<div dir="ltr">As a person who was diagnosed PDD-NOS at a young age, which was changed to Asperger Syndrome as a teenager, and has a variety of mental illness issues, I'd like to clarify the difference between an excuse and an explanation.<div><br></div><div>Let's say I did something to hurt someone. I have two options:</div><div><br></div><div>"Well, that's just how my brain works."</div><div><br></div><div>"Wow, I'm really sorry I hurt you. My brain doesn't work like everyone else's. Knowing that, and how I hurt you, what can we do to make sure it doesn't happen again?"</div><div><br></div><div>Choice 1 is an excuse, where I try to deny culpability for the way I treat other people. Choice 2 is an explanation, so we can use my neuroatypicality as a framework for explaining the behavior that caused the hurt, and then keeping it from happening in the future.</div><div><br></div><div>Choice 1 acts like neuroatypical folks have no agency, which is, in my opinion, fucked up, infantilizing, and a huge disservice to folks like me.</div><div><br></div><div>Let's make a comparison:</div><div><br></div><div>Someone with a movement disorder that causes spastic behavior keeps accidentally hitting someone. Should they a) do nothing and keep hurting people because "it's not their fault" or b) try to find a place where they can take part of the activity where other folks are out of their movement range?</div><div><br></div><div>(the answer is b)</div><div><br></div><div>We actually had an instance of something similar happen. A member who was dealing with serious physical health issues was undergoing treatment that made their mood very unstable. On the days of their treatment, they often participated in extremely damaging behavior, usually specifically towards women. When they were asked to leave, they brought up wanting accommodation for their disability.</div><div><br></div><div>We came to the conclusion that "reasonable accommodation" does not allow people hurting other folks.</div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, May 29, 2015 at 9:52 AM, Edward B. Rippy <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:ed.rippy@mindspring.com" target="_blank">ed.rippy@mindspring.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div text="#000000" bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><span class="">
On 05/28/2015 04:09 PM, Autonomous wrote:<br>
<blockquote type="cite">Consider the case where cognitive problems arise from
traumatic brain injury.</blockquote></span>
-- OK, yes, there are such cases. But I'm saying that scientists
often jump to conclusions abt this kind of thing. But what's worse
is a whole bunch of non-scientists who jump to conclusions &
claim that "research shows" this or that when they don't even
understand the research. I shd mention that I have an MS in
educational psychology, a special certificate in statistics, &
have presented 4 times @ the Int'l Conference on Critical Thinking
in Education. I studied the philosophy of science as part of my
degree. I've done my homework, including speaking to the UC Broccoli
prof who "proved" that people of color have slower neurons & so
cannot benefit (@ least not much) from educational assistance.<br>
<br>
Again, yes, there are cases where brain injury causes cognitive
problems. I do not mean to belittle anyone's injury of any type. I
do mean to puncture snap judgements based on research that doesn't
reveal the whole picture.<br>
<br>
My best friend had a stroke, & now he can hardly talk. He can
pronounce words fine, but his brain often can't find them or string
them together.<br>
<br>
Autonomous wrote: >> As a s<span style="font-size:12.8000001907349px">mall child I received a
severe concussion and was unconscious for some time after the
accident... facial expressions...<br>
<br>
Adam replied:<br>
</span><span class="">
<blockquote type="cite">
<div><span style="font-size:12.8000001907349px"><br>
</span></div>
<span style="font-size:12.8000001907349px">As a small child who
recovered from getting tossed 6 feet in the air by a car,
completely KO'd, and had to relearn similar things, I can say, t</span><span style="font-size:12.8000001907349px">he brain is *really, really
freakin' adaptable*.</span></blockquote></span>
-- I wuz born 2 months prematurely, had to be pulled out of my mom
w/ tongs, & the Drs said that I would prolly not survive 24 hrs.
Even if I did (they said), I would be physically & mentally
stunted for life. When I was eight y/o, I fell 40 ft from a tree,
stopped my heart (it started up again), wuz in a coma for 2 days (in
hospital for 9 days), had severe concussion. I know this shit's not
a joke. I also know that fatalism injures the spirit/soul far worse
than any brain injury, & that "science" is often used as an
excuse to write people off.<br>
<br>
If there is anything I can do to support you, pls lemme knw.<br>
<br>
Ed<br>
<br>
</div>
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