Leary's comments on autism anger Emerson alumni

Give me a break, you all realize this is Dennis Leary. The guy said he wanted to drive a car with baby seal eyes for headlights on one of his CDs, was there an outburst about that from the Oceanographic department (if it exists, just trying to make a point here)? He's a comedian, he's on the fringe of PC, get over it, accept his money, you will NEVER find someone who donates money to your school, cause, etc. who is also 100% on the same page for all your issues. Get over it...

I am a mother of 2 children on the spectrum. I was not offended by Leary's comments, because I know how he is as a comedian. It does not surprise me that this was taken out of context of the point he was trying to make. Some one took a blurb and ran away with it.

I believe what Mr. Leary says. I have always been a fan of Mr. Leary and I adore him. He can come meet me and my 2 children, ages 10 and 7.
You have my private email address.

More proof that we take ourselves too seriously these days. Forget what Dennis Leary says, look at what he does.

People are just touchy because they've been drinking too much waffle-flavored coffee.

I think it's very easy to understand where he was going with a comment like this, especially considering the context of his book. The overarching theme here is that American's Hate taking responsibility for something whether it was a direct result of intentional actions or not. He's giving an example where I'm sure there are real cases of parents who don't want to take responsibility for having poorly raised their kids, sending them to shrinks to find out "what's wrong with them". I personally would probably use ADD and ADHD as better examples since this didn't exist 20 years ago and now is on the verge of being an epidemic. I blame a combination of poor parenting and TV. Leary's message is a good one whether not you agree with how it's delivered, and his charitable work far exceeds that of many "kinder and more sensitive" celebrities.

Denis Leary is an idiot and Emerson would do well to find another person who can raise money.
Having a 25 year old healthy daughter, I consider myself very very lucky that I never had to learn what is is like to live with Autism.
Leary can kiss my Irish arse !!!!

I wonder how much money the 40 complainers raise/donate for/to Emerson. Frankly I'm surprised anyone complained. My wife went to Emerson and we were together when she went there and it seemed to me that Emerson had a student body with a huge sense of humor and a very high threshold for being offend.

I too have a child on the spectrum and I think that taking words on a page and giving it life as if it represents someone's views on such an important disorder is careless. I was not offended and I in fact concur with the reasoning behind the comment. This was more of a criticism on today's parenting not autistic children.

No one should complain until they have read the actual book. I'm not defending Leary one way or the other, I'm just saying, like with so many things, people run at issues with a quarter of the information they need. Maybe Leary is right and the comments have been taken out of context. People should educate themselves first, ask questions later.

Leary is a fool but anybody who listens seriously to him and takes him seriously is a bigger idiot.

I could be wrong here, but I'm fairly sure that the point he was trying to make is that in his opinion, many *recent* cases of autism that are diaganosed are not really autism at all. They are children that are the products of parents who are either too busy, or just don't care enough to take the time required to properly raise and educate a child. I believe the same stands for many cases of ADD/ADHD. Yes, they are serious conditions that require treatment. But there is a huge difference between a child with a medical problem, and one with a parent who's looking for an excuse to not have to deal with their own child.

I thank Denis Leary for the gift of the cure of autism. I am now attending my formerly lazy child and we are both having nothing but success.

As my mother taught me growing up, never put anything in print you don't want to defend. The more this is discussed, the more interest that is generated in his book and ill-informed rantings. I for one, am done giving him my attention, and you can be sure I will not be purchasing his book or any of his future "enlightenment"..

Leary may be confusing autism with ADHD which does seem to be over diagnosed.

Leary is nuts but is one of the best people you'll ever meet. On this issue he used the wrong affliction to make his point -- which could have been a good one had he been a little more thoughtful. End of story.

I think it is possible that inattentive mothers and competitive fathers will stick an autism label on their children before looking within themselves for a solid reason as to why their children don't live up to their expectations. This sub-section of our society was likely the target of Dennis' quips, not the parents who are dealing with true cases of autism.

