tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841851020927689161.post6044901360659154625..comments2024-03-19T08:40:36.481+11:00Comments on Life with Aspergers: Talking about Sandy HookGavin Bollardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13833941398375568706noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841851020927689161.post-12132110885283469462013-01-12T07:21:47.768+11:002013-01-12T07:21:47.768+11:00I agree with everything you said except for strict...I agree with everything you said except for stricter gun laws. Look at the parts of the country that have the strictest gun laws. Their crime rates went up instead of down. If you go back in history. Think of the second World War, Hitler was able to concur Europe for the most part because he disarmed his citizens as well as the other countries that he invaded and then killed 5,709,329 Jews alone. That doesn't include Poles and other innocent people that he sent to the gas chambers or stood in front of a firing squad.ButterflyLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05234954633141250815noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841851020927689161.post-38676854888227052832013-01-12T07:20:52.642+11:002013-01-12T07:20:52.642+11:00I agree with everything you said except for strict...I agree with everything you said except for stricter gun laws. Look at the parts of the country that have the strictest gun laws. Their crime rates went up instead of down. If you go back in history. Think of the second World War, Hitler was able to concur Europe for the most part because he disarmed his citizens as well as the other countries that he invaded and then killed 5,709,329 Jews alone. That doesn't include Poles and other innocent people that he sent to the gas chambers or stood in front of a firing squad.ButterflyLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05234954633141250815noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841851020927689161.post-78601605737525816712012-12-31T15:04:20.183+11:002012-12-31T15:04:20.183+11:00"and we try to pin these tragedies on minorit..."and we try to pin these tragedies on minority groups because then we can say, "that person wasn't normal"."<br /><br />Indeed.<br /><br />It's likely that some of the people blaming autism do so because Lanza was a white man. If he had been black or Latino instead, then they'd just blame his racial minority instead of looking for another minority like autistics to blame.<br /><br />It's *also* likely that some of the people claiming that Lanza was innocent (claiming it's because he couldn't help it because he had autism) also do so because he was a white man. If he had been black or Latino instead of a man in their majority group, then they'd call him the murderer he actually was instead of looking for excuses like autism for him.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841851020927689161.post-44356005635767344342012-12-27T14:11:49.459+11:002012-12-27T14:11:49.459+11:00If you're the parent of ANY child, I'd sug...If you're the parent of ANY child, I'd suggest that weaponry remain under lock and key. If you must use it then it must be used responsibly.Gavin Bollardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13833941398375568706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841851020927689161.post-7960568425409657122012-12-26T16:50:50.364+11:002012-12-26T16:50:50.364+11:00If you are a parent of a child who had seriously i...If you are a parent of a child who had seriously impaired human empathy, I would strongly suggest that they NEVER be allowed to play violent video games and to NEVER teach then how to use firearms. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841851020927689161.post-41355303074811217242012-12-24T04:22:40.361+11:002012-12-24T04:22:40.361+11:00Those of us "sane" Americans would love ...Those of us "sane" Americans would love to see automatic weapons and handguns gone from public hands. However, the gun lobby and the wingnuts out there that say they need an AK-47 to hunt Bambi and Thumper disagree.<br /><br />Yeah, this is rather disturbing isn't it?~?Reggiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02228963124180428762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841851020927689161.post-51661952037742981162012-12-23T14:49:15.127+11:002012-12-23T14:49:15.127+11:00Well said, Thanks. This poor boy had a lot more g...Well said, Thanks. This poor boy had a lot more going on than Aspergers. His rage at something, whether it was his mom and her plans for him or some other perceived slight we may never know. And as much as I hate guns, I agree that locking up every gun in the country won't stop the killing. I have no easy answer either. I don't think there is one, but it is good to see some dialog out there. <br /><br />But it is amazing that no one offering easy fixes mentions who is going to pay for it. That all this is happening at the same time as the so called Fiscal Cliff here in the US seems to add more to the discussion. Thanks for saying what a lot of us are feeling. You do it very well.Tiggerrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01203149295253257268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841851020927689161.post-36973048623795555192012-12-21T21:44:32.350+11:002012-12-21T21:44:32.350+11:00This was an exceptionally astute text and I enjoye...This was an exceptionally astute text and I enjoyed reading it. Your views are very profound and in all other words, very correct. <br />Thanks for posting this, there's nothing more I feel can be added, only to be learned from. TheVisionGhosthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11742744165471517910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841851020927689161.post-31850035630288674592012-12-21T16:27:22.628+11:002012-12-21T16:27:22.628+11:00Well said - I hope lots of people read this.Well said - I hope lots of people read this.Susehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06358592871110846656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841851020927689161.post-80535300629820283552012-12-21T15:43:58.053+11:002012-12-21T15:43:58.053+11:00Gavin, I strongly support the sentiments you expre...Gavin, I strongly support the sentiments you express in your post. I believe that a major mistake in the way we deal with things in society is that we focus on symptoms rather than causes and thus never really solve the real issues.<br /><br />Although I know that my view on this may not be popular and many will not actually think about what I'm actually saying - There is no evidence that Howard's gun buy back has made a difference to the incidence of violent crime and, in fact, crimes involving guns have increased in incidence in Australia since the buy back, not decresed.<br /><br />Neither do I believe that the current knee-jerk reaction calling for tougher gun laws in the US will make any difference. The reality there,too, is that despite the increase of gun ownership,crime involving shootings has actually decreased as numbers of guns per capita has increased.<br /><br />The cause of tragic incidents such as this is not the possession of guns (though personally I see no need for people to own assault weapons and such) but the conditions in society which cause people to feel hurt, neglected, demeaned, frustrated, abused, confused or whatever. It is those issues that we need to tackle.<br /><br />In no way do I think that we should blame any minority, either those with Asperger's syndrome or any other. The person with whom I have the closest empathy and "soul" connection in all the world is an Aspie.<br /><br />However, something in the order of 4% of the population in western society, have psychopathy. This does not mean that any or all of them will go out and kill people or commit horrible acts. However, it does mean that they are unable to feel shame or conscience in the way that most of us do and therefore, if they are put into stressfull situations *and* have a personality that has a propensity to violence, they are more susceptible than most others to commit an extreme act.<br /><br />I think it is important that we recognise that and ensure that the programs and people are available that can support people with that condition to live the 'normal', productive, and responsible lives that most people, with or without any sort of mental health issue, do.<br /><br />So, whilst I fully agree that "blaming' a particular group in society is entirely inappropriate, I also feel that, in some way, we have to be careful not to create a situation that denies those who need it, the *appropriate* recognition and help.<br /><br />I sincerely hope that I have made my point clearly enough not to be misconstrued.<br /><br />If anyone reading this feels that I am trying to blame those who have AS or blame those with Psychopathy or anyone else - I assure you that I'm not, quite the opposite, I believe that we are all "normal" whatever that is, but that we are all different. Some of us, just as do those with physical illness, need help with mental illness - I just want to see that recognised rather than those people being ridiculed, reviled or put down. :)<br /><br />Gavin, if you feel that I have a valid point and you can put it better, please do so. If you don't feel I have a valid point then please just don't post and no hard feelings...mikisdadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10875916990927702097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841851020927689161.post-35671288921206054742012-12-21T13:10:28.595+11:002012-12-21T13:10:28.595+11:00Thank you for posting this. It is very disturbing...Thank you for posting this. It is very disturbing to me the way the media spews blatant mistruths, all the way through this event. When they start saying, "He was really smart", "kind of odd", argh. . . how many of us or our children fit that description even without the aspy diagnosis? It is frightening that they seem to want people afraid of smart boys. . .<br />Makes me sad.<br />Amy<br />ABoydenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09683242736231553792noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841851020927689161.post-41369879230844466822012-12-21T11:32:26.939+11:002012-12-21T11:32:26.939+11:00well said, thank youwell said, thank youkarenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11678908137511256908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841851020927689161.post-88768190044959321692012-12-21T07:17:00.523+11:002012-12-21T07:17:00.523+11:00Bless you for saying this. I caught the brief men...Bless you for saying this. I caught the brief mentions of "odd" and "loner" when the news story broke, then they mentioned Asperger's. My heart sank. I was sickened that they would jump to that conclusion before it had even become clear what had happened. Now they're even interviewing his barber. It's sickening. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05659143242634568450noreply@blogger.com