For Autism Awareness Month, Listen to Autistic People

April is Autism Awareness Month. The first thing you need to be aware of is that organizations like Autism Speaks aren’t helping autistic people. They’re harming them. We’ll get to that in a minute. First, I’d like to make you aware of some things.

  1. I don’t have a formal diagnosis, but it’s 99.998% certain your humble blogger is autistic. I’ve done a bunch of assessments for autism overall and how women (girls) present as autistic, and everything comes back as “Whelp, you’re autistic as fuck. Congratulations!”
  2. Note I say I am autistic. Not “I have autism.” Nor “I am a person with autism.” That’s because it’s not a disease or a disability (except insofar as the world isn’t built to accommodate autistic people). It’s the way my brain processes the world. Those personality quirks that make me the unique me that I am? The vast majority come from me being autistic AF.
  3. I don’t want to be cured. I like my autistic self just fine, thank you. So when you say you want to find a cure for autism, it sounds an awful lot like you’re saying you want to erase me and my autistic friends.

That last one’s pretty shocking, right? I mean, we all hear about how horrible and disabling autism is. Pitiable parents appear on television, blogs, and in glossy magazine articles talking about how their bright and beautiful babies suddenly became aloof aliens. No eye contact, no hugs, no words, no love! Meltdowns! Delays! My kid is a lemon and I want my money back! Oh, and it was probably because of vaccines. My abnormal psych book had a whole section devoted to how you could only maybe rescue an autistic kid from a life of certain complete dysfunction and probable institutionalization by devoting yourself full-time to rescuing them. Otherwise, they’d spend all their lives unable to even wipe themselves after taking a shit.

Who wouldn’t want a cure for that terrible disease?

(PS: I assumed I wasn’t autistic for over 40 years because my life wasn’t the empathy-devoid wasteland these folks assured me it should be.)

Only it’s not as bad as all that.

Autistic brains just process things differently from non-autistic brains. A good number of our “disabilities” aren’t so disabling once people make allowances for that fact. Like, if you don’t insist on us making eye contact all the time, we can connect and converse just fine. If you let us do our stims, we won’t melt down so much. If you listen to us, we can tell you just what we need to thrive.

You can even listen to those of us who can’t speak. Technology allows that to happen. Just because a person can’t speak doesn’t mean they don’t have plenty to say.

So, at the end of this post, you’ll find a list of blogs and organizations that will tell you more about autism, what autistic people need, and how you can be a good ally. Now we’ll talk about one way to definitely not be a good ally: Continue reading “For Autism Awareness Month, Listen to Autistic People”

For Autism Awareness Month, Listen to Autistic People
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Time to Burn Up the Phone Lines

The endless flood of horrors from 45’s regime continues. Republicans seem to have been emboldened by a minority of awful Americans and the Russian government choosing an endlessly lying, racist sexual predator as president. They’re busy trying to cram through as much hideous legislation as they can manage before they have to discard the great orange menace.

They’re also busy trying not to investigate the endless ties between the Russian government and pretty much everyone in Chitler’s administration. A few seem to give enough of a shit about this country to try, but others just want him available to rubber-stamp all the horrid legislation on their wishlist.

So. Your mission, should you choose to accept it (and you really should), is to contact your senators and tell them to investigate the fuck out of Russia. Ask them to support the appointment of a special prosecutor, because we need an independent investigation.

Here’s a simple script: Continue reading “Time to Burn Up the Phone Lines”

Time to Burn Up the Phone Lines

An Open Letter to Betsy DeVos, From an Educator

Despite our best efforts, Betsy DeVos was confirmed as Secretary of Education. This is terrible news for our nation’s public schools. Those of us concerned about science education will have to pour our efforts into protecting our schools on a local and state level. We’ll also have to push hard for accountability. Just because DeVos was confirmed doesn’t mean she gets free rein to destroy our schools. She now has a responsibility to provide all of America’s children with a quality free primary education, and we will hold her to that.

My friend J.S. recently retired from a twenty-eight year career as a teacher at one of our nation’s public schools. He has some sage advice for DeVos. I hope she hears it, and takes it to heart. Please feel free to copy this open letter and send it directly to her.