I can't believe that some bleeding heart nutjobs can't laugh at this. Denis Leary is as intelligent comedian as I've ever seen and he obviously doesn't believe that real autism is a made up disease. What Mr. Leary is trying to say is that like ADHD it is misdiagonosed sometimes, which I'm sure it is. Lazy parents do often blame their childrens lack of intelligence on diseases as an excuse for bad parenting. Also, recently Jenny McArthy has said she "heeled" her son of autism. This is a joke. Her son obviously never even had autism. Jenny McArthy is not a doctor and has no business saying she "heeled" anyone or anything. It's pathetic to think that anyone with half a brain would listen to this bimbo.

Seriously, can we get over all of this PC bull. if he hadnt made the remark in the book about Autism, I'm sure Ms. Mellott would have gottena real kick out of that fundraising letter she received instead of thinking of it as in poor taste. GET OVER IT, the world isnt perfect and either are the people in it. Live your life and understand that people say things you may not agree with, that's life.

It's possible that inattentive mothers and competitive fathers will stick an autism label on their children before looking within themselves for a solid reason as to why their children don't live up to their expectations. This sub-section of our society was likely the target of Dennis' quips, not the parents who are dealing with true cases of autism. Let's face it, shallow, overly competitive people and their neuroses are kind of funny. Children and parents struggling with the challenges of autism are not. I can see the difference, can you?

Hey..it's Dennis Leary...he sometimes speaks thoughts many of us keep to ourselves...Also isn't it the Royal Crowns?

I'm proud to read the above two comments. I had given up on finding anyone left in this country with the ability to realize that comedians say what they say to get a laugh. Even people in the audience of a comedy performance will give the occasional 'ooooh' or 'whooah' if a comic talks about any taboo PC topic.
Comedy wasn't like that 20 plus years ago...

I'm wrongly commenting on words taken out of context - like so many others - but don't you read the comments of Dennis Leary as a criticism of those that abuse autism and use it as a crutch when autism is not an accurate diagnosis of their childrens' issues? I think those angry with his comments are wrongly reading his words to mean that he is questioning the existence of autism.
I think - and hope - his complaint is against the abusers. Let's not bury someone who obviously devotes a great deal of time to helping the unfortunate.

Consider the source, Leary's ignorance continues to be exhibited in his obnoxious style. Ignore him and hopefully he will go away!!!

Is it just me or was Dennis Leary suggesting that the rise in autism was due to psychiatrists who incorrectly diagnose a child with autism at the behest of desperate parents who want a reason for why their child isn't as "gifted" as other children?

I don't think he was saying "inattentive moms and competitive dads cause autism. Rather, their attitudes result in children incorrectly being diagnosed. Whether his hypothesis is true, that the rise in cases of autism is the result of misdiagnosis, may not be correct, but it is far different than saying he blames parents for kids being autistic.

In reality, is this anymore ridiculous than Jenny McCarthy’s claims about vaccines and autism? Despite study after study which finds no link between vaccines and autism, parents still steadfastly believe there is a link. This is the point Leary is getting at, I think. That parents desire for an answer drives diagnosis. I have never heard this to be the case in autism, but it is certainly true in the world of ADD/ADHD.

Come one people. What is this world coming to? Its COMEDY!!!!! He is one of the edgiest comics there is, he is in the same league as George Carlin and Richard Prior. People these days are too soft and get offended at the drop of a hat. You have to be able to laugh in life, I have several close friends in my life that have family members with Down Syndrome yet they are still able to joke about the subject. Does that make them horrible people? No, that makes them people that can take a horrible situation deal with it through humor. People like this are reasons why, there are more and more youth sports that don’t keep score don’t have winners and losers. Do parents these days realize there is a benefit in teaching their kids that it’s ok to lose as long as you can loose with respect!?! It’s a downward spiral that is getting out of control. Political Correctness is out of hand these days, and doesn’t leave anyone any creative freedom without some goody tooshoes or special interest group making a stink about it. I have several people in my family fighting cancer but we are all still able to make cancer jokes and enjoy other comedians that tell cancer jokes, why because its comedy it was not done with malice, at the end of the day we still know the severity of the situation but at least for those few moments we are all able to laugh at it to clear our heads. Grow up, stop being so uptight, be able to laugh at something no matter how close to home it may hit, or this society is doomed!

