Trying to build a better autism community together

Sorry about this, but I've had to separate my comment into separate parts, I hope it's still okay, >.<.

Part 1

Yeah, that's true, if we were to remain open to others we may be able to build real things and build a better future without prejudice, but no, it isn't simple unfortunately otherwise we wouldn't have been subjected to bullying not only in school, but in the rest of life as well. There is just one problem that I think a lot of us are aware of, there are those out there that are not willing to care nor understand, those people, like our bullies or corrupt politicians, may have travelled down a dark path, but to suggest we can change their ideology is something a lot of us would dream of. To accomplish such a feat would be an achievement of a lifetime, but can it be done? In one sense, it's fantasy, yet in another, remember that there is strength in numbers. Remember how Martin Luther King overthrew the bus service by holding back on those of his race getting on the bus services. He was a hero, but we need more pioneers like him in this world, there is too much prejudice from all walks of life and I'm sick of its constant influx of re-growth and development. It's like a bad bug that just won't go away, how can we as a society change that? Well, history has taught us that together we are stronger, together we could rock the foundations of the corrupted society. It's the work of people like Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela that can save us from that doom, but remember, they are human beings just like you and I, we are stronger if we were to see that this world needs more care and if we could band together against the corrupt of this world, that would be an achievement we would all welcome.

We also had companies in the UK called Remploy, that were specifically for disabled/autistic/special needs people who couldn't work as they needed support and help. These Remploy factories offered that, but the corrupt managers within those companies never sought enough contracts of work and therefore the government said they were not viable. They have closed the Remploy factories. They weren't competing financially with other companies not disabled/autistic/special needs companies, but the workers said that was rubbish as thousands of disabled/autistic/special needs workers in these Remploy factories will lose their jobs. They are now thrown in the background of millions of those able bodied that are unemployed that are already making it impossible for these disabled/autistic/special needs people to compete with them. Whether that these Remploy factories are the wrong or right way to find employment for the disabled/autistic/special needs, one thing can be said, you don't kick them out into unemployment without finding a good replacement that matches, if not is greater than what was taken away. The fact that there hasn't been proves just how much the officials in the UK care, as they don't, no one within the employment centres or the department for works and pensions really understand autism and their difficulties.

When there is such a lack of understanding of how we on the spectrum work, and how we need that extra support in our own way, it's typical that there are those on the spectrum stuck and 'fall through the net' as a lot of people in the UK do. I know how I need to learn, but no one is willing to teach me in the setting I'm in. I can't see what the big problem a bedroom door is when it helps me focus on learning. I know I find it immensely helpful, so why can't others adapt, I bet it's easier for NTs to adapt than it is for those on the spectrum, so why are they so adamant not to help me? It doesn't make sense to me. I have such a passion to learn, but who is going to teach me when I am restricted so much? This is the predicament I'm in, it is bullying and the head of year which was also the P.E. teacher that put me behind my bedroom door, so why am I not given the support to help me learn and develop from behind my bedroom door since it was the bullying and their lack of understanding that put me there?

Well, as for me showing my artwork on deviantART, it took the encouragement of my friend on the website before I built the confidence to add my work. I'm still at infant stages with my Zazzle store, but that is mainly due to finances. To some degree, it's the protection of our work that is important as we are aware that the world isn't safe enough to display them without it. Nevertheless, I know I have a problem with competitions, >.<. I hate them, why not embrace our skills and respect each other's talents for what they are instead of the need to be superior to our peers. To support each other to succeed is a great approach as that inspires a caring and understanding society. There are enough people out there struggling that need help, and I am merely one grain of sand out of the many in this world that is struggling each in their own way. A lot of us are lost and fighting to keep ourselves going, knowing how cruel society can be. I'm sure there are many other artists out there struggling as much, if not more than I am, I am merely the voice of one individual. I know that a lot of artists are able to go out and produce their work to show professionals up front and get answers from, but I am restricted by the internet. Some might say that's not a bad thing as the internet is a valuable asset to use to promote ourselves, but not all of us have the confidence, nor the advice needed to accomplish even that.

About needing concrete goals in terms of advancing opportunity for all people especially those with special needs, you're telling me. The trouble is, in the UK the government have set up this French company called Atos who are supposed to do these medical assessments to see who is 'fit for work'. The thing is that the medicals are simply a tick box form on a computer which is just a yes/no questionnaire, there is no room for explanations or fluctuations in people's illnesses or disorders. Too many people are suffering because of it and yet the media are not covering the issue, exposing the Atos company for the atrocities they are commiting. The government in the UK and those not aware in this country as they are simply attracted to the mass media instead of researching the truth, see the words 'benefit scroungers' and believe that we, the disabled/autistic/special needs are just too lazy to work not noticing the difficulties we face and the lack of support that is not put in place when it should be, not just for work but in education as well. They fail to see that these Atos medicals put in place by the government is not only costing the country a lot of money due to the failures of the medicals themselves and the appeals the disabled/autistic/special needs have won. Instead of helping the disabled/autistic/special needs by seeing how corrupted the Atos company is, the government are stopping the disabled/autistic/special needs from making appeals therefore harming the disabled/autistic/special needs further. It's also because the constant cycle of these medicals has already caused many disabled/autistic/special needs people to commit suicide because of it. There is even a list on the internet about who and how many are committing suicide because of it, it's called the Callum's list. Just goes to show you how draconian our government really are.

