12-16-2012, 03:16 AM
The gunman's estranged brother and someone on CNN are calling him autistic. The so-called expert on CNN said autistics "have something missing, the capacity to develop empathy". That is so wrong. I have too much empathy. There are some autistic people who don't have empathy; however, they can still have sympathy. Empathy is literally feeling other people's pain, usually their emotional pain. Sympathy is feeling concern and respect for other people. Empathy and sympathy are not synonyms. Empathy and sympathy shouldn't be treated as synonyms in the context of autism. Everyone can have sympathy. Sympathy is a choice. Lacking empathy by no means makes anyone predisposed to murder!
I have to always be on guard, because this crap affects my life. Some of my children are also autistic. I want a better world for them than a world where they are scapegoats.
I have to always be on guard, because this crap affects my life. Some of my children are also autistic. I want a better world for them than a world where they are scapegoats.