I don't have the book, but my guess is that Leary does not deny autism, but thinks it is over diagnosed and his "joke" refers to those cases. I'd be willing to bet this would be obvious to anybody who read the entire passage.

I think O'Leary's comments were reprehensible.

Signed -

Sandra Bernhard

Honestly GET OVER IT!, hes a great guy whose doing a great thing by doing these fundraisers! HE DOESNT HAVE TOO!!!! ughhh i hate people who get all pissy about when someone says something they dont like....if he was the president, by all means, be upset...but hes a COMEDIAN! (a hiliarious one at that) its his job to make fun at things in a lighthearted manner, and thats exactly what he did........... Its like if you were craving a big mac from mcdonalds and you go there and order a big mac but get a whopper! would you be mad??hell yes, you wanted a big mac, thats mcdonalds job....mcdonalds job is to make big macs NOT whoppers....DENNIS LEARY'S JOB IS TO MAKE JOKES! HES NOT BEING SERIOUS!!! SO LAY OFF HIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!....infact you people dont even deserve his contributions, i hope he decides to never fund anything for your lousy college again. This is coming from a current SSC student. I know my school would appreciate his fundraisers.

Anther case of, those self-centered people concerned only with their own interests, throwing the 'baby out with the bathwater.' I will guarantee that Dennis Leary does more for the overall community of the US than any one and possibly all of his detractors combined. He's not making policy for the country folks! He's not the Secretary of State! He's a comedian! Crack a face! Lighten up! Get a life! Nuff said?

Some parents do fit the profile Mr Leary was commenting on. Parents that are very disappointed in their children's development and are looking for someone to give them an excuse or a label. While a label might be a relief for a parent it can also be a shackle for the child for the rest of their life.

Yes, Denis Leary could verbally attack a bunch of kids dying with cancer. That's his right, no matter how distasteful it is.

And at the same time, I can accost Emerson College for actively accepting his money and support. Yes, he is somewhat financially successful and somewhat popular in the pop-culture sense. But that doesn't make him a good representative of the institution. In fact, it is clear that he is a bad one.

If he wants to do good for the institution, he should anonymously give money to Emerson.

This guy works his but off for others. I think people, especially a liberal school like Emerson, could cut this guy some slack for being wrong or even offensive once in a while. I thought free speach meant something to Emerson folks.

I mean if he's not working for your school, what, almost 30 years after graduation, then he's raising money for wives of firefighters or something else. Give me a break. He's entitled to have a stupid opinion once in a while.

It's great what a person like Dennis Leary does, again i'm not offended. But, what he does is not an excuse for being misinformed. Again, his blurb was taken out of context. Great for his charitable work, but that does not always take presidence over ignorance. However, I do not believe Mr. Leary is ignorant.

Mr. Nick on the other hand, ADD and ADHD is not a result of bad parenting or TV. Please educate yourself on how the brain functions of a person dealing and learning to cope with such a challenge.

Haveing poorly raised kids is one thing, but having a loved one, and living with a family member with a disability, such as autism is another.

Again, I am not offended by Dennis Leary. I am offended how someone from the media takes a blurb and runs away with it without the full story. And, I believe Mr. Leary has an understanding of autism.

Perhaps, Mr. Leary could add Autism to one of his many charities, raise awareness and help families in need. I would love a scholorship to Emerson in their Communication Disorders program.

Mom of 2 with ASD.

