Michael Savage, autism comment

Jen Hussein wrote:

That is sad. Really? 8 million people would listen to and support a blowhard bully like that? Well, to each his own. I am still writing to more advertisers. My wallet will do the talking for me.

Which you have every right to do.

Not everyone feels that they must agree with EVERYTHING a person has to say in order to be interested in hearing what they say.

I'm not saying they're right. I'm not saying you're right. I'm just saying everyone has the RIGHT to think and say what they like.

Trix likes to listen. She'll keep listening.

You don't like to listen and will do your best to get him off the air.

I really do love this country.

Jen Hussein wrote:

<quoted text>
That is sad. Really? 8 million people would listen to and support a blowhard bully like that? Well, to each his own. I am still writing to more advertisers. My wallet will do the talking for me.

Yeah, his listeners really love him and his books reach the NYTimes best-seller list. He is what I call an equal-opportunity hater. Savage doesn't take any political side. But people have to realize that the show is a talk-show, not a news report or a commentary. He even has an opening clause warning people about his content. His opinions are extreme and his style is to push your button.... either you get angry or inspired..... But he'll make you think about the subject. In this day and age of political correctness he is the total polar opposite.

Border/Language/Culture

LP Trixie wrote:

woohoo!! Savage is the third most popular syndicated radio show in America right now. Over 8 million listeners. His fan base funds his program by donating through his website and purchasing his CDs and books. Writing to companies to pull their ad from the radio station won't matter. That spot will be filled up again by other companies that wont care about your plight. If you want to shut Doctor Savage down, you have to convince his 8 million listeners to turn off the radio....... good luck with that!
Borders/Language/Culture

Another self-absorbed Lincoln Park Trixie....believe me, if you and your Chad had a child with autism you'd have a little more sympathy. You'd have more to worry about than where to park your Jetta when going to Cubs games and how many cute frat boys you are going to meet at Glascott's tonight. There is a world outside of 60614, honey.

And Texan, my wife complaining about leaving a toilet seat up to an audience of one is a little different than minimizing a major developmental disability to millions.

The all encompassing fact is this idiot is not a doctor. Enough said.

Grasshopper wrote:

Just because he's an ignorant, uninformed blowhard doesn't mean he deserves to be fired.

Hear, hear.

EEE wrote:

There's a lot of talk about Free Speech here.
Did Savage show a lack of class and responsibility with his hyperbole?
Yes.
Is the "fact" that he was trying to illustrate open to debate?
Yes.(Most professionals who study autism agree that it is most definitely on the rise and not overly-affected by misdiagnosis)
Does he have EVERY RIGHT to say what he has said, despite how offensive people may find it?
Yes.
HOWEVER!!!!
Free Speech goes both ways.
Do his listeners and the parents of children affected by autism have the right to be offended by his comments?
Yes.
Do they have a right to protest his comments?
Yes.
I love that I live in a country where this sort of discourse is not only allowed, but embraced.

Hear, hear !!

LP Trixie wrote:

<quoted text>
Yeah, his listeners really love him and his books reach the NYTimes best-seller list. He is what I call an equal-opportunity hater. Savage doesn't take any political side. But people have to realize that the show is a talk-show, not a news report or a commentary. He even has an opening clause warning people about his content. His opinions are extreme and his style is to push your button.... either you get angry or inspired..... But he'll make you think about the subject. In this day and age of political correctness he is the total polar opposite.
Border/Language/Culture

Hear, Hear Hear !!!

Ace wrote:

<quoted text>
Another self-absorbed Lincoln Park Trixie....believe me, if you and your Chad had a child with autism you'd have a little more sympathy. You'd have more to worry about than where to park your Jetta when going to Cubs games and how many cute frat boys you are going to meet at Glascott's tonight. There is a world outside of 60614, honey.
And Texan, my wife complaining about leaving a toilet seat up to an audience of one is a little different than minimizing a major developmental disability to millions.

The ACTION is different. The hyperbole itself is quite similar.

Chris wrote:

<quoted text>
After reading rwilymz's entries about this topic, I conclude that it is probably best to ignore him. He has, what we call in the medical community, a narcissistic personality disorder. But before you "jump" on me for "diagnosing", let me assure you that there is no treatment, drug, or follow up therapy that fix it. Just a life of misery and pissing off others.
Go ahead rwilymz, rant on me. You are a sad, pathetic human being.

