The Problem with Autism Speaks

[amIblue?]

At what point was it that sororities all started having national philanthropies? We had a local one when I was active, but I know some of the chapters on my campus did have national ones. Late 90s? Early 2000s?

[amanda6035]

Originally Posted by amIblue?

At what point was it that sororities all started having national philanthropies? We had a local one when I was active, but I know some of the chapters on my campus did have national ones. Late 90s? Early 2000s?

Whenever it became obvious that it was a marketing/recruitment tool that had that "name brand recognition". Nobody knew what "Choose Children" was and it was AWESOME. Let's be honest. Choose Children can't compete when you have orgs on campus that have philanthropies with other BIG names that are very nationally recognized by anyone who isn't living under a rock.

[amIblue?]

Originally Posted by amanda6035

Whenever it became obvious that it was a marketing/recruitment tool that had that "name brand recognition". Nobody knew "Choose Children" was and it was AWESOME. Let's be honest. Choose Children can't compete when you have orgs on campus that have philanthropies with other BIG names that are very nationally recognized by anyone who isn't living under a rock.

Now that you say that, I do recall feeling underwhelmed (as a rushee) by our philanthropy.

[clemsongirl]

Originally Posted by amIblue?

Now that you say that, I do recall feeling underwhelmed (as a rushee) by our philanthropy.

When I went through recruitment there was one group I was very unimpressed by during philanthropy round because I couldn't figure out what their philanthropy actually did to help people. My best friend refused to go to a COB event this group was holding for the same reason-she didn't feel she could accept a bid to a group whose philanthropy she couldn't support.

I know that ADPi's requires a little explanation, since upon hearing the name Ronald McDonald people immediately think of McDonald's (and rightfully so), but I feel that the volunteering my chapter does has a direct impact on the families staying at the Ronald McDonald House in Greenville, SC. We send girls out there frequently in addition to the fundraising we do.

[naraht]

I know I'm not going to hit all of the points that everyone has made, but I'll give it a try.

My wife is on the board of the Asperger's Association of Greater Washington and knows the founder of the ASAN (Autism Self Advocacy Network). She has been to events protesting Autism Speaks.

1) Austism Speaks (AS) is completely uninterested in having anyone with any diagnosed Autism Spectrum Disorder on their board. To them Autism is *only* the situation that the founders have, being grandparents of a child who is unable to communicate at all. Those with Autism who are high Functioning are inconvenient for their concept of Autism being something that can be cured.

2) AS has invested money in to the high doubtful and now completely discredited concepts of Mercury in Vaccinations and has only recently stopped supporting Wakefield's "research".

3) AS's research into *prevention* of Autism includes continued belief in specific genetic markers (such as those for Tay Sachs) as well as tests in amniotic fluid, which only makes sense if you are willing to consider that bringing an autistic child into the world is so bad that aborting the child based on that is reasonable. Of course *that* assumes that the condition is so well defined that you can actually look for markers.

'Autism Speaks', but it sure as h*ll doesn't speak for me.