Another case of bleeding heart liberals taking everything too literally and whining. My God, where the heck has everyone's sense of humor gone? A little satire here and there, as well as the ability to laugh, never hurt anyone. Maybe they should just put plugs in their ears any time a comedian takes the stage. If they have nothing else to complain abut, they really need to get a life.... :-\

Let's not blame parents - let's blame "Gender Equity" or Boys will not be boys, boys and girls are equal, Drug companies in cahoots with nueropsychologists who get their "Leads" from teachers who don't want to teach boys. They would rather drug them then teach them.

Just like this whole "don't bring peanuts to school" because 1 out of a million might have a reaction if they touch another student - but hey wait - they don't even let the kids touch each other anymore because its considered bullying or sexual harassment

Ditto to Nick's comments. It is sad that today's American parents (not all but many many) do not take ownership and accountability into their children's actions. It is always easier to blame the schools, teachers, others, than to take responsibility. I see to ooften at public places that some parents just let thekr children do whatever they want and wander off while the parents are catching up on the latest gossips. Sad. Education starts from home. Nurturing starts from home. Your own children will only mimic what you do and they pick up faster than you can think.

Let me get this straight. People are totally upset about something quoted in a book that is not even out yet. Okay... Out of those 40 Alumni that are upset, how many of them have children with Autism? I guess this explains why Americans are hated in other countries. WE AMERICANS ARE ARROGANT! Someone has an opinion and people have to blog, e-mail, so on and send in their rants about an opinion. Gee, what a revalation. America has become so PC that we forget everyone has an opinion about everything. If you do not agree with someone's opinion, dismiss it and move on. Don't be a pansy, rant about it and state that you will not "donate" to your former college anymore just because you do not agree with someone's opinion. I think those 40 Alumni should "GROW UP"!

Mr. Leary is ignorant. This is not ADHD that we are speaking of.... this is autism, and this is the type of crap that one might find in the Irish community of old that so easily maligned "different" people as they consumed their pints and drink every night.
It is a chilling reminder of my Dad, another equal opportunity Irish bigot... until he had to look into his Grandson's eyes and understand the sadness of knowing that there was a person inside who would never be able to express himself. Hopefully Mr. Leary will take the opportunity to understand that sadness..

I think we should all refrain from commenting until we've read the book

Where can I get one of these new ADHD tv sets?

Enough with the backlash. How far off base is he, when you have Jenny McCarthy on the cover of Us Weekly this week saying, shes cured her son of Autism???? Congrats Jenny on doing something doctors haven't been able to do. Leary is a comedian, he says things that tinker on the edge of offensive, but its done in comedy. He has a song that mocks celebs goin to rehab (very funny), you don't see alcoholics or celebs nailing him for that. It's comedy..............WORDS DON'T HURT.

If Leary said this just for all the publicty he could get: he made out like a bandit.

If he didn't think anyone would care: he was dead wrong.

Yeah, all he's done is raise 2million + for firefighters, and how much for Emerson? He's clearly a scumbag with no social conscience. String him up.

He's entitled to his opinion- even when it's wrong. It's also right for a parent to be offended, but let's see if his pluses don't outweigh his minuses.

He's a comedian. When did people lose sight of the purpose of a comedian?

I am one of the forty alumni who complained to the Emerson Alumni Association, and I do have a child with autism. Note that I complained to the Emerson Alumni Association. Mr. Leary is free to spout whatever uninformed idiotic garbage he wants, it's a free country. But when my college sends me a letter with his name on it, asking me for _my_ money, I have a right to tell them I am offended and why. My complaint is with Emerson, they should have used better judgment, knowing the furor that Leary's autism comments created.

So long as Mr. Leary refuses to apologize, I will continue to voice MY OPINION (Iainn, take your own advice, apparently you're not using it) to object to Emerson's choice to use Mr. Leary as a spokesperson.

Just exercising my right to free speech people, just like each and every single one of you.

Mr. Leary demonstrated his ignorance, he is a comedian who showed very poor judgement and a complete lack of class. Nothing unexpected there.
I am no longer bothered by those who have no clue about autism, they could not walk in my shoes as they do not have the intellectual capacity or the inner strength to do so. It is truly a blessing that an individual like Mr. Leary does not have a child with autism, but then again having an autistic child is a tremendous gift in my life. Mr. Leary is a shallow man and I am glad that I have not had the misfortune of meeting him.

