In a post with the popular Facebook group, Asperger's Syndrome Awareness: Bryan and Friends, the host asked members if the fact "that the public face of the Autism community," autism advocacy groups, are controlled by "neurotypicals," has a "silencing effect" on those who live with autism. Many members expressed coming away with such impressions of at least some groups.
In 2016, after reportedly being approached by Autism Ontario, Kirkland Lake Town Councillor Todd Morgan seconded a motion put forward by Councillor Norm Mino that April 2 would be recognized as World Autism Day in Kirkland Lake, and that the Autism Ontario flag be flown at the Kirkland Lake Town Hall.
Other municipalities through the province joined in what would seem to be a positive show of support.
Silence in face of public displays of support for autism
Everyone in Kirkland Lake knows who I am. I am infamous in the town for my writing, readings, and for being autistic. I have written emails to Todd Morgan asking for comment about a range of issues, including labor board decisions against town licensees and seeming wide-scale fraud, to receive no reply. I have written an entire series of articles covering Todd Morgan's involvement in Kerr Mines Inc. (TSE: KER) (formerly Armistice Resources) and seeming disingenuous statements he has made in the press with regard to the company hiring 100 employees and going into production.
It is my belief that Mr. Morgan, and other members of the Kirkland Lake Town Council, instead of responding to my queries, decided to take advantage of a group that purports to help autists with a public display. To me, the message is, "As an autist, we have no respect for you whatsoever, and don't feel your concerns are valid.
Instead of addressing the issues you raise, we're going to hold a 'straw-man' ceremony holding up a false support of your 'so-called' disorder, and pretend you don't exist.'
Though evidence of Kirkland Lake Member of Parliament Charlie Angus creating straw-men ceremonies to bury the concerns of autists remains elusive, the MP has been just as evasive as Todd Morgan with regard to questioning regarding penny stocks that have lost most of their value issued by companies in the Kirkland Lake area.
That Charlie Angus isn't rushing to introduce legislation requiring that MPs disclose their investment holdings, or at least volunteering to make his own available, astounds me.
Many autists report similar perceptions
From my perspective, Mr. Morgan, and the Town of Kirkland Lake, has seemingly taken advantage of a group whose goal is to help people with autism. This would seem comparable to someone who mocks Bell Canada's "Let's Talk" day by using the opportunity to say "Let's Talk" to an introverted co-worker in a mongoloid voice over a difference of opinion, which, undoubtedly, happens each year.
One user with the Facebook group answered the posted question, "Some groups do silence us," and elaborated that "neurotypicals running these things tend to insist on speaking for us." Another agreed, writing, "Yes, very much so." Another described a situation where a local politician asked an autism parenting group for a proclamation at a public ceremony, which sounds quite similar to my situation, and held up his view that "it is wrong for those groups to allow themselves to be perceived as the voice of the autism community."