Dear Secretary DeVos: Continue reading “An Open Letter to Betsy DeVos, From an Educator”

An Open Letter to Betsy DeVos, From an Educator

New at Rosetta Stones: How to Save Public Education

Without Ania and Chris, this post wouldn’t have happened, so: thank you both!

Betsy DeVos’s confirmation vote is tomorrow. Here is all the information you need for calling your senators and opposing her, including reasons why. She is a complete catastrophe – we need to fight her! If you have a Republican senator, make extra sure you call them to lodge your opposition, because we need three of those little shits to flip in order to prevent her from getting her grubby Christian Dominionist hands all over the Department of Education.

While you’re on the phone with them, you might want to drop in a mention that you oppose Trump’s actions on immigration and would very much like to see him obey the fucking law.

In other news, I am not doing well at all. If you want to help me make rent so there’s one less thing causing panic attacks, I would be eternally grateful. You can donate here:




I may be taking the next couple of days off from ETEV, due to major upheavals at home, plus B and I going out job hunting, and having exceeded my ability to handle shit without medication. Please do follow me on Facebook (most of my stuff is public, so you can see and share even if we’re not formally friends). With the Chitler regime doing something else appalling every half hour, it’s about the only place where I can even try to keep up. Plus, you’ll get lots of pictures of a very elderly felid. She is just over a month away from her 23rd birthday! Continue reading “New at Rosetta Stones: How to Save Public Education”

New at Rosetta Stones: How to Save Public Education

Mike Pompeo Was Confirmed as Head of the CIA. Call Your Senators and Register Your Displeasure

Too many Senate Democrats rolled over and played nice, confirming Mike Pompeo as head of the CIA.

This is not acceptable behavior. Mike Pompeo is someone who should never have been confirmed. He’s a dire threat to our civil liberties. He believes torturers are patriots. Under his leadership, the CIA will not only be at dire risk of repeating the atrocities of the Bush regime, but exceeding them.

No Democrat should have ever voted to confirm him.

My wise and angry friend A.M. has made it easy for those of you whose Senator voted yes to contact them and register your anger. Let them know that their continued employment depends on them doing their jobs and opposing Trump’s appalling appointees.

If you are living in California, North Dakota, Minnesota, New York, Indiana, Virginia, West Virginia, Rhode Island, Hawaii, New Hampshire, and Missouri, call your Senator. If you can’t call, write. Here is the information you need: Continue reading “Mike Pompeo Was Confirmed as Head of the CIA. Call Your Senators and Register Your Displeasure”

Mike Pompeo Was Confirmed as Head of the CIA. Call Your Senators and Register Your Displeasure

New at Rosetta Stones: The National Park Service Spits Out the Gag

This is fucking fantastic, people: the National Park Service is trolling Chitler hard. Read all about it here, including ways to support them.

Not long after Badlands was brought into line, anonymous employees of the NPS went rogue. They created the AltUSNatlParkService account and, after retweeting a particularly provocative image from the Badlands account along with some climate change data, announced their intent in no uncertain terms:

Screenshot of @AltNatParkSer tweets. From the bottom (earliest) to the top tweet, they are as follows: Tweet 1: "'The pre-industrial concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere was 280 parts per million (ppm). As of December 2016, 404.93 ppm.'" Tweet 2: "Mr Trump, you may have taken us down officially. But with scientific evidence & the Internet our message will get out. Tweet 3: "Respect goes out to our brothers and sisters at the @BadlandsNPS. When they silence you, we will speak for you."

Chitler is trying to gag government agencies vital to our nation’s health. It’s good to see some of them spitting out the gag and then spitting in his eye.

New at Rosetta Stones: The National Park Service Spits Out the Gag

Some Alternatives to Punching Nazis

Before I begin talking about alternatives to literally punching Nazis, I just want to state for the record that I am 100% in favor of punching Nazis. We tried using our words, and all they’ve done is allowed the mealy-mouthed quisling center to bloviate at us about “going high when they go low,” as if punching someone who is advocating for genocide is actually the greater of two evils. (Newsflash: it is not.)

