The Voice of the Individual

The following correspondence originally took place upon the Facebook wall of my friend, and fellow Autistic self-advocate, Jason Ross…

2013-03-13 - The Voice of the Individual

Jason R.: Do the rich have the right to speak for the poor? or, Should every one be able to speak for themselves letting all voices be heard?

Samuel B.: everyone should be treated the same

Samuel B.: but sadly, sigh the world is a messed up place man

Michael S.: I think they can, if they have the right reasons and can actually do something for the poor. Don’t forget what FDR and Teddy Roosevelt did for the U.S. ( a lot more than many average Americans). I think that very often the poor who just talk and talk but can’t do anything for the poor should either find something else to do or, if they’re good teachers, become professors. That’s what they would be good at.

Rayn: As far as I’m concerned, those who are rich in Spirit feel absolutely no need to speak for those who are morally bankrupt! If anything, they typically speak AGAINST their corrupt ways!

Meanwhile, regardless of monetary wealth, no individual, nor group, has the right to speak for me BUT ME – unless I CHOOSE to CONSENT to such an arrangement! I don’t care how well-intentioned another feels he or she is, there is NO intention worth my non-consensual submission, and none worth my enforced silence! There is no “right reason” that would EVER logically bypass the fact that I AM AN Individual, with my OWN UNIQUE and VALID VOICE to exercise in this life! Those who deny this truth are just arrogant authoritarians, who could CARE LESS about any portion of humanity but their own selves!

Genaire: Despite Michael’s misguided beliefs everyone should have the right to speak for themselves. I grew up in the projects in the south Bronx and can tell you from experience the rich do not speak for me. The reason you are seeing the gap between the rich and poor growing at an alarming rate is due to the fact that our politicians are the one percent that will give themselves and their rich friends the sweetheart deals to further increase their wealth. While increasing the police force in the poorer neighborhood in an attempt to stop the unrest. Which leads to further incidents of police brutality which in turn leads to even more unrest.

Discussing the Voice of the American Public

The following correspondence originally took place on my Facebook wall, upon my post, “The American People Have Spoken?“…

Rayn: The American People Have Spoken… Wait… That doesn’t sound right!

"The American People Have Spoken"

“The American People Have Spoken”

Natalie M.: this cartoon addresses the issues upsets me most about our society, and I say society not government because we are all to blame for allowing this system to continue to exist.

Rayn: Indeed. Complacency is complicity… “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr

The Jones Plantation:

Natalie M.: Dr. Kings genius is under appreciated, thank you for quoting him. It is not done enough.

Rayn: You’re welcome. It’s one of my favorite quotes of his. 🙂

The American People Have Spoken?

As I scrolled through my Facebook news feed, I discovered the following artwork here, being shared by the page, “Psychopaths Rule the World,” and originally posted it to my own wall, along with commentary…

"The American People Have Spoken"

“The American People Have Spoken”

My Commentary: The American People Have Spoken… Wait… That doesn’t sound right!

Distinguishing Selective Mutism from Social Phobia

The following correspondence originally took place here, within the public Facebook group, “Adults with Asperger’s Syndrome“…

(replies from all third parties have been omitted for clarity)

2011-08-12 - Distinguishing Selective Mutism from Social Phobia

Anastasia M.: Anyone here who has social anxiety in addition to Asperger’s? I do and I wonder how many others do too. I ofter hear it’s quite common problem for Aspies. It’s basically fear of social situations. Anyone else thought of this?

Rayn: I have social phobia and selective mutism. They have been with me as long as I can remember.

Anastasia M.: Wait… isn’t selective mutism actually an extreme form of social phobia?

Anastasia M.: I might have it too, but they never diagnosed it, said a part of Asperger’s and social phobia, although in some situatons I definitely can’t speak and was always like that.. 😀

Rayn: As I understand it, Anastasia, social phobia and selective mutism are two separate conditions. However, up to 90% of those with selective mutism also have social phobia, so there is an undeniably strong connection between the two:

What is Selective Mutism?:
http://www.selectivemutismcenter.org/cms/what_is_selective_mutism.aspx

Either way, though, it follows sound logic to distinguish them from each other due to the fact that selective mutism is rare, unlike social phobia. Therefore, even if EVERYONE with selective mutism were to also have social phobia, not nearly all of those with social phobia would also have selective mutism.