Kids With Special Needs Are Not "God's Punishment"

Jenny McCarthy spews ignorance though. Her thoughts about an autism cause and cure are completely baseless.

I blog about my health and disability issues regularly at http://loveablehomebody.blogspot.com/

You got that right....we have the right to say what we want to say, which is one of the main reasons why blogging is so big.  It allows us all to read what others think and react with our own comments.  Which is what we are all doing here.  Exerting our right to free speech.  For some people, the word "allowed" seems to want to trigger a big reaction.  Hey, all I have to say is I was exerting my right to react to this guy's revolting comments.   Anyone who can utter hateful comments like that does not serve as a positive role model, period.

I totally agree with everything you just said.  I was referring to those who were wondering why he's "allowed" to say such things.  At the risk of repeating myself, I'll say again that I find his statements disgusting, and I'm disappointed that he calls himself a republican and a pro lifer because he gives the rest of us who think he's out to lunch a bad name.

Sure, he has a right to speak. We all do. Which means we can all formulate opinions about him.  But what he said invalidates my children.  It disputes their very existence.  It also put hate someplace it doesn't belong.  Children are a blessing, not a curse.  My children are the brightest things that have ever occurred in my life. I consider them my greatest joy, at the same time as my greatest heartache.  Bob has never had disabled children, I'm sure. Otherwise he wouldn't have been so thoughtless.

God isn't punishing mothers of disabled children. He is rewarding them.  We have the best lives of all.

Domestic Engineer, Total Babe and SAHM

Lindsay, my thoughts exactly!

...and I wouldn't hesitate to join you!

Rita, I say Amen to that.  You verbalized what I really meant to say (but I let my emotions exaggerate my sentiments a tad).  Didn't expect people to criticize my comments, which I felt merely echoed many of those in this comment chain.  Hope to see you at the next Blogher conference...this time, I won't have to travel!  :)

Stephanie,  One minute I think you're criticizing my comments (even while I think that everyone else is basically saying the same thing), the next minute I feel you're agreeing with me.  Saying that I think there should be a recall (when there are clearly others saying similar things...I certainly didn't come up with that idea myself) may have been an exaggerated statement on my part.  It was just one way for me to express my irritation (putting it mildly).  I absolutely abhor any kind of hate language.  There is absolutely no need for that, and it's sad for there to be someone in the government doing so.  

I think the problem with Jenny McCarthy is that she is so rabid in her beliefs that she is unable to admit their may be any other truth. As a neuropsychologist I have worked with children who have austism spectrum disorders. I will have to say I was not overly convinced of the vaccine link and I think it is still very unclear. Whilst I do agree that anecdotal evidence is suggestive in some cases it is complicated by the fact that the timing of vaccinations and the typical age for symptom presentation (even pre-vaccine days) is very similar. Additionally the ability to identify cases is now much improved. Whilst there ae definitely a small group of children who do have adverse reactions to the vaccines (sometimes devastating) this is not the only cause of these disorders. On the other side of the coin I have seen now adults who did not have vaccines and developed measles, scarlet fever etc. These individuals had severe ID, were now deaf or blind, unable to walk and had many developmental disorders. Having also travelled in 3rd and 4th world countries with no vaccinations I have seen first hand the devastating effect of polio, measels etc. I think we need to discuss this issue from both sides. Scaremongering gets us no where. I think we are so privileged in the West that we forget what it was like prior to the advent of mass vaccinations. My heart certainly goes out to the families who live with these disorders every day and I wish they could all have access to the allied health programs they require. PS I love The Horse Boy.

That is the most accurate quote I have heard in a long time. So appropriate to this situation and so many others.

Sorry, not buying it.  I never had an abortion or miscarriage, so how would he expain my son?  Yes we have challenges, but I NEVER thought God was punishing me with him.  I do think God wanted to teach me about something I needed in my life, but that is my opinion. 

 I think the voters need to speak with their votes and vote him out. 