My son is Autistic and I am deeply disappointed in Denis Leary's comments on Autism.

"Children" is spelled wrong in this article...no more comments necessary.

What a spectacle! We elevate "celebrities" because they raise money for favored institutions, and then we are disappointed by their insensitive, ignorant comments. Can't blame Dennis Leary-did anyone really think he was a heroic firefighter? Autism is a behavior associated with a range of complex developmental, psychological, and behavioral syndromes and conditions. Little is known and understood, so why is anyone taking an acor/comedian seriously...because he wrote a book and got it published? God save our brains.

peope wake up according to the numbers so often spouted we are now up to 3 out of every ten kids has autism in some form. hmm how can this be? wait i know is there a genetic test for it? hmm no. How about physical manifestations of symptoms? well only in severe cases. im sorrrry people this is a scam, there are truly hurting families with autism who are being lumped in with these pseudo science wannabe shrinks who throw meds at any kid who doesnt come when he is called. I actually was diagnosed as autististic under the current medical guidelines.20 years ago. My parents explained to a behaviorist ( see quack) that i would oten zone out and not respond to people calling my name or making an attempt to get my attention. this happpened a lot when i was reading, playing video games or watching TV especially. Then i didnt make friends easily , was very shy and awkward and had a hard time with girls.. i was forrgetful, and yet all my teahcers said i had so much promise and intelligence but i got bad grades . SO i was diagnosed with autism. which is a joke. You want to know what i really had? KIDS syndrome, yes as in being a kid, i didnt listen because i was doing something else .I get absorbed into a good book and enjoy it an frankly i dont want tobe bothered until im done. And the awkward shyness was because well i was a bit overweight and iwas shy. course now that im married for 1o years this past april, to a wonderful woman, i realize how much crap is happeneing out there , no parents go to a doctor and mention the same symptoms as i just said and bingo watch the dugs fly and you child will become one of he 3 out of ten that no have autism.is now descibed a being autitistic. so get over yourslf haters.

We have more to worry about the politicians we elect and what they say and lie about that drives us into international situations that result into war that costs our society lives and drives our finances into bankruptcy. Who cares what some foolish celebrity may say which may or may not have been taken out of context in his book. We have more to be concerned about who we may put into office to speak for us and to get us out of the fine mess these elected officials have put us in. Plato said, "The penalty for not participating in government is to be governed by your inferiors" so true, so true.. The government we get is the one we deserve so participate and vote. If you do not like what Leary says, then do not read or buy book. He has a right of free speech however we have a right not to listen or care....

His comments, while a pathetic attempt at comedy, were real. The fact that people complained indicated they were offensive to some. With military children diagnosed at twice the national average, his comments were, at best, a rude slap to those hard working young families trying to serve their country and do well by their kids. These young families are squeaking by, living paycheck to paycheck, and yet doing all those hard jobs their country asks of them. Imagine of the father or a mother of an autistic kid reading these words while walking the streets of Baghdad, climbing a mountain in Afghanistan, or even while helping California fight wild fires that threaten the expensive homes of the very stars that say these hurtful things. Perhaps Mr. Leary would best spend some time with some families of autistic kids, and if he truly believes other than his words indicate, then how about opening up some of his charitable work to benefit those with Autistic kids. As someone said earlier...deeds speak louder than words. We've seen his words on Autism...now let's see his deeds.

I feel as if I am in the Twilight Zone, awaiting The Hitchhiker. Who stole our humanity? When is something simply NOT funny? Walk the walk in a family of autism's shoes, then and only then can you talk the talk. There is a line, when crossed is dangerous territory. Certainly Mr. Leary and his posse of followers have their own personal verboten arena. Try it on for size, then find humor.

