Day #141

 THIS IS WHAT AUTISM LOOKS LIKE!

 You know what really makes me angry is the fact that since the R-Word campaign to end the derogatory use of the word "retard", which I fully support by the way, the new word of choice is AUTISTIC! This makes me insanely angry!

It first came to my notice when it was used in the movie 21 Jump Street, it shocked me when I heard it on the movie trailer: Ice Cube uses the term "autistic" as an insult towards Jonah Hill’s character. After a detailed presentation from Hill on a bulletin board, Ice Cube mockingly states, "This chart looks like sh*t, are you autistic?" They used autism as a means to get a few laughs. I have not and will NEVER watch that movie!

Now the rapper 50 Cent has slurred autism as well, as reported by Huff Post: The ugly tweets were in response to an eager fan who wrote to 50: "Release the album or get shot again." The rapper allegedly tweeted back, "yeah just saw your picture fool you look autistic." And, he didn't stop there. "I don't want no special ed kids on my time line follow some body else," he posted later."Look autistic" what does that mean? 50 Cent doesn't "look" ignorant but he is!

Why does anyone need to single out a developmental disorder of any kind to use as a mockery for any reason? It is unkind, disrespectful, hurtful, and knowing the autism community as I do, likely to bring down a rain of fire from every corner of the globe. When autism is as prevalent as it is, 1 in 252 girls, 1 in 88 boys, that means there are twice the amount of parents not to mention siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, therapists and teachers who can and will strike with vengeance. Needless to say, what was said equals BAD PUBLICITY!