An Open Message To the US Government

To President Barack Obama and to each of the Members of the US House of Representatives and to the Senate:

I am sure that you are aware, if you care to see it, that so many of your citizens are not happy with your performance.  You know that a week ago, someone fired shots at the Capitol building. I think that you should not be surprised if this shooter's motive may have been rage at your actions that have caused the current government shutdown. That would not excuse this shooter's actions, but it certainly would explain them. Also, I know many of you pay attention to public opinion polls. Would it shock you to know that your approval ratings currently stand at only 5 percent, according to at least one poll?

We have a piece of legislation that so many people apparently oppose, as do many of you. Because of the opposition of many political leaders to this legislation, we now have another government shutdown. No legislation is perfect, and it will take time for it to be well-implemented and to run smoothly. Can't things be worked out here? In just a matter of days, you know that we have the even more serious issue of what to do to keep the US from going into default. Eight days now, as I write. We understand that the bills incurred by Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid have to be paid. We know that all the bills incurred by other government services have to be paid.

Yet we understand that you seem to have no plan to address this. The President wants to raise the debt ceiling, yet there are some who are agreeing to his proposal. But they are demanding that if he is to raise the debt ceiling, he is to make spending cuts to Medicaid and to all other government programs in proportion to how much he would do that. So what is it? Do most of us have to suffer from deep and painful cuts to programs and services that we need just to survive? Why should we have to make even more deep and painful sacrifices than what so many of us are already making? While all of you keep collecting your own paychecks because of your Constitutional protection from doing anything to your own salaries and very comfortable benefits?

Mr. President, all Members of the Senate and the House, so many of us are counting on you to set aside your egos and to put your country before your party loyalty. So many of us are fed up. You have to be aware that this Congress is considered by many to be the worst Congress in all of US history. You say that you want to do this and that. You pepper your speeches with your political rhetoric. Yet you so often do not back up your claims with actions. Talk is cheap. We know that your differences are based of sharply different visions on what is right and best for the US. But aren't there ways that you all can get together, iron out your differences, and find common ground?

We are not asking much from any of you. Even if each of you were to collect no pay at all during the government shutdown, I don't think you would really "feel it," now would you? We understand that there are some of you who agree that there is much government corruption. But you obviously are too afraid of your wealthy buddies on Wall Street to stand up to them and to truly work for us, the people who put you in office and who pay taxes. I wonder, how many of you are bought and paid off and so "beholden" to these wealthy benefactors, that you dare not run afoul of them? Do you blame us for feeling that many of you have accepted payoffs to get and stay elected, and that being elected is all you care about? Most of us are frustrated, disillusioned, and disgusted with all the rot in Washington. Many of us are worried and scared because of the profound effects of this shutdown on our real lives. Things will be far worse if you allow the US to go into default and do not raise the debt ceiling!

Some of us actually wonder: Who IS running this country? Your reluctance, yes, fear of standing up to these wealthy donors of yours and to be strong voices on behalf of us your citizens, makes us believe that your wealthy donors who obviously have bought and paid so many of you off, seem to be running this country. We have nothing against wealth. We just have major problems with it when it causes abuse and corruption. We see so much of that especially in Washington. Deep down, you no doubt are aware of it too. I'm sure that there are good people among you and that most of you started out with good hearts, sincerely wanting to serve your country. But then, along the way, the temptations of power and wealth apparently are too much.

As a Christian, I pray for all of you, as God tells us too. We as Christians are told to honor you because of the offices you hold. But the actions of so many of you make honoring you seem downright unattractive, even impossible. You can make it easier to respect you by acting in ways that make you worthy of that respect. I write to you as a citizen in St. Louis, Missouri but my fellow citizens in all 50 states share these concerns. So, when will you start working for us?

Photo Courtesy of PicDrome.org "blue-ink-ballpoint-pen" This photo can be found here.

