Autism Group Petitions CBS News: Take Down Dangerous Video

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. - Sept. 3, 2013 - PRLog -- Autistics and caregivers want CBS to remove a news video which frames autism as an excuse for the murder of a child.

The CBS News video, Behind the Tragedy: Mother Murders Autistic Son, frames autism as an excuse for the murder of a child, Alex Spourdalakis, by his mother & caregiver. CBS should not be promoting what The Autistic Self-Advocacy Network's Ari Ne'eman described as "a dangerous ideology that preaches that people are better off dead than disabled."

Even though Mr. Ne'eman and his quote were included at the end of the video, the bulk of the video tries to justify the unjustifiable -- Alex's murder -- and curries sympathy for his killers. Specifically, CBS reporter Sharyl Attkisson says, "His murder might be just another unexplained tragedy, if it were not for a documentary following his family in the months leading up to his death." This is unacceptable.

The petition can be found at https://www.change.org/petitions/cbs-news-take-down-the-video-behind-the-tragedy-mother-murders-autistic-son-2.

CBS News can be reached at cbsaudiencenews@cbs.com.

The Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism is a book, website, and Facebook community run by Shannon Des Roches Rosa, Jennifer Byde Myers, Emily Willingham, and Carol Greenburg. Each woman writes, educates, and advocates within the autism communities.