My blog: Toast on the Ceiling  http://toastontheceiling.blogspot.com ( http://toastontheceiling.blogspot.com/ )

Kay Dennison I wonder if I'll ever get used to that people like him actually exist and can get elected.  I find it astounding and take refuge in my favorite quote from Gandhi:  "I like your Christ.  I do not like your Christians.  They are so unlike your Christ."  I think Bob Marshall is a stunning example of why he said that.   The God I believe in is not into punishment; He is a loving and forgiving sort.

I am always glad to hear that parents have found help, and that their children are doing well.

If your family found useful tools through Jenny McCarthy, then that is a good thing and demonstrates how much more good she could be doing, if she were to expand her compassion and efforts to include those autism families who badly need support, but do not happen to share her many-times-over-debunked beliefs about vaccines causing autism.

She seems to believe what she's writing. That doesn't mean she's right. She's also pretty, confident, and knows how to perform -- and how to manipulate her audience, live or literary. That does not mean she's intelligent, and it absolutely does not mean that she knows more than the doctors and scientists she continually maligns. But, taken together, all this means she may not be capable of understanding the harm she's wreaking.

There are so many wonderful books on autism that are so much more helpful than Jenny McCarthy's!

-Thinking in Pictures
-The Horse Boy
-Unstrange Minds
-Making Peace With Autism
-Gravity Pulls You In
-My Baby Rides the Short Bus (general special needs but lots of autism)
-Behavioral Intervention for Young Children With Autism
-Overcoming Autism

Good luck always,

Shannon Des Roches Rosa
Squidalicious.com ( http://www.squidalicious.com ) parenting first, autism second
CanISitWithYou.org ( http://www.canisitwithyou.org ) real tales of schoolyard terror and triumph

As a women who works at a special needs group home, this breaks my heart. These are the kind of lies that can haunt a woman forever. Especially when we are a loved by a God who has come to set us free. I will definitely be responding to this on my blog.

...No one has really questioned his right to say it, but they have questioned his ability to make decisions in a way that represents his community.

If this is a standpoint of his that he's willing to stand up for, what other bizarre twists of the Bible is he going to use to justify his own fear and hate? 

Freedom of speech, blah blah... Fight to the death for his right to say it... I get it. 

People are equally allowed to use their freedom of speech to say, "This guy should be quiet." No one is actively silencing him.

Which is exactly what I was trying to say.  I just think calling for his recall over a jack ass statement he made is a little extreme. 

I was mainly referring to the comment, "He sets an extremely bad example for the people of this country to know that we allow government officials to say whatever the hell they want, to encourage hateful language." when I played the "free speech" card. 

We need to be careful wondering why certain speech is "allowed" because ALL speech is "allowed"  no matter how vile the speech might be.  And it was vile, there's no doubt about that.

I really hope the Virginia voters will shut this man up by removing his platform in the next election. Clearly he lacks judgment.

Rita Arens writes at Surrender Dorothy ( http://surrenderdorothy.typepad.com ) and BlogHer and is the editor of Sleep is for the Weak ( http://tinyurl.com/9pg62e ). She is BlogHer's assignment and syndication editor.

I am totally on the "What he said was disgusting, out of line, innapropriate, etc" bandwagon, but we have to remember he has the right to say it.  We don't have to agree with it, like it, or support it, but like it or not, no one has the right not to be offended.  It's pretty dangerous to start trying to silence speech, even speech many would deem "hateful", because we don't agree with it.  Where does that slippery slope end?  I don't want to find out.

I suspect that Virgina voters will let their opinion of him be known when he's up for reelection. 

I'm just saying, even though I absolutely deplore what he said, even though I am so dismayed that he's another whacko extremist who gives mainstream republican/right to lifers/Christians a bad name we DON'T deserve, I still celebrate even his freedom to say it.

Such despicable, appalling, ignorant and repugnant behavior should not be allowed by someone of his authority.  Those who can say such deplorable things about others should not be allowed to continue to serve in office.  It should be grounds for getting the boot.  I'm surprised he's served as many terms as he has.  He sets an extremely bad example for the people of this country to know that we allow government officials to say whatever the hell they want, to encourage hateful language.  I'm with aspergers2mom and would jump on that bandwagon if I were a Virginia resident and such a thing as recalling him were possible. 

