SAVAGE IGNORANCE
Tuesday, August 05, 2008 @9:44:35 AM
Last months we had our sensibilities shocked by the radically ignorant words of Michael Savage. It is not surprising to hear ignorant sensibilities emerge from the lips of a conservative shock jock. Nor is it surprising to hear judgements about lives and lifestyles be dismissed so summarily. The harmful part of the whole matter is the innocence and the struggles that define the existance of so many individuals living on the spectrum go un appreciated and thus become ignored. These innocent individuals wake up each day knowing we are going to struggle not because we are that "jacked up" emotionally and physically but because we struggle at knowing what is expected of us by our social surroundings.
Savage advocates that we stop being a "Putz" and to shape up. This statement alone is indicative of a mindset that creates our greatest struggle to be understood by our fellow citizens. This is a rediculous assumptrion that we are different because we choose and because we have permissive parents that allow us to be divergent for some type of gain. People like Savage thinks this is reality. There are many in our midst that think this way. They are folk who would like to find a way to usurp their condition and abilities in ways that derive an advantage to their lives. Savage contact lens peer the world for all evidence for advantages of economic and status gain. The world is shaded by these blues, but those on the spectrum have the choice not to accept this reality.
Trust me on this one; people who live on the Autism Spectrum of Disorders are born wholly different and without a clue as to how. We were gifted by our Creator with advantages that we enrich the community out of our non-conformity. We understand this but there has been a pervasive development disorder that has historically afflicted some members of our community. Those struggling to keep up and understand the gifts of those on the ASD have a heritage of blaming others for living outside of their sphere of comfort. In the sixties we had Bruno Bettleheim referring to the dear care givers of Autistic children as "refrigerator moms" This heritage is still alive and kicking in 2008.
Though diminished by the golden sunlight of consciousness, we still will have from time to time the need to bear darkness and blind awareness. Fortunately for people like Savage and Bettleheim we too have a heritage, it is one of understanding the ignorance of those around us. We do not accept the blindness as our reality nor should we but we understand it and we thrive despite it and probably because of it.
We will never be free of such ignorance but we can get to a point where the love and acceptance we have for all in our population will be broad enough to reduce it to the level it deserves-insignificance.
