Where Are They?

LeftBrainRightBrain picked up on a very serious story, i.e. the United States Department of Justice has instituted an investigation of the Judge Rotenberg Center (JRC) use of aversives, specifically electrical shock, to control the behavior of special needs children. Major kudos to LB/RB for bringing this to the attention of the blogosphere.

In a comment Mike Stanton raises the question of where the advocacy organizations are on this issue. The letter that prompted the investigation is signed by 30 groups. 30? Why not hundreds? There are many more advocacy groups that 30.

Think about this for a moment. Our troops in Iraq could not use these aversive devices against prisoners at Abu Graib, since it would be torture. We cannot use them at Gitmo, for the same reason.

Where are the bloggers who are speaking out on this issue? Why the silence?

I specfically wonder where AoA is? This is an issue where ALL "sides" in the Autism debate should be able to agree.

Where is David Kirby? Promoting his new book?

Where is Dan Olmsted? Looking for the JRC in Florida?

Do not remain silent.

Why is JB Handley so silent? (Hint: He is defend Jenny on the Time Magazine website).

The SILENCE is DEAFENING!

Speak Up!

Wakefield,Baseball and Monkeys

In a recent post, I tried to help J B Handley find the monkeys he was so worried about finding. Actually, he was trying to promote a monkey study by Andy Wakefield, who had recently been reamed out by the GMC in the UK, and them got another thrashing when the Lancet retracted his "study" that lead to the MMR panic that resulted in thousands of preventable cases of measles and mumps, and several dead children.

Well, Andy and his henchmen had submitted that study to Journal of Neurotoxicology and were awaiting publication, which seemed to be delayed.

Now, as Orac reports, the editors of Neurotoxicology have snatched that paper out of the hopper. Whether it ever goes back in, we will have to wait and see. So...

• GMC smackdown....STRIKE ONE!
• Lancet retraction....STRIKE TWO!
• Neurotoxicology retraction...STRIKE THREE!

YER OUT, ANDY!

As for JB seeing his monkey study....


JB, quick...follow the monkeys....your study is getting away....

He Wants To See Monkeys?

In a recent post on the Al Quaeda of Autism blog, JB Handley said he wanted to see monkeys. He does not have far to look.

When I saw this, it reminded me of this one I took in Sydney Australia a few years ago.

I do believe that most of what is written on the Al Quaeda of Autism blog is written at a pub, but one much seedier than this one.