Tuesday, November 11, 2014

The way aspergers people should not be treated

A year ago I was trying to go on a program to Israel which was not a learning program (a program I felt would give me the skills to better live in Israel (which has been one of my dreams for a long time).  I filled out the application, and also sent in the money.  I had asked them if it would be alright if I could go to Uman, Ukraine for Rosh Hashana (the Jewish new year) which would be going on while the program was going on.  This is because I connect to Rabbi Nachman of Breslov who told his followers that they should come to him (even after his death) so he could work to positivly affect the whole year for them.  They told me that they would not be responsible for me while I was out of Israel, but I could still go during the program.

One of the questions they asked was do you have a disability.  Because I felt it was the right thing to do to be honest I put I have aspergers on the form.  They asked if my doctor (someone who deals with physical conditions) could write a note saying that I am able to participate.  I explained that it is not a physical condition.  The next e-mail I got from them said: "We are sorry to tell you that we feel you are TOO SPIRITUAL for us.

I had dealings with the people who supervise the organization of that program (as they run quite a few programs), and they even heard that I work with people who have disabilities, but they assumed that I would be different from everyone else on the program (which if I didn't tell them they probably would never know (that is how it is with most people).

If you know you are going to be doing something with someone with aspergers know that they will not be the same as everyone else you may have seen with Aspergers.  Don't assume things where they are.  Assess what you see in them knowing the traits that someone with aspergers has then work with them on their level (if they are lower function respectfully help them if they need it).

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