No, Jason was not wrong to respond the way he did. He was quite polite! Parents who have children with autism tend to feel obligated to explain behaviors that make other people uncomfortable. There isn’t anyone in this frickin world more uncomfortable than the caregivers who are living every single day with the challenges of autism. We don’t have to tell anybody anything short of “take a long walk off a short pier” when our children are being insulted.
No, our children do not deserve to be insulted anymore than your child or anybody else’s children. I agree, when a person decides to go to a public F-A-M-I-L-Y facility of any sort, children are going to be there. Don’t want to be bothered with kids? Then find someplace else to go! If grandma wanted a quiet meal, then she should have went to a quiet restaurant. Here is something else. Whether anybody likes it or not, AUTISM IS A VERY NORMAL PART OF EVERYDAY LIFE. It is not atypical anymore. It is not abnormal anymore. It is everyday. It is real. It is prevalent. It will not go away and we won’t apologize to anybody else for it.
Why don’t you…next time…take a moment to wear a puzzle piece. Why don’t you become a part of the solution instead of a very real part of a stereo-typical problem in society about mental illnesses and autism. Try volunteering. That’ll be a test of true character and willingness to help make other people comfy with autism. Dare to step away from the privilege of your own incubated experience.

No Tom, you don’t offend people with your brashness…you don’t get brownie points for thinking in your own mind that being brash merits applause. It’s your narrow-minded stupidity that’s amazing.
It’s too bad granny isn’t more compassionate. Considering she has one foot on the grave and the other on a banana peel, she’ll be looking for the very grace she couldn’t find in her own heart to lend to a child.
…why does a line to that disco inferno song come to mind: “Burn baby burn”.

If you used the entire quote, Tom, then you would see that it was not stating we know for sure…but rather we said it was probable. If you manipulate the facts here…as you did by taking a small part of that statement out of context…how do I know you won’t do that on council?

I have no problem with hearing with people who disagree with me. I just ask them to be honest and not try to manipulate situations to paint it how they want it to be.

As for being a council member NO one will ever mistake where I stand and they can call me out on anything they desire, I will not play the game of politics when I open my mouth. Perhaps I may offend some with brashness, but it is time for people to say what they are thinking instead of playing to an issue. If that means I’m unfit for this city then so be it please let it be known that you wouldn’t want someone that speaks the truth as a council member as it makes it much easier to placate to those that say one thing and then do the opposite.

As for denying mental illness even exist I’m not only in that category as many people have written to that regard and many people are saying it as well. Perhaps you just don’t want to hear from people that might disagree with you, there are many people like that you know.

“Jason you would’ve slammed me if I made this same type of comment, oh wait I did once before and got hammered for it. ”

Tom, you were slammed for saying that she was faking a mental illness and that it doesn’t exist. This is an entirely different situation.

Now, you could be right that she had something happen to put her in that mood. That still doesn’t mean she wasn’t depressed or angry and lashed out from that place as Amy & I had felt. And I fully expected some people to be critical of the mistake I made. I’ve never tried to pretend to be perfect or flawless unlike some other bloggers or media folks or elected officials in our community. I posted fully knowing that some people would take issue with it. It was also to show that parents of special needs children are human and sometimes they don’t react in the best manner to these situations.

Now, you may want to pretend you’re perfect and never make mistakes and in so you have the right to come in here and lecture me on behavior. I believe you’re likely doing it because you think the criticism you received for denying mental illness exists was out of line. There’s a world of difference between calling large amounts of Springfield residents liars who say they have a mental illness (and their families who also know their relative has a mental illness) and what happened on Sunday.

Jason you would’ve slammed me if I made this same type of comment, oh wait I did once before and got hammered for it. One can not assume that a person is dealing with depression or any other challenges(except health)by looking at them. She could’ve been told a family member died last night or a host of other reasons which is why she lashed out at what she thought was lack of discipline. This is one reason why people should keep there private business private and if you do make it public then people are going to question some of what you say and do. Perhaps before saying anything you both should have done a check-up from the neck up.
Once more next time take the opportunity presented to you to educate an individual instead of lashing out at a circumstance that wasn’t understandable. You were in a public place after all and quite possibly this lady was looking for a nice leisure meal without kids screaming or whatever Eli was doing that might have also touched her last nerve.

My oldest was developmentally slow so I can understand the challenges faced by people on both sides of the issue, thankfully we were able to find the help that Michael needed and then home school him so his schooling was tailored to his needs.