Autism Community Forgives Denis Leary - Sort Of

Autism United has decided that it's time to call off protests against Denis Leary and accept "his apology for harming the autism community with his comments." According to today's press release:

The group is calling for the comedian to either delete the chapter that targets autism or donate a portion of the proceeds from the book to assist children diagnosed with autism. To counter claims by Leary that his comments have been taken out of context, and to assure that he does not profit from the controversy, the group has put the offending chapter on-line for free on web sites across the nation.

Autism United acknowledges Denis Leary for his belated apology for the harm done by his statements about people with autism and their families made in his recently published book, "Why We Suck". "I feel that Denis' apology was enough" said comedian Mark Anthony Ramirez, a spokesperson for Autism United and Gabby's Kids, and the father of a child diagnosed on the autistic spectrum, "But his claim that his comments were taken out of context is a veiled attempt to elicit more sales."

"As a parent of a child with autism, I feel he owes the autism community the money he is making for using what has quickly become an epidemic in our country as a cheap ploy to sell his book," said Ramirez. "He should donate a portion of his sales to assist children with autism."

I don't know a thing about Mr. Ramirez, so am not quite sure why he feels himself to be the formal "autism spokesman" on this matter. Similarly, I can't say whether the autism community as a whole agrees with Ramirez, or is still mad as hell.

I did, however, visit the Autism United website to read Mr. Leary's offending chapter. It was a truly depressing read... and certainly did nothing to encourage me to buy the book. On the other hand, I now understand, a bit better, why he says his comments about autism were taken out of context. He says far, far worse things about non-autistics than he says about people on the autism spectrum!

Of course, Denis Leary has a rather weird impression of autism. Evidently, he knows a couple of children with autism, and they happen to have outstanding splinter skills - so he assumes that the definition of autism is a person who is brilliant, talented, yet unable to function in the real world (a la Rain Man):

I know a couple of autistic children and let me tell you something they both have in common-they are extremely bright and attentive and­ much like Rain Man-have individual talents and abilities that would lay your empty little tyke's video game-addled soul to waste. A truly au­tistic child may be able to reproduce music he or she hears with perfect pitch-entire classical pieces, the rock opera Tommy, the latest hit Broad­way musical-over and over again. OR tell you instantly upon hearing what your birthday is-what day it has fallen on every year for the last four decades. What the weather was on those days. Who the president was at the time. What the number one song on the radio was just before singing it note for note and word for word. THAT'S an autistic child. Not some fat-assed simpleton whose brain has been fried by television and the Xbox and no proper daily attention from his or her supposedly caring parents. ...

Maybe your kid is not autistic. Maybe he's just a dolt. And thank your lucky stars for that. Face the facts. Autism is up and who knows why--parents who wasted time, their brain cells and a lot of healthy DNA on way too many recreational drugs is this doctor's guess---but I refuse to sit here and believe that half the idiotic offspring I come across even amongst my own friends and family are a part of that problem.

Wow. So, basically, kids with autism are the brilliant yet flawed offspring of druggies... which is (I guess) somehow worse than being just plain stupid...which is really bad too... I think.

I guess it's fair to say that Leary isn't putting down kids with autism - he's just putting down their parents. And anyone who claims to be autistic but doesn't fit his definition (which, of course, fits only a tiny percentage of people with bona fide autism spectrum diagnoses).

Leary's book is titled Why We Suck, and evidently that title is not tongue in cheek. In fact, the book really is about why we (and Denis Leary) are miserable, stupid, spoiled, self-centered, lazy - and far, far worse. His words regarding Paris Hilton are a whole lot nastier than his words regarding kids with autism. And his words regarding his father? Wow... I can only say I'm glad I wasn't brought up by Mr. Leary Senior.

But don't take it from me. Read the chapter yourself and see what you think. Just be warned: Leary's so-called humor is sad, bitter and angry - and his language is about right for a late-night comedy club crowd that's had more than a few drinks.