Story #319

Having a sibling with autism, or any type of special needs opens your eyes to all the hate in the world. It feels as though all the meanest, most idiotic people happen to come into you and your families lives.  And the worst thing is, they can’t help it. They have never experienced it, never loved someone with it. It is their inexperience that is the reason behind their spiteful comments. I am always telling myself this. So many of my friends that I like and respect ask me, unashamedly, why my brother is a ‘ retard’ or ‘stupid’ . He is not stupid, but different, and wonderful in so many ways that ‘normal’ people can never be. People fail to appreciate this, that autism isn’t just negative, but positive too.  I know this is wrong, but I can’t help but think that the person being rude and mean to my brother is the stupid one. People need to stop ignoring and avoiding all the amazing, special people in this world, and start embracing them and their differences.

– Atticus Green, Auckland