That's the issue for me. We all seem to agree that his decisionmaking skills are questionable.

Residents of Virginia can sign a petition asking for his resignation ( http://www.petitiononline.com/disable1/petition.ht... ).

Shannon Des Roches Rosa
Squidalicious.com ( http://www.squidalicious.com ) parenting first, autism second
CanISitWithYou.org ( http://www.canisitwithyou.org ) real tales of schoolyard terror and triumph

I am all for healing, and hope. Jenny McCarthy has been through some harrowing parenting experiences, no one will deny that - my son has certainly never had seizures that put him in a coma. But she has since become arrogant and dismissive, and is using her prominence to spread extremist views about autism ( http://www.squidalicious.com/2009/06/mother-warrio... ) that will only empty the wallets of and drain hope from the majority of autism families. And her antivaccinationist views have put all of our children at risk.

I hope that she eventually realizes that there's no harm in changing her mind, in shedding her messiah role, and in embracing and supporting all people with autism.

Shannon Des Roches Rosa
Squidalicious.com ( http://www.squidalicious.com ) parenting first, autism second
CanISitWithYou.org ( http://www.canisitwithyou.org ) real tales of schoolyard terror and triumph

That's an apology?

"I have devoted a generation of work to defending disabled and unwanted children, and have always maintained that they are special blessings to their parents."

It's so enlightening to hear him use the terms "unwanted" and "special blessings" in the same sentence...

Melissa writes Stirrup Queens ( http://stirrup-queens.com ) and Lost and Found ( http://lostandfoundandconnectionsabound.blogspot.c... ). Her book is Navigating the Land of If ( http://thelandofif.blogspot.com/ ).

I would question his "statistics". Do women who have had abortions really go on to have more special needs children than other women? And what about the special needs kids who are born to mothers who didn't have an abortion. Just what is that supposed to be a punishment for?

Bloody ridiculous and it's a shame that his comment has captured so much attention.

I have heard things like that and others as I was growing up. My 3 younger siblings were all born with severe disabilities and honestly they are some of the most wonderful people I know. My sister has a great sense of humor and her smile lights up a room. My little brother also had a mischevious sense of humor. My youngest brother died when he was 10. If anything children with special needs are a blessing not a punishment. People speak rashly and do not understand how much these people can bless our lives.

CrystalsCozyKitchen

http://crystalscozykitchen.blogspot.com

Is it possible to have this moron recalled? If I lived in Virginia I would start the movement myself.

Elise http://asd2mom.spaces.live.com

This man's bitterness is really not worth anyone's time or words. He obviously has issues and needs to make better use of his time instead of acting like a parasite, spreading his anger. A friend of mine had an abortion 20 years ago. She has 3 healthy children today. My brother and his wife in LA have a son with autism. He was born in 2002 and it is suspected that vaccines given to children in California at this time have caused it. My brother has never had an abortion, oh, and neither did his wife. Jenny McCarthy wrote an excellent book on this subject, about healing, and there always is a way to heal. Her son as well was born in 2002 in California, has autism, and is doing very well today after his mothers research. Life is full of challenges for everyone in many ways, and to say what we are handed is punishment is ridiculous. Challenges can always bring new discoveries and greater heights of awareness, successes and love.

Besides the hateful slur on special needs children, it is also a sly slam on a woman's right to choose. Repugnant on all levels.

Today, I am ashamed to live in Virginia. It is people like Mr. Marshall who give men and Christians such a bad name. If I was a person connected to him, I would be doing my very best to distance myself from this utter nonsense.

~*~Melia ( http://www.melialore.com )~*~

Why must people continue to use religion as a justification for hate.   His veiws, his callousness and lack of humanity have nothing to do with religion.  I am sick of hate mongering being justified by religious belief.  My basic understanding of the bible has always been that compassion is key and that there is something about don't judge lest you be judged.  Just because you attend a church or thump a bible on the table does not make you a christian.  I think your original comment about a smack up the side of the head was the right one.  People like Mr Marshall are so busy condeming others that they fail to see the rot in their own souls.