Mr. Leary need only spend some quality time with a family dealing with an autistic child, not a photo-op, a good two hours or so. After doing so, I think he would understand why people, certainly those people whose lives are touched meaningfully by autism, are unable to find the comedic value in his words. I can try to digest, even accept, the reasoning of those who have commented here in defense of Mr. Leary... I get what they're saying, but I would also venture to guess that they simply have no true understanding of autism, because if they did, I bet their perspective would be different. But alas, free speach free will and all that. I am an Emerson alum, as is my husband, and our real concern actually lies with Emerson's handling and response to the situation. And as far as Mr. Leary, who has plainly exhibited and exercised his compassionate side in terms of the human condition, wouldn't it be wonderful and fruitful if he could participate in fundraising on behalf of Autism and ASD at some level. At this point, the lingering issue can not be whether or not he offers to or refuses to apologize, but perhaps the more important question here is will the knowledge of Autism that Mr. Leary has most surely gained from this experience lead him to add Autism to the list of worthy causes for which he raises money. Or perhaps he could use his considerable comedic gifts to arrange and perform at some sort of "Comedy Night out" for those families dealing with the oftentimes laughter-crushing duties of caring for children with Autism. Or just, no apology or acknowledgement of poor judgement necessary, maybe donate a very small portion of book sales to the cause, a public relations/fundraising win-win... I'm sure those families dealing day in and day out with the incredible challenges of life with Autism would love to see their own problems resolved so easily.

when i heard what denis said, i was shocked, i could not believe he would say
something like this about innocent children and adults of autism. as a mother
of a 16 year old son with autism i was mad when i heard this, he is obvisley
not educated on the subject, there for should not talk or jock about things that
make people feel bad, i don't know, maybe he just doesn't care about anyone
but him self, maybe if he had an autistic child he would now how it feels to
here such boggis.

I am the husband of "Aunt..." who posted earlier and I must further comment that it is Emerson's luke warm response to these circumstances that is troubling. Defenders of Mr. Leary personally may say what they will about the context of Mr. Leary's writings, mention the social commentary aspect of the scenario, and perhaps they would even be right... but the unintended marriage of these comments to Emerson College, although unfortunate, is real and with Emerson College's, ESPECIALLY Emerson College's, long standing traditions in the arenas of communications and communications disorders, it may have been thoughtful, if not wise, if not necessary, at least thoughtful, to address the matter in a way that produced some more awareness of ASD, while still holding onto the funds and facetime that Leary brings to the school. Sometimes it is possible to address the needs of the few without bypassing the needs of the many. And what my wife didn't say in her post is that we have always enjoyed Mr. Leary's work very much. We get it, we get him most of the time, but as someone else remarked here, occupation and overall charitable record/reputation does not necessarily excuse the spreading of misinformation. And perhaps we live in a sound bite world and Mr. Leary's social commentary required more of the public than a passing glance and interest and the public failed, and perhaps the media person who ran with the story, or half the story as it were, failed the public initially... but really Mr. Leary, if you truly have the depth of understanding of the issue that you profess, didn't it occur to you that perhaps you should have entirely stayed away from titling your chapter Autism Schmautism? Seriously Mr. Leary - Autism Schmautism - surely with your comedic prowess you could have come up with something equally as funny but less potentially misinterpretable. What Mr. Leary - with all that insightful wit you couldn't find something to rhyme with ADD or ADHD? Because that is the arena in which most of this overdiagnosis that you speak of is ocurring. It is certainly not my wish to throw the families struggling with ADD or ADHD under the bus either for the sake of comedy, or even social commentary or satire, but I think most would concur that it is in that arena where overdiagnosis is occurring most - know your topic Mr. Leary. The best social commentators and satirists of our day are most often very informed, very studied, and very comfortable with their topic before they submit their opinions to the public, are they not? I think it's fair to admit that Mr. Leary just may be onto something with his statements... but I would also caution that there are probably far fewer cases of fathers and mothers welcoming the diagnosis of ADD, ADHD, and Autism into their lives than Mr. Leary's opinionative, assumptive claims would suggest. My autistic nephew has brought joy and happiness and untold lessons into my family, but I would venture to guess that his parents did not unduly seek, or welcome, the diagnosis of Autism in the life of their TWO YEAR OLD child. Perhaps not ADD or ADHD, of which I am not knowledgeable, but Autism diagnoses come at very early ages Mr. Leary... which kind of blows a hole in your entire comedic theory now doesn't it? Emerson College clearly has a few balls in the air that it has to juggle on this one, all while keeping it's commitment to educating our next generation of communication disorders professionals... let's hope it can do so without undermining it's long standing goals and integrity.

