<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[Ballastexistenz]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[https://ballastexistenz.wordpress.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[Mel Baggs]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://ballastexistenz.wordpress.com/author/ameliabaggs/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[Self-defense, not ego&nbsp;trips.]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[<p>The following is a quote (used with permission) from a chat with Laura Tisoncik tonight (all the the following are her words, not mine, but they express something I&#8217;ve been trying to express for awhile):</p>
<p>I just wish people would stop treating the autistic community as some kind of ego trip and start treating it as self-defense.  We don&#8217;t have the luxury of creating heroes and rockstars and ward bosses&#8230; that&#8217;s for people whose lives are not on the line.</p>
<p>At the same time I understand why it happens &#8212; for most autistics the autistic community is the first place they feel &#8220;important&#8221; and for a lot of them it goes to their head.  Not to mention that the only role models many of them have had (of authority) are abusers.  It&#8217;s understandable, but inexcusable.</p>
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