Information regarding US autism groups

The other day I requested a friend on Facebook and received the email as quoted below:

[quote]No thanks; I do not associate with anyone who is in any way linked with
Autism Speaks, the American organisation with a despicable attitude
towards Autistic people, who essentially promote the view that we
should be eradicated.[/quote]
Naturally I queried the response as I was a little confused, this was the reply:

[quote]It was in your list of groups or pages or something like that. You need
to be careful, because not every "Autism" organisation actually has the
best interests of autistic people at heart. Some (particularly in
America it seems), like Autism Speaks, are focused on trying to 'cure'
autism and make us 'normal' (i.e. like neurotypicals) at any cost.
Autism
Speaks' name is also misleading, because (the last I heard anyway)
there are no autistic people employed by/working for Autism speaks, and
if autistic people try and speak up for themselves and it is at odds
with Autism Speaks' view, then they try to suppress the autistic
people. So really they should be called "Neurotypicals Speak for
Autistics, Whether They Like it or Not!"[/quote]
Has anybody come across similar views concerning Autism Speaks or groups that claim Autism can be cured?

ooh no. That's interesting though, food for thought

Autism on whatever level on the spectrum is a lifelong condition...hate that word...you learn coping statergies...especially on the higher functioning end of the spectrum like us..others may need added support which could be lifelong...the spectrum is so vast.

I personally think the responses are a little odd...and struggle to see how this organisation does not have the best interests of autistic people at heart!!!!

Hmmmm....the www is amazing but also dangerous at the same time, i would spar wide!

Something else I came across...

[url=http://www.rethinkingautism.com/RethinkingAutism/Blog/Entries/2009/10/1_Ari_Neemans_Letter_to_the_Sponsors%2C_Donors_and_Supporters_of_Autism_Speaks.html]http://www.rethinkingautism.com/RethinkingAutism/Blog/Entries/2009/10/1_Ari_Neemans_Letter_to_the_Sponsors%2C_Donors_and_Supporters_of_Autism_Speaks.html[/url]

[img]https://2img.net/i/fa/i/smiles/icon_eek.gif[/img] Ooooh well that's telling it like it is! I wonder if there is an official response to this from Autism Speaks?