AR = DR = HR and Onwards into the Future!

Published July 31, 2009 @ 12:46PM PT

Autistic Rights are Disability Rights are Human Rights. That was the topic of the primer I wrote when this blog started back in January.

While autism makes us different, autistic rights is really about those things we all need, autistic or not, disabled or not, minority or not: food and shelter, respect and love, and empowerment to live our own lives in freedom, happiness, and health.

This is the point I've hoped to make with each post, the perspective I've wished to share. The change I've wanted to initiate.

It is deeply satisfying then that this blog itself will be changing to better reflect the AR = DR = HR equation, as autism-specific blogging merges into broader Disability Rights blogging at change.org in the future. This is As It Should Be.

As far as my own future, I'll be doing some public blogging still (though with much, much, MUCH less frequency and after a short break) on ASAN's change.org blog (and who knows where else). I'll also be starting a new appointment with the Oregon Commission on Autism Spectrum Disorder (remember that?)--my first real experience with public service and something that would have been literally unimaginable to myself not so long ago. I'll be continuing my advocacy work with ASAN and SAAL. And primarily I'll be working on community based research with AASPIRE, which, believe it or not, has been my "day job" all along. Somewhere in all this, here's hoping I'll facilitate some change in the overall direction of better civil rights and quality of life.

Thanks everyone for your time, your comments, and your insights. Keep pushing--keep making the world a better place for us all.

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Comments (14)

Hi Dora,

'Saw the notice from the Governor's office - Congratulations, and thank you for throwing your hat into the ring for this important, and I am sure, intensive endeavor.

Will miss the blog, but look forward to your positive contributions to the Commission.

Best wishes.(Hope it cooled off for you).

Posted by Regina Claypool-Frey on 07/31/2009 @ 03:11PM PT
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I've been trying to figure out what to say all day. On the one hand, it does make a lot of sense to have a disability rights blog instead of an autism blog. It was as if autism was some sort of special problem that needed to be solved. But if you're not going to be blogging on it, who will? Will autistic people become forgotten once "real" disabled people take over?

Posted by Anemone Cerridwen on 07/31/2009 @ 03:46PM PT
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Yeah, I'm sort of wondering the same thing-- I'm desperately hoping that the new bloggers keep at least some focus on autism issues, and are as clueful about autism as about other disabilities.

Posted by Cody Boisclair on 07/31/2009 @ 07:35PM PT
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Of course I can't say anything definite because it's not up to me to decide, but I have volunteered to do aut-specific guest posts on the new blog and remain as a resource, so maybe I'm not gone for good :-)

Hopefully, in some way, autistics will remain involved.

Your comment Anemone really has me thinking. I am still processing so I can't comment back yet; a lot of thoughts got triggered. Hoping I can find some words later.

Posted by Dora Raymaker on 07/31/2009 @ 07:53PM PT
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Uroborus... Like Dir en grey's awesome album!

But dang it, you guys have the best perspective about autism though...

Posted by Shondolyn (Synesthesia) Gibson on 07/31/2009 @ 04:47PM PT
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I've really enjoyed your blogs here, and will miss them. I will look for you at your new location! Many times, you seem to have captured in your blogs some of the thoughts that were swirling in my head but had not settled into coherent word patterns - I thank you for that.

Posted by Judy T on 08/01/2009 @ 05:58AM PT
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Thanks for all the interesting posts here. Looking forward to following the "new" blogs. Best wishes to you both Dora and Kristina.

Posted by michelle turner on 08/01/2009 @ 06:41AM PT
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I like the idea of expansion. I think also with the idea of expansion and including us with the broader disability rights movement, it may be easier for some to get on the bandwagon. I do hope you get to guest post, though.

Posted by Navidad Arnett on 08/01/2009 @ 04:41PM PT
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As you may have read here, I have long advocated for the inclusion of autism within the larger disability rights community. To this end, I will shortly be starting as the systems change advocate at a Center for Independent Living in California, which has a dynamic new director (who herself has a hidden disability).

Posted by Mark Romoser on 08/04/2009 @ 02:55PM PT
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Whoot! That is fantastic! Congratulations!

Posted by Dora Raymaker on 08/04/2009 @ 10:03PM PT
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All the very best to you, Dora!

Posted by Twyla Ramos on 08/08/2009 @ 01:52PM PT
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You go, Dora!

Posted by Toms Mom on 08/09/2009 @ 06:12AM PT
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It would be nice to have an actual Disability rights page on Change.org.

Dora, I always look forward to reading your articles. The very best to you!

Posted by Susan Hollis on 08/20/2009 @ 10:08AM PT
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Who will be running the Disability blog?

I will miss your posts here. Then again, if you and Kristina both leave, what's to keep me here? Trolls? ;)

Posted by Moi Bloggg on 09/04/2009 @ 09:10AM PT
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Comments on Change.org are meant for further exploration and evaluation of the ideas covered in the posts. To that end, we welcome constructive comments. However, we reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive, abusive, or off-topic; that contain ad hominem attacks; or that are designed to subvert or hijack comment threads rather than contribute to them. Repeat offenders may be permanently removed from the site at our discretion.

Author

Dora is committed to improving quality of life for individuals on the autistic spectrum--including herself! She is Co-director of the Academic Autistic Spectrum Partnership in Research and Education and a member of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network's Board of Directors.

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