Support The Wall – Autism

This post is the translation of an article on packing published by the French newspaper Le Monde on Feb. 16, 2012. In this article titled « Autisme : la technique du packing, enjeu d’un violent conflit », the journalist Catherine Vincent argues that wrapping kids in 10°c sheets is not torture !   Autism, the art of “packing”, a violent conflict at stake   LILLE, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT – Florian undressed himself. In a swimsuit in the small room, he is [...]

by David Heurtevent, Asperger, MA Georgetown “Of all those who have nothing to say, the most likeable are those who stay quiet. ” Coluche   Listening to France Culture (a Public Radio) is painful. The smell of mothballs wafts across the airwaves from Saint-Germain-des-Prés with daily sessions of verbal masturbation financed by the taxpayer. But it’s not surprising that France Culture is the main media outlet for psychoanalysis as the pseudo-humanist, ethno-centric, verbal and financial mechanisms are the same. On 10 [...]

13 February 2012 will go down as an important day in the evolution of the treatment of people with autism in France. The newspaper Liberation published a version of an unreleased report by the National Authority for Health (HAS) which the HAS was quick to refute, under pressure from the psychoanalytical lobby (APM News and AFP). Episode 1 – Libération publishes a report on “recommendations for good practice” by the National Authority for Health. In the evening of 12 February [...]

  As announced on France 3, The Prime Minister François Fillon today met the associations forming the “Ensemble l’Autisme” (Autism Together) Collective which is at the origin of Autism, the National Cause in France for 2012. On Thursday, the Prime Minster charged the Minister of Solidarities, Roselyne Bachelot with drawing up a new autism plan, reactivated the National Autism Council and charged Dominique Baudis, the Rights Ombudsman with “close monitoring” of treatments which do not respect human rights. Here are [...]

  On Thursday February 9, at Matignon, French Prime Minister François Fillon brought together the associations forming the collective “Autism Together” to attribute the title of National Cause of 2012. He gave a speech in the presence of Roselyne Bachelot, Minister of Solidarities and Social Cohesion. Extracts: “Other than a national campaign on public broadcasting channels, made possible by the National Cause label, the minister of Health will make available to the National Cause all means of communication necessary to [...]

The week of Feb. 6 to Feb. 12, 2012 was mostly a European-centered week for “Support The Wall – Autism” and its sister organization “Collectif Soutenons Le Mur”. The NGO Reporters Without Borders issued a statement supporting Sophie Robert and considered that the court ruling is threatening documentary filmmaking in France”. The French Prime Minister organized a meeting with the French autism organizations to launch officially the “Grande Cause Nationale” P.R. campaign. He expressed the desire to launch a new [...]

The blog “Desde el más allá”on the spanish leading newspaper “El Mundo” published a post on the scandal surrounding “The Wall” on Feb. 12, 2012. The blog described “The Wall” as “a superb documentary about autism banned in France” and calls the views of the psychoanalysts “pure babble” and “absurd”. Excerpt: “The funny thing is that the interviewees complained that, during the editing process, their speech became unclear. False, it is abundantly clear that they are pure babble.” Read the [...]

Il Sole 24 Ore is the third italian dailynewspaper (circa 300 000 sold per day). In the Sunday culture page, Gilberto Corbellini, Professor in Medical History, tackles the issue of autism in France in an article titled “The Autim of Lacanians”. First, he ask himself “Is there something rotten in France ?”. Obviously, his answer is yes. He goes on detailing the decision against the film “The Wall” of Sophie Robert and why censorship is a political attack. He explains [...]

I strongly support your appeal and hope it goes well. The opinions so clearly expressed in The Wall by the professionals interviewed are entirely their own responses to questions posed and are totally out of keeping with research-based progress made over the past decades in our understanding of the nature of autism, its aetiology and helpful interventions. It is legitimate to question the dominance of these long out-dated, unsubstantiated and destructive views as a basis for service provision and treatment [...]

  As you know, schooling and treatments of Autism are seriously lagging in France. Yet, sometimes, there is a ray of hope for the future. Science is moving forward. Some research teams are world-leading in the identification of the genetics and neurobiological causes of autism. The team of Thomas Bourgeron at Institut Pasteur, in particular, just published, in collaboration with several foreign research institutes, a publication confirming the genetic and neurobiological origins of autism. In the communique published on February [...]