We used our words, and continue to use our words, and what we have ended up with is Nazis in the state houses, Nazis on school boards, Nazis on Capitol Hill, and Nazis in the White House. We now have a Nazi puppet dancing on their strings in the Oval Office. We have Nazis everywhere, advocating state violence and white supremacy and ethnic cleansing. I don’t think words alone are enough.

So, yes, I am here for this person who so valiantly punched a Nazi:

I am here for the anti-fascists who’ve made it their mission to stop Nazi violence with violence. I’m generally a pacifist, but when people are already hurting and killing us, I really have no problem with meeting their violence with necessary force.

I am here for self-defense. Sometimes, the best self-defense is to throw the first punch.

However. Not all of us can punch Nazis.

I, for instance, cannot punch Nazis. I haven’t any upper body strength. Also, I don’t get out much. I mean, if it comes to it, I could throw some elbows, and I do plan to wear boots more often in case any Nazi-stomping becomes necessary, but I am not really built or trained for physical confrontation.

Lots of us aren’t. So here are some things we can do instead of literally punching Nazis: Continue reading “Some Alternatives to Punching Nazis”

Some Alternatives to Punching Nazis

Graphic Art for the Rebellion

We’ve reached the end of the Obama era. Now America swears in a man who’s already proven he’ll be the worst president in its history.

I’m joining the women’s strike, which means I won’t be doing any posting over the next couple of days. After that, I’ll be spending my time offering up every ounce of resistance I’m capable of.

This is not normal. This is not politics as usual. This administration deserves no first chances, much less second ones.

Here is a collection of some of the graphics I’ve created for resisting the assholes determined to fuck this country and the world over. Feel free to use them for your own rebellious purposes. Continue reading “Graphic Art for the Rebellion”

Graphic Art for the Rebellion

One Simple Sentence Could Help Save America’s Schools

The Senate will be holding confirmation hearings for Betsy DeVos on January 17th. If you care about America’s public schools, if you think all of our kids should have a solid education, and if you want to prevent religious indoctrination from being subsidized by the federal government, now is the time to call your senator and make your voice heard.

Look up the number here. All you’ll need is one simple sentence:

I’m calling to ask [Senator’s name] to block Betsy DeVos from the position of education secretary.

That’s it. That’s all you have to say. Easy-peasy.

If you want to include a little bit about why you oppose her, you can let them know the following: Continue reading “One Simple Sentence Could Help Save America’s Schools”

One Simple Sentence Could Help Save America’s Schools

Republicans Are Trying to Ram Through Crooked Nominees. Here’s How to Fight Them

The Republican party is wasting no time fucking over the country. And they want to make sure they have assholes in place to facilitate their pillaging. They have no interest in governing this country. They have no patience for democratic norms. They don’t give a single shit about ethics.

The Office of Government Ethics is raising alarm over the pace of confirmation hearings for President-elect Donald Trump’s nominees, saying Saturday that they have yet to receive required financial disclosures for some picks set to come before Congress next week.

In a letter to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., released Saturday, OGE Director Walter Shaub wrote that “the announced hearing schedule for several nominees who have not completed the ethics review process is of great concern to me” and that the current schedule “has created undue pressure on OGE’s staff and agency ethics officials to rush through these important reviews.

“More significantly, it has left some of the nominees with potentially unknown or unresolved ethics issues shortly before their scheduled hearings,” Shaub continued. “I am not aware of any occasion in the four decades since OGE was established when the Senate held a confirmation hearing before the nominee had completed the ethics review process.”

This is the time when we have to resist. They need us to be quiet and compliant. When we rise up en masse, they learn they don’t have the consent of the governed – and sometimes, it makes them change course.

Here’s a handy spreadsheet showing who’s up for confirmation, why they’re terrible, the date of their hearings, and who to pester about it. Get on the phone and make your voice heard. This is our job this week. We sort of have a democracy still, broken and dysfunctional as it is. Let’s remind our elected officials what their job is. Continue reading “Republicans Are Trying to Ram Through Crooked Nominees. Here’s How to Fight Them”

Republicans Are Trying to Ram Through Crooked Nominees. Here’s How to Fight Them