It's just Comedy....Freedom of Speech....He is entitled to his opinion....Enough with PC bull

Shut - Up. Talk about liberal pansies.

All you drones are the most ill-informed bunch of simpletons. Do any of you know the definition of Free Speech....For that matter, are any of you smart enough to know the definition of Offense Principle?

As a parent of (3) autistic children, I am not calling for his head. I am just amazed that he could tread on this topic in any way and call it comedy. Does he know the struggles of getting a diagnosis, getting a mis-diagnosis, or having to change your (10) yr olds diapers. He should beat(and never stop beating) his editor for letting him add this chapter.

And for the masses of you who telling us to GET OVER IT....All that most of us, who live this daily, are asking you and/or Dennis to do is get better informed before running your mouth.

Fact: Autism has been around since the early 40's
Fact: 1950 autism was 1 in 10000, 1981 1 in 2600, 1996 1 in 350, Today 1 in 150....
Fact: ADD / ADHD cases are up 10% since 1998, 7% in school aged children.

The article is the least of my worries and frustration. What does make me want to puke is the lack of compassion and the grotesque mobidity of the majority of posts. Be proud of that fan base Dennis.

OH NO HE DIDN'T! Say it ain't so Denis. I graduated from Emerson College in 1985 (same year as your wife, Denis) and have spent the last 17 years raising a son with autism. You have NO idea how challenging this has been for him, my other sons and my marriage! Advocating daily for my child is like living the life of Sisyphus. As an Emerson Alumni, I am really disappointed to find another Emersonian with this narrow minded view of Autism. I have a pair of antique boxing gloves hung in my bathroom so I am reminded of the fight I have to take on DAILY for my son. Some of the comments listed here say "it's just comedy". Well, no...there really isn't anything funny about raising a disabled child. I doubt Denis will ever even see this comment of mine which is a pity because Denis, I had the same hopes and dreams for my son as you have for yours. I wouldn't wish this disorder on ANYONE.

I really am appalled at the comments of some of the people of this article. You would expect a comment from Dennis O'Leary who is as ignorant as a monkey. Autism is not a fun disorder or fake. It is so so real. I am the proud mother of my beautiful baby who has Autism. I get sick when I see him struggle to ask for a drink with sign language, I get sick when I stay awake hours on end because he cannot sleep. I get sick when I see our neighbors children (the same age) outside playing and no one comes knocking on Sam's door to come out and play. My child suffers on a daily basis. Autism is like living in Foxwoods, with all the bells and whistles going off in your head
magnified by fifty times over, then try to study for a test. Our children cannot
learn naturally because of the huge sensory issues they have. A simple door
bell ringing to you may sound pleasant but to my son it is magnified 100 times
and hurts his hears. Then on top of that he cannot tell me what is wrong. It is not becasue I don't love him or nurture him. I have loved and wanted this child
so much. I cherished him in the womb, and had my hopes and dreams for
him just like these fools do for their children. Mine were crushed on April 27th 2005 when my son was diagnosed with severe autism. God gave me the
strength to go on. Now I accept the fact that those dreams were mine not his,
and he does have dreams, goals and expectations! The knot in my stomach I
felt that day will never go away, because of the suffering my child must endure, and not because my dreams were crushed. If you think autism does not exist
come and babysit for me for one day, then tell me the same. As a matter of fact take the autism home and give it to your child and free my son, please!