Login to Change.org
Create an Account
Steve Bockmann
Farmington Hills, United Arab Emirates
Recent Activity
-
Steve commented on the petition |When a doctor can decide that a child is not smart enough to live ..... we're all lost.
-
Steve signed the petition |
-
Steve commented on the article |I'll possibly use special needs in an IEP, Autism or even very rarely disabilities. Outside of that environment where you almost have to use those terms I'll just use challenges.
I don't really see my son as disabled. I do acknowledge that he has some special needs but I don't like the perception that most people have of what "special needs" means so I don't use that very publicly.
I'm adamant about my son not seeing himself that way. He obviously knows he has some differences but we regularly point out that different isn't a problem so it doesn't phase him as much as it might otherwise.
Do others seem him as different, special ed, special needs, disabled, etc.? Absolutely. But so what.
He's a pretty cool kid who really is pretty secure with who he is (though not always secure with every situation) and I don't even know if you asked him if he'd know (or care) what Autism is or that some folks think it applies to him.
He's 11, mainstream classroom with an aide and we own a therapy center so it's not like he's being sheltered .... he just doesn't care and neither do we. -
Steve commented on the article |Preservation Nation, I don't think I missed the point ... I responded to a question. I also posed some questions in return.
As for Ms. Chew's hope for a switch from hypothetical speculation I agree ..... but as long as we have questions that are unanswered I'm wondering how we avoid hypothetical speculation?
I'll even move away from vaccines, how about these questions:
1) What causes Autism?
2) How many types/categories of Autism are there?
3) What are the best therapeutic approaches to use with Autistic children?
4) What are the best educational approaches to use with Autistic children?
5) Can Autistic characteristics be "cured"?
6) Can Autism be prevented or should it be?
It seems to me that none of these questions can be addressed without hypothetical speculations at this point.
One of Science's core tools in pursuing truth is hypothetical speculation. If you really want to dispense with hypothetical speculation then essentially what you want to do is state the fact first and then just pull enough research until you can prove you were right. That's less science and more marketing.
It also seems difficult to fight for universal supports and services until some of these questions are addressed.
As for money being wasted that's a matter of opinion and I agree that more needs to be spent on the needs of children, teens and adults with Autism.
While many hammer the "anti-vax" this or the "science has proven" that angle my questions above still remain. Are those "pro-vaccine" folks so firm in their stances that they are unwilling to accept and agree that:
1) Vaccines do help ... but also have a record of damage
2) There have been many studies disproving an autism-vaccine link .... but there have also been many that have shown a link
3) Courts have also ruled both ways
Ms. Chew you addressed my questions about the Classics ... thank you. How about these two questions which were missed:
1) Do you not see the value in an open debate about the safety of a chemical injection that many states REQUIRE parents give their children?
2) Do you not think it fair to question the POSSIBILITY that introducing known toxins could cause damage and therefore need further safety review and testing?
You don't come to scientific conclusions based on consensus of opinion .... you come to scientific conclusions based on a consensus of the facts. It doesn't seem to me to be a waste of money pursuing that type of conclusion.
Finally, the problem isn't too much money being spent looking at vaccines, it's too little money being spent on Autism. I agree, the causes of Autism may not be important to some parents facing the challenges of a child that already has Autism .... but it sure is important to the parents that will be having children that haven't yet been touched by it.
As for studying of Classics and history more generally I certainly agree with you Ms. Chew as to it's value. In studying these topics we get to reflect on how proven scientific thinking, consensus and fact has changed over time in order to learn from it (i.e- the earth is flat or the center of the galaxy, smoking is healthy, the existence of a "superior race", etc.). Funny some of the bizarre things people believe because smart folks told them it was true.
Thank you again,
Steve Bockmann -
Steve commented on the article |
What have they contributed?
You quote the title of the article but skip over the points she made so let me answer by reviewing what she actually said were important questions to be asked and answered in the story:
1) Are we overvaccinating our children?
2) Is the vaccination schedule too rigid?
3) Are certain groups susceptible to negative side effects and can those individuals be identified before receiving the vaccines?
I wonder which of these questions is not important or a valid question to be asking? Even the staunchest, most pro-vaccine individuals would agree that people are damaged by vaccines. The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program has paid out BILLIONS to individuals harmed by vaccines - over $91 million in 2009 alone. So there is a recognized danger there ... though frequently only a danger recognized after the fact and after study, research and debate.
Ms. Healy has also commented in the past that the government has been too quick to dismiss parent concerns without sufficient studies of causation.
Ms. Chew do you not see the value in an open debate about the safety of a chemical injection that many states REQUIRE parents give their children? Do you not think it fair to question the POSSIBILITY that introducing known toxins could cause damge and therefore need further safety review and testing?
There's science on both sides of the debate, a fact which I know you're aware of, so saying that anything is "unproven" is probably a bit misleading.
Autism is a neurological disorder, so isn't studying things that could cause possible neurological damage or studying children who could be susceptible to neurological damage not a worthy debate?
Your profile points out that you are a Classics professor so I could ask the same of the type of classes you teach, what does studying classic civilizations or languages such as Greek or Latin (which some mistakenly describe as dead languages) contribute?
The answer of course is simple .... we study and debate to further learn and understand. When we learn and understand we are able to improve lives and outcomes .... Autistic or otherwise.
Respectfully yours,
Steve Bockmann
"Historically, the claim of consensus has been the first refuge of scoundrels; it is a way to avoid debate by claiming that the matter is already settled." - Michael Crichton
Impact
1 Action
0 Recruits
Top Causes
|
1 Action
|