Posted on 07/28/2008 7:49:59 AM PDT by SmithL
Parents of children with autism, along with politicians and other protesters, convened Sunday in front of a San Francisco radio station and renewed calls for the firing of talk show host Michael Savage, who recently suggested that most autism diagnoses were fraudulent.
A crowd of 50 to 60 people gathered in front of KNEW radio's Townsend Street offices Sunday to protest the decision by KNEW and Talk Radio Network, the company that syndicates Savage's shows, to keep him on the air despite his controversial statements.
"Michael Savage's remarks were hurtful to the safety and the well-being of vulnerable children and we want him off the air," said Evelyn Ain, president of Autism United in Long Island, whose 8-year-old son has autism. "If this (KNEW) and other radio stations don't stop carrying Savage's signal, then we will pursue every advertiser until they drop him."
Ain was joined at the protest by Craig Johnson, a New York state senator from Long Island, who has advocated for spending on autism issues and education, and by Alice Lai-Bitker, an Alameda County supervisor, and others.
As part of his July 16 conservative, nationally syndicated talk-radio show, "The Savage Nation," Savage said that autism is being over-diagnosed and actually is a result of parental failures.
"They don't have a father around to tell them, 'Don't act like a moron. You'll get nowhere in life,' " Savage said during his show. " 'Stop acting like a putz. Straighten up. Act like a man. Don't sit there crying and screaming, you idiot.' "
Representatives of Talk Radio Network could not be reached Sunday. In a statement, the company said it would not fire or suspend Savage and was satisfied that he did not mean any disrespect to autistic children or their families
...Savage has not apologized.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
true but you can prevent future cases draining the resources which could go to the legit cases.
You could if people were willing to admit that some cases are NOT legit.
This admission would question the validity of some of the past diagnoses.
perhaps the industrial fakers see this as a way for more money.
“I was listening to savage when he said it. I also have an autistic grand son. Make no mistake, he offended me and everyone in my family. He implies that most autistic kids act the way they do because parents allow it! I will never listen to savage again, nor purchase a product from a company that supports this jerk....”
Lighten up! Quit being a victim and listen to the essence of what he’s saying...he’s saying that autism is over-diagnosed and he is absolutely right. Most problems with kids can be fixed with a good paddling to the rump and then some positive reinforcement once the kid gets the message and understands what is expected of him (truely autistic children not included of course).
Thanks Savage for empowering another sanctimonious victim group. I don’t know & hardly care about Autism...but jeez why not have a discussion on the cause and effect instead of a bunch of spewing the victimology!
There are NO drugs indicated for autism
It's where Savage works. If his studio was in Alabama, protest would have been there. Lots of Republican families have children with autism.
I’m so sorry; drubyfive. I’m from San Francisco; and I was being entirely sarcastic in my post about San Francisco? A protest?
Oh I see what you mean. Thanks for the clarification.
My error. :)
I would bet any amount that the number of so-called “autistic” children in S.F. is double those “diagnosed” in Des Moines. This whole movement is such a fraud. The tragedy is that so much money is being wasted on children with emotional problems, from lousy homes, or abusive parents, that far less money is left for true autistic children who desperately need help.
Don’t know. I found it last week when this issue first came up. You can find his comments all over Google.
Google “Stop acting like a putz. Straighten up. Act like a man” and you’ll get hundreds of sources.
Methinks Michael Weiner should calm down. He's going to have an aneurysm one day soon. And if he ever wants to be taken seriously (which I doubt), then he should not make such hyperbolic, idiotic statements. He showed himself to be a Grade-A asshat.
Why is it that muslim suicide bombers NEVER attack these liberal vermin when they have a protest like this? Oh, that’s right, because the anti-Western, anti-Christian, anti-democracy, anti-freedom liberal vermin are on the same side as the anti-Western, anti-Christian, anti-democracy, anti-freedom muslims.
But it's no big deal to me.
Thank you, Victory Gal for the ping!
SAVAGE!
Except that TEACHERS cannot prescribe Ritalin or any other medication. A prescription requires a doctor's signature on the prescription form.
There IS an awful lot of ignorance on this thread about Autism, though.
I stopped listening to Savage quite a long time ago precisely because of the ignorant comments this man has a history of making, including this latest comment. I only know of this issue due to the MSM covering it.
Savage is an idiot who knows little to nothing about the disorder he is putting down, and you are joining in his ignorance with your comments. Parents of children with Autism are hardly to blame for this neurological disorder, and their skills in parenting have nothing to do with its cause.
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