Not Guilty By Association

As I look around today I see a lot of fear from the autism community, both parents of autistic children, and ASD adults, that the fact that Cho Seung-Hui's name has been linked to autism, it will result in increased prejudice against others with autism.

Perhaps it is just hopeful thinking, but I really don't think that will happen. Now we have only been on this road for three years, and we have already been seriously mistreated by those who just didn't understand autism and that should have known better, so I don't by any stretch want to give the impression that I am looking at this through rose colored glasses. Arrogance and prejudice among those whose lives are not touched by autism is real and needs to be taken very seriously.

However, the compassion that I see from the growing majority of people for what people with autism and their families go through while living in a world that just does not work right for them, I believe, will not be largely changed by this.

Even if Cho's diagnosis is confirmed with complete certainty, with autism as pervasive as it is (1 in 150), and autistic killers as rare as they are (I can think of 2 reported cases) people will come to the conclusion that his psychopathology was in addition to autism.

Sure there will be a few people who make the leap that all autistics are potential shooters, but those people are probably looking for a reason to look down on those who are different from them, and would have found another way to do it if not for this. Those people would have been lost to the cause of understanding and respecting those with autism regardless.

I don't know what will come in the days ahead, but it seems to me that the fact that the media is not jumping on the autism piece of this story, and we are not seeing AUTISM! graphics floating across pictures of Cho's face, says that even the 24 hour news networks, who tend to suck the marrow out of every facet of a big story, don't even really think that this guys autism is why he killed.

The autism community is talking about this a lot more than the rest of the world.

Autism is pervasive and almost everyone knows someone with autism now. They see the tenderness and sincerity that can come out of our kids. They won't be fooled into thinking that this incident teaches that autistics are dangerous any more than it teaches that Asians are dangerous.

Cho Seung-Hui Reportedly Diagnosed With Autism as a Child

From the first time we heard that, "he didn't talk at all and kept to himself", we all thought Asperger's, but no way was I going to say it first. My mind immediately went to the murder/suicide perpetrated by young man with Asperger's in Orange County about a year and a half ago.

It is clear that he had many additional problems, and all of us cringe at the thought of this man being any way associated with autism, but if he had autism, we need to take a good hard look at his life and learn what ever we can from it so that we can help those with autism that we care for. Was he toxic, was he bullied, did he get any appropriate interventions or support after his diagnosis at all?

His life is a cautionary tale that we all should learn from with humility.

AutismLink Reacts to Diagnosis of Autism in Virginia Tech Shooter

PITTSBURGH, April 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AutismLink and
Autism Center of Pittsburgh Director Cindy Waeltermann today issued a
statement regarding the recent revelation that Virginia Tech shooter Cho Seung-
Hui was diagnosed with autism as a child.
"While the entire autism community in Pittsburgh and across the nation are devastated by the recent events at Virginia Tech, we would like to caution the public not to stigmatize children or individuals with autism.

Cho likely did not receive the help and support that he needed early on -- that is why early intervention is so important, and that is why places like the Autism Center of Pittsburgh exist. The act of one individual should not reflect upon the entire autistic population.

It is unfair to blame Cho's actions on autism when he was clearly psychologically impaired and likely had another disorder in addition to his autism. His psychological evaluations apparently revealed a dark history that concluded that he was an imminent danger to himself and others and was also depressed.

This is a wake up call that stresses the importance of early intervention, research, and appropriate treatment strategies. Many strides have been made in autism spectrum disorders and research has consistently shown that when children receive the help that they need early on they are more likely to become more adept at social and communication skills.

Autism affects 1 in 150 children and is now the most commonly diagnosed developmental disability in the world. It is time to recognize autism for the epidemic it is."