I'm a devout Christian, & remarks like the one that man made infuriate me. How dare he say such a thing! Jesus said that anyone who enters the Kingdom of Heaven like a little child shall be welcome. He didn't specify whether the children were free from any disability or not. Jesus loves all children, & God has a special place in His heart for all who have special needs. He loves all His children, no matter what, but I believe that He bestows extra compassion upon those who aren't as "abled" as others.

God has always called His people to compassion - it's seen in the Old Testament as well as the New, but people don't see that - they just see the judgements upon those who kept falling away from Him & His ways.

As Jesus also said, "Let him who is without sin cast the first stone." Before Bob Marshall casts judgement upon these poor women - or anyone, for that matter - he'd better look deep into his own heart to make sure that he's blameless from any & all wrongdoing. "Judge not lest ye be judged," Bob.

I am a Christian Right-to-Life Republican and I want to smack this guy upside the head.  What an asinine, innaccurate, ridiculous thing to say.  Unfortunately, it's not the mainstream Christians or pro-lifers who have the biggest voice.  It's the three or four whackos who run off at the mouth and give EVERYONE a bad name with their stupid, inflammatory comments.  This creepshow does NOT speak for me, nor does he for most Christians/Republicans/Right to Lifers/Etc.  This guy makes me want to learn really creative swear words.

Un-freaking-believable.  Funny, I went to his website to contact him and tell him just what I thought.  It says to 'click on the form below' to contact, but the form has obviously been disabled or removed.  I wonder why??  But that's okay because I'm going to CALL!!!

It's my hope that at some point, people will realize that these so called "leaders" are nothing but hate mongers and stop following them. What some people have done in Jesus' name, is beyond me - They say that Jesus is love and then they spew hate in his name.  It's disgusting.

It's My World.  Welcome To It.
http://www.colormepink.com

Bob Marshall is the latest in a band of brothers who love to use the name of the Christian son of God to spread hate. But I hope this is a lesson to EVERY mother who has ever gay-bashed.

What this man just said about special needs children is what millions of people under the guise of faith say about people who are gay every day. The way you feel is exactly how mothers of homosexual people feel everyday.

God Loves His Children. Faith is a Personal Issue. Judge Not.

There is wayyyyy more love for people in the bible than hate, and yet people have used it to spread hate since we can trace it.

Thank you for the information. I really cannot say I know much about her, or autism. Only knew a little of her acting and although not my favorite, I like her. I read one book of hers that my brother recently mentioned because of his son with autism. I know you have done more research then I have by far. I have no children and am only an aunt of a child with autism. A student of my brothers recommended one of her books to him because he already was concerned about the vaccines given to his son years ago and was using a simple healthy diet and special education to help his son. My sister is a speech pathologist working in the medical field. In 2004 she met another couple (with an autistic child) who wrote an article and book on vaccines causing autism. She came across many children with autism and other family's suspecting it could be linked to vaccines. Scientific studies were done, and covered up according to their research. At no time back then was McCarthy brought up and I think it is important to be aware of what our health industries priorities are or if they know exactly what they are doing. I know you are aware of this but I, like you can be skeptical and I am, of our countries health care and it is hard for me to stomach seeing people hurt, instead of helped by a system that takes so much money from us. My brother claimed these books have helped his son and family as well as other books he read on the effects of certain vaccines/medications on children and adults. They are 3,000 miles from me so I cannot see the day to day progress but when they visited 2 months ago, I was impressed to see his 7 year old son playing my piano much better than I played at 7, and his reading and writing has improved beyond average students. I have been inspired by this progress. Its real. Something is going well for him in LA now and I am happy for him. I will forward your link to him although I'm sure these thoughts have already crossed his mind just the way they did when he visits his doctor. He knows no one person has all the answers and it may be why he finds many good ones. What he may not like about her is not something he may be interested in if he gained one good perspective from one inexpensive book.