Perfect post, except for one tiny correction: "Just a life of misery and pissing *on* others."

Mary wrote:

I know this sounds mean but I hope he has a child or grandchild with autism in the future and I wonder if he would consider them brats.

I thought that too until I realized that poor child would be raised with ignorance.

I do not wish anyone or thing to depend on this cretin.

There will be two demonstrations this Sunday calling for the firing of Michael Savage and for his sponsors to stop supporting his program.

On his July 16th program Savage said,

"I'll tell you what autism is. In 99 percent of the cases, it's a brat who hasn't been told to cut the act out. That's what autism is. What do you mean they scream and they're silent? They don't have a father around to tell them,'Don't act like a moron. You'll get nowhere in life. Stop acting like a putz. Straighten up. Act like a man. Don't sit there crying and screaming, idiot."

When asked to explain his comments Savage claimed that his comments were taken out of context, and asserted that his critics were "Stalinists," and has gone on to suggest there is no autism epidemic and that bad parenting is a cause of autism.

Enough is enough. It is time for Savage to find a new job, and for his advertisers to put their money somewhere else.

Two demonstrations will be held this Sunday:

In San Francisco demonstrate in front of the KNEW studio where Savage broadcasts:

12 noon
340 Townsend Street

In New York City:

City Hall, Broadway and the Brooklyn Bridge, 12:30 pm

Bring friends, neighbors, family, kids, signs. Send this message to everyone.

I wish I could be in SF or NY to pitch in. I have also read today that several major advertisers have withdrawn from the show, including Sears, Home Depot and Radio Shack. This is free speech and a free market at its best. Hit 'em where it hurts!

Another sign that these protests are getting to Savage is that his syndicator has set up a website to defend him: www.savageonautism.com . They post a bunch of his quotes they describe as clarifying his position. Of course, these were all taken from shows after he called 99% children diagnosed with autism idiots and dummies, when he was trying to squirm away from what he said. In addition, it appears that he rigged those shows with sympathetic guests and selective muting to cover his ass. The head of National Autism Association writes about appearing on Savage's show here:

http://www.nationalautismassociation.org/sava...

A portion of what she wrote:

"That damage is very real, and it frightens me for our children. I just got a phone call from a 74-year-old lady from California who was literally screaming at me, saying that we are a bunch of hysterical mothers who refuse to discipline our kids. She could barely catch her breath, and she’s calling us hysterical? I ended up hanging up on her and she’s called back 6 times already - that’s how fired up and anxious she is to criticize us as parents and the children we love. This is the damage that Mike Savage has done, whether he meant to or not is completely irrelevant. There are people out there who are taking his words at face value and his message is one of hate.

To the fine people who are sending me hate mail about freedom of speech, you can stop. I’m all for it. You can say anything you want to in this country, but if you choose to attack our kids, be ready to defend your comments. We’re already suited up and are getting pretty good at wielding our big-ass swords."

I wish I could be in SF or NY to pitch in too. Thanks for posting this. I am blown away by the amount of hate out there. This guy really did do some damage...

Ace wrote:

I wish I could be in SF or NY to pitch in. I have also read today that several major advertisers have withdrawn from the show, including Sears, Home Depot and Radio Shack. This is free speech and a free market at its best. Hit 'em where it hurts!
Another sign that these protests are getting to Savage is that his syndicator has set up a website to defend him: www.savageonautism.com . They post a bunch of his quotes they describe as clarifying his position. Of course, these were all taken from shows after he called 99% children diagnosed with autism idiots and dummies, when he was trying to squirm away from what he said. In addition, it appears that he rigged those shows with sympathetic guests and selective muting to cover his ass. The head of National Autism Association writes about appearing on Savage's show here:
http://www.nationalautismassociation.org/sava...
A portion of what she wrote:
"That damage is very real, and it frightens me for our children. I just got a phone call from a 74-year-old lady from California who was literally screaming at me, saying that we are a bunch of hysterical mothers who refuse to discipline our kids. She could barely catch her breath, and she’s calling us hysterical? I ended up hanging up on her and she’s called back 6 times already - that’s how fired up and anxious she is to criticize us as parents and the children we love. This is the damage that Mike Savage has done, whether he meant to or not is completely irrelevant. There are people out there who are taking his words at face value and his message is one of hate.
To the fine people who are sending me hate mail about freedom of speech, you can stop. I’m all for it. You can say anything you want to in this country, but if you choose to attack our kids, be ready to defend your comments. We’re already suited up and are getting pretty good at wielding our big-ass swords."