Children With Autism Become Adults With Autism

        A chain of events in my life, my observations and research have underscored the need for funds for a population that is going to only grow in the years to come. I'm talking about the ever-growing number of those autistic young people who age out of the school system and out of resources, services and support. I have created a petition to the US government to release funds to each of the 50 states to be allocated to various services for adults with autism in each state. My petition, new and which I am having trouble getting the widget for on this site, should be found at this location:
http://www.change.org/petitions/the-u-s-senate-the-u-s-house-of-representatives-president-obama-release-funds-for-services-for-adults-with-autism-to-each-of-the-50-states#share. And do not just sign it but share it. I have created a Facebook page that should make the petition much more sharable, as it is hard to share from the petition site. If you have a Facebook account, "like" my page at https://www.facebook.com/ChildrenWithAutismBecomeAdultsWithAutism and share the petition from there.
       Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that, throughout a person's life span, affects how he or she sees and relates to self, others and the outside world. It isn't a mental illness or a disease that is able to be overcome or cured. Its a neurological (of the brain) disorder whose cause is unknown. So children with autism, even if they are fortunate enough to make great gains through early childhood intervention, usually continue to need resources and support services throughout life in order to avoid falling through the cracks, developing mental health issues, dependency on government assistance when they could find employment, or avoid entering into lives of homelessness or crime because of lack of services. In the US as I'm sure is the case in other developed countries, children and teens under 18 are entitled to diagnostic, treatment and support services. When they reach 18 or 21 (depending on the laws in each state), they are no longer entitled to any of these even though most continue to need these services to be successful in life. And that's true whether they have more severe, classic autism or the higher-functioning subtypes like Asperger's Syndrome or Pervasive Development Syndrome-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS).
       As autism spectrum disorders have always been with us, even though the diagnosis has not, there are many in the "lost generation," many of us whose cluster of challenges would probably had gotten us an autism spectrum diagnosis if we had grown up today. Many in this "lost generation" grew up often being labeled with "personality disorders," or were called "mentally retatrded," "mentally ill," "behaviorally disordered," emotionally disturbed," or other unsavory labels and inappropriate interventions. Still others never received any attention. Today, many in this "lost generation" are suffering in silence, longing for answers as to why our lives have taken the twists and turns that they have. Some adults, even in their 50s and 60s, are fortunate enough to have the money, time and access to resources to get autism evaluations late in life, and find answers and closure. For the most part, professionals like psychologists, psychiatrists, neurologists and other related professionals and autism agencies which serve children and teens, cannot and will not diagnose or treat adults because of a lack of training and research that includes adults in autism research.
       In my own life, because our daughter, high-functioning, has been diagnosed with autism, I have, over time, self-diagnosed myself along the spectrum because of my childhood, teen years and adulthood of challenges that could not be explained by the labels I was given when I was growing up. I remain merely self-diagnosed because no professionals in my area feel able to diagnose autism spectrum disorders in adults. Also, it is believed that my biological dad (now deceased), who often had been treated for major mental health issues, probably also had an undiagnosed autism spectrum disorder. Thanks to my daughter and the autism awareness I have gained through her, I probably may never even be self-diagnosed. Yet even with self-diagnosis, not having my suspicions confirmed leaves me with a residue of the feelings of shame, fears, anxiety, frustration, lack of identity and confusion that I had growing up. Only the certainty of an official diagnosis can give answers and give me the feeling of finally letting go. As for our daughter, we have hopes for her future as she is thriving in public school, getting good grades, enjoying life, developing her talents  and giving us much joy. But when she ages out of the school system, we know that we can't guarantee her future as autism services for adults are very few in my home state. But even if she should not need such services anymore, many other adults may and they deserve to have access to those services.
       A whopping, estimated 70 percent (even higher) of adults on the spectrum are unemployed or underemployed, meaning that they work in jobs that don't use their talents and skills. In so many of these cases, it's because of lack of social skills and life skills. Many of these adults could be channeled into developing businesses of their own because of their interests and talents, with the right supports and resources to make that happen. As it stands now, many of these adults find themselves having to use government assistance, many develop mental health issues and heavily consume the mental health system; still others are homeless or commit crimes, particularly stalking and sex crimes. Many others are vulnerable to becoming crime victims because of their poor social skills. This epidemic affects all of us.
      Even if you do not deal with autism in your daily life or have personal connections with it, you probably know people who do. Neither you or your family or society will benefit if such a large population remains a tax burden on society or even commits crimes because of unmet needs; but you will benefit if they get the help they need to contribute to society.

     I have tried to get the widget for my petition to make it accessible from this blogspot, but I have not been successful. If any of you knows how I can make this work, feel free to leave a comment. First, sign the petition and then share it. Find the petition right here:
http://www.change.org/petitions/the-u-s-senate-the-u-s-house-of-representatives-president-obama-release-funds-for-services-for-adults-with-autism-to-each-of-the-50-states#share