis does not change the real faces of Autism. The real brave, amazing, brilliant, caring, talented and inspiring individuals with Autism all over this planet. Those are the ones we need to be out there talking about!
Like this one..
Mateo's Story - growing up with autism. 
Well said Melissa! I was so angry when I kept hearing the reporters talk about Autism in relation to this horrible act. At least now they are straightening it out!
Well unfortunately the damage is done once it gets out there, people have been creating hate sites against people with Autism. It’s scary and heart-breaking.