Your doctor and the vaccine makers did the damage, whats the going rate for a drug company shill these days.

Jen Hussein wrote:

I wish I could be in SF or NY to pitch in too. Thanks for posting this. I am blown away by the amount of hate out there. This guy really did do some damage...
<quoted text>

wow wrote:

I'm all for free speech.
But, This guy is just doing it for ratings.
Bad press is good press.
Just another jerk on the radio-
Case closed.

This method of "exercise" you right to respond is unionized terrorism in an attempt to silence a fellow citizen in my opinion. Yes, I do have a problem with it. What if I got a group of people together and did whatever I could to hurt you if you didn't stop posting stuff on here? Would that be exercising my free speech? No. We call that harassment and intimidation. And I would be abusing my own rights in order to suppress someone else’s, a specifically selfish act I might add.
I don't generally like the way Savage delivers his message. You know how I stop it from affecting me? I don't listen to him and leave him to his own devices. Try it sometime.
GOD I hate liberals

I don’t think it’s as high as 99% like he said, but Savage is right! I have seen those “brats” and dealt with a few.

There are autistic kids that are purely autistic, but “autistic brats” do exist.

It's a constructive criticism!

iKitty wrote:

I don’t think it’s as high as 99% like he said, but Savage is right! I have seen those “brats” and dealt with a few.
There are autistic kids that are purely autistic, but “autistic brats” do exist.
It's a constructive criticism!

It's comments like yours that make it imperative the Mr. Weiner be taken off the air. The damage is real, and your perception being validated shows us just how deep the rhetoric broadcast can and does cut. I hope you never have to face what parents of autistic chldren do every day.

iKitty wrote:

It's a constructive criticism!

There's nothing constructive about it. It's very destructive. Maybe even more so than when "Dr." Bruno Bettleheim announced that autism was caused by neglectful and cold mothers --(so called "refrigerator mothers").

He was sooo wrong. He based his guess on the fact that WHEN HE SAW THESE CHILDREN - in a clinical setting - they made no eye contact with their Moms (a common sign of autism) and based upon that alone he jumped to the conclusion that it was because the mothers had not allowed the baby to attach as an infant by being cool and indifferent toward the baby.

Was that destructive? Oh yes, on so many levels! Many marriages came to a screeching end -- "That woman destroyed my son!"; totally adequate Moms were treated like poison by their families and community -- even churches; a few women were convinced that it was true and committed suicide; and worst of all, the children were separated from the one stable thing they had in their lives (Mom) and treatment of the right kind was delayed!

What this idiot is doing is blaming the mothers again. Only this time he seems to be including the fathers, too. It's all their fault!

Anyone who has ever been around an autistic child knows better and this kind of hurtful rhetoric helps no one, but harms many!

There is such a thing as a brat. But the words "brat" and "autistic" don't belong together in the same sentence. They're two different things.

WAY TO GO MICHAE
YA DID GOoD

SRS wrote:

<quoted text>
(Michael Savage called autistic people idiots)
You, missy, are a LIAR!
He did NOT call autistic people idiots.
Care to explain yourself?
Sheesh, you people are just ignorant fools.
Get it right for once.
And why were you subjecting your supposed autistic kid to this kind of programming if he's so 'hurt' by it?
You all just waller (sic) around in the
"Feel sorry for me & mine, he has _______"
fill in the blank with fake diagnosis.

First of all if you knew anything about autism you would know that what these children hear is usually not perceived as you or I would perceive. The child might have perceived his comment to be "idiot" it does not mean that was what the news broadcasted. When a child is high fuctioning they are usually quite intelligent so watching the news would be part of their daily routine, my son enjoys the Weather Channel. We can't jump in front of the TV every time there is something they may not understand, we just patiently explain things to them and hope they learn from the experience. That is what raising children is all about.