With what happened with my Facebook primary school friend, as it was a bully that was involved in an embarrassing bullying incident that debilitated my social ability, it helped me open up to my mother about this girl in secondary school that confessed her feelings for me through one of her friends with her standing beside them, but I was unable to speak up to her because of that incident that happened when I was in the last year of primary school. Since then I've been cursing myself thinking that I'd never have a chance in the social world and that no girl would ever want to get to know me. It's been difficult, but I have faced that embarrassing situation and I'm a bit more open about it then I was before. My mother's been really understanding, and I know I can trust her and she's always said that I can talk to her about any issues that are bothering me, and I have, . Support in our families is essential, unfortunately, my mother is the only family member that does truly understand me, :unsure:. To be open with those we trust is essential, but I don't think all of us have that luxury, to be honest, my mother is really the only person in my family that does understand me, everyone else gets the wrong idea every time.

There isn't enough help, nor understanding out there for people with autism. I know that society is cruel, to adapt in such a world feels like trying to maintain our balance as we leap across a gap between skyscrapers, too far to fall is too much to bear, and to top it all off, the gap feels too wide. The corrupt of society are the spikes jutting out of every crevice that we think is safe, and the moment we leap, we may very well land on one of those spikes. Corruption is the biggest evil of society as it prevents those on the spectrum to find their own paths in life, whatever they may be. The world would need to be more open, caring, willing to understand, and more genuine to achieve good and great things, but the problem is, society isn't something one person could change, but if many of us were to band together against the corruption in a massive peaceful way, who knows what that might achieve.

I hope that when you do go to those agencies like CDC and BizLink that they manage to help you and that the ARC will understand your points of view as well. There has been no concrete and proper help put in place for autistic people, especially in the UK, and there certainly wasn't in my case. When my statement of special educational needs was stopped, that was it. Everyone walked away.

Part 2

Yes, more needs to be done to help support the disabled/autistic/special needs people to fulfil their dreams, but unfortunately in the UK, it's nothing like that. We are being forced to jobs with no pay and there was even a woman recently that got a job voluntarily working in a museum, she enjoyed her work, but she was forced to leave to work for the government's work program, with no pay. She went to appeal in court, won, and the judge said that the government's work program was illegal for anybody to be forced to work for nothing. The judge said that anybody who was forced to go through on this work program was entitled to be paid or be entitled to reclaim their benefits. This would have meant the government paying thousands of pounds back. Within hours the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, refused the judge's rule and changed a few things so that the ruling would stand for nothing, so everybody whether able bodied or disabled/autistic/special needs people were squashed to maintain these draconian measures set about by the government. It's not as simple as simply providing more support for those on the spectrum, or disabled, or with special needs in general, it's also the government's evil intervention as well.

About support for those on the spectrum to go to university, I wish, :unsure:. The thing is, I may not know what is involved as such in a university or college, but one thing I can say is that the interviews are something I most certainly couldn't attend as it would bring too many horrible memories of what happened to me during my breakdown. Combine that with the way we on the spectrum are, for example, I were to keep my eyes away from the interviewer, the interviewer may think I'm lying, therefore in their eyes, I'm not telling the truth when I am. Not only that but also I know that there was an autistic man over here that was asked something like, "What would you be able to bring to this company?", but through the autistic literal thinking, the man just said, "My suit, briefcase, etc.", but faced with the interviewers lack of understanding of the spectrum, they said something like, "No, I mean what would you be able to bring to this company?", and he kept answering in the same way until the interviewer ended the interview and refused to employ him. Again, that proves that there is practically no understanding of people on the spectrum whatsoever. Maybe some people are lucky, but I know the position I'm in. I may want to continue education, but I am aware of my barriers and I know my difficulties, and I am adamant to learn in the way I feel most comfortable, but how can I do that if no one is willing to teach me from behind my bedroom door, or understand why?

About it hurting governmental efficiencies, you're right, but then you must ask yourself, if they are in the positions they are, and yet, they do not wish to change, why is that? Do they want us to suffer I wonder?

A stronger world needs more caring, understanding and true people in general. We are living in a corrupt world and I can see that more and more every day and it sickens me. If this world was just, I wouldn't have needed to be behind my bedroom door to learn, but I am more aware every day that I had no choice. In Britain, the help for those on the spectrum is extremely patchy and a lot of those on the spectrum have to go to residential schools away from where they live. I couldn't cope with that, therefore I am left to struggle with nothing. My mother has attended many meetings over the 6 and a half years I was educated from behind my bedroom door and professionals promised they would help me but they didn't. My mother made complaints after complaints but it made no difference, they took no notice and just considered my mother a 'troublesome woman'. If you had pots of money, or you weren't as severely affected by being on the spectrum then you may succeed, but as for me, it's the affects of the cruelty of society and Britain's draconian laws put in place by the government that is preventing me from succeeding. It's the treatment I received at school, and the Atos medicals that are imposing on the disabled/autistic/special needs people in the UK.

Looks that unfairness and injustice is everywhere around the world. It has been an interesting read to know the perspectives in the UK, which sounds somewhat unfriendly and not conducive for Aspies and Auties who do really want to work hard for their success.

When picking our battles, we Aspies and Auties have to be really careful. But so long as we fight for justice and equality that maximises our, and our world's, potentials, then we are more able to solve our common issues.