WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED

I wasn’t physically present at the Mercury Generation Rally in Washington last week, but a friend sent photographs from the event to let me know what I missed.

The estimates I’ve seen for the number of participants ranged from a couple of hundred to a thousand. I’m not too concerned over the numbers. It is enough to know that for every person there at the capitol, there were many, many others who could not be there for one reason or another. There are a lot of us out here, and we’re not going away any time soon.

We’re speaking through a lot of different groups and a lot of different media (including blogs). To be sure, we don’t speak for all autistics or parents of all autistic children. Some feel we’re creating a diversion from what they see as the real issues of autism. Some feel we’re advocating a waste of national resources. Some feel that by talking in terms of “cure,” we create an image of autistics as being unworthy of respect or love. I don’t believe that’s the intent or the result, but obviously some feel that to be the case. Those who disagree with us are entitled to their opinions and feelings, and I will not fault them for airing their opinions and feelings in any appropriate way they see fit. But know this; there are a lot of us out here, and we’re not going away any time soon.

That is not to say that we ⎯ that is, those of us who either marched in Washington or wished we had ⎯ all have the exact same opinions and goals. We certainly don’t agree on the efficacy of any one intervention, although most of our favorite interventions fall under the umbrella of biomedical protocols. Some of us think mercury is the only problem. Some of us think mercury is a large component of a complex problem. Some of us want to preserve legal rights. Some of us care less about who can sue whom, and just want someone to tell us the truth. As for me, I think the question of how we, as a society, should apportion the cost of our mistakes can wait. The important first step is to find a definitive answer. As we look for that answer, keep in mind that there are a lot of us out here, and we’re not going away any time soon.

What if that answer shows we’re wrong? Then we look for new solutions in the answer that emerges. I don’t think, however, that we’re wrong. Everything I’ve seen in the last couple of years tells me we’re on the right track. I recall visiting relatives living in tobacco country as a boy. I can still hear my father’s cousin, who operated a wholesale business for tobacco products, railing about those litigation-seeking agitators who were trying to draw a connection between cigarettes and cancer. He could cite lots of impressive studies that “disproved” the connection, but we came to find out those studies were dictated more by interests than science. In the autism controversies, both sides claim that it’s the other guys using “tobacco science.” It says a lot to me that only one side says the debate is over. That side needs to be reminded that there are a lot of us out here, and we’re not going away any time soon.

I didn’t think it could happen, but the rhetoric is getting harsher than ever these days. People on both sides ⎯ better to say all sides ⎯ of the debate are getting frustrated. And there are certainly vocal persons on both sides who seem to delight in provoking controversy. I may wince when some things are said, but I can only control what I say. As a whole, we are people of good will. Nevertheless, we cannot and will not forget what has happened to our children. Yes, there are a lot of us out here, and we’re not going away any time soon.

We shall not, we shall not be moved.
We shall not, we shall not be move.
Just like a tree that’s standing by the water,
We shall not be moved.

We shall not, we shall not be moved.
We shall not, we shall not be moved.
We’re fighting for our children,
We shall not be moved.