*curses incoherantly*

[conuly]

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/05/magazine/05LETTERS.html

It is interesting to note that inhibited functioning of the amygdala, in addition to being a predictor of Republican loyalty, has also been linked to another brain disorder: autism.
Margie Smith
Narberth, Pa.


!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Comments

[eofs.livejournal.com]

*Isn't an NYTimes member, but can have a guess at what is being said*

WTF?

I think I'd be pretty mad too.

[conuly]

It's the letters section, I just copied out the one letter that pissed me the expletive off.

[maladaptive.livejournal.com]

There must be a theoretical reason for that-- maybe because some autistics don't like change? Context girl, context!

[conuly]

I'm just baffled.

[codeman38.livejournal.com]

...::blink blink::...Not much leaves me absolutely, utterly speechless, but...::makes perplexed noise that can't really be expressed in writing::

[conuly]

Seriously, I'm insulted. And confused as to how, exactly, people are expected to make the link between autism/autistic traits and republicanism. Yes, some autistics are republicans, but....

[mhari.livejournal.com]

!, indeed.

Republicans seem to be suffering from voluntary brain malfunction, anyway, so that fucks that comparison up. [/bitch]

[conuly]

*giggles*

There are sane republicans. Just... right now, it's hard, y'know?

[georgiapeachy.livejournal.com]

ha! the study done wasn't about simply inhibited functioning of the amygdala in everyday situations, it was measuring its functioning in reaction to televised violence. Republicans tend to grow up in environments where they are around guns, violent movies etc. In red states its very common for boys to receive BB guns on their 10th birthdays, to have R-ratings for violence(not for sex, sex is the EVIL in red states) acceptable fare for kids etc. I'm sure I could cite statistics for this. My point is a lot of Republicans are probably desensitized to violence and the article points out "patterns of brain activity are shaped by experience as much as by genes." Therein lies the difference- autistics might be born with inhibited functioning of the amygdala, but I think in the case of Republicans it's an effect of being conservative instead of a cause.

BTW I'm the only autistic conservative I know of (and I'm not much of a social conservative), all the other autistic people I know are democrats and some of them even work for the Kerry campaign.

[conuly]

BTW I'm the only autistic conservative I know of (and I'm not much of a social conservative), all the other autistic people I know are democrats and some of them even work for the Kerry campaign.

That was the WTF aspect of my irateness. Most autistics don't seem to be conservative. Whether or not this is actually true, I don't know, but it's certainly my impression.

[snarkophagus.livejournal.com]

Did she mention any studies about this? Or is that her post in its entirety? Did I miss an article in the news about that discovery, because it would have to be big news. I'd like to find her and ask her where she gets off making an unqualified blanket statement like that, but I don't know if I'd be able to keep from telling her off the minute I opened my mouth.

[conuly]

It's a letter in the news. That's entirely it.

[queengodzilla.livejournal.com]

My family's straight Republican. I'll spare you the trouble and go shoot myself... u_u Bleh. (Actually, I have no political ties because I don't want to get into arguments over politics, but the flaming 'Pubs get always bothers me.)

In other news: vitki is driving me crazy!! AAAAAAHHHHH... >_<#!

[conuly]

Oops, sorry ducky! I do know there are sane republicans out there, but right now they seem to be shouted down by the nonsane variety. Much like members of various religious groups, say the mormons.

I figured most of my friends are liberal, and didn't think about futher implications. Forgive?

And vitki is friggin' nuts. *sporksporkspork*

[queengodzilla.livejournal.com]

Forgive =)

[eofs.livejournal.com]

*Isn't an NYTimes member, but can have a guess at what is being said*

WTF?

I think I'd be pretty mad too.

[conuly]

It's the letters section, I just copied out the one letter that pissed me the expletive off.

[maladaptive.livejournal.com]

There must be a theoretical reason for that-- maybe because some autistics don't like change? Context girl, context!

[conuly]

I'm just baffled.

[codeman38.livejournal.com]

...::blink blink::...Not much leaves me absolutely, utterly speechless, but...::makes perplexed noise that can't really be expressed in writing::

[conuly]

Seriously, I'm insulted. And confused as to how, exactly, people are expected to make the link between autism/autistic traits and republicanism. Yes, some autistics are republicans, but....

[mhari.livejournal.com]

!, indeed.

Republicans seem to be suffering from voluntary brain malfunction, anyway, so that fucks that comparison up. [/bitch]

[conuly]

*giggles*

There are sane republicans. Just... right now, it's hard, y'know?

[georgiapeachy.livejournal.com]

ha! the study done wasn't about simply inhibited functioning of the amygdala in everyday situations, it was measuring its functioning in reaction to televised violence. Republicans tend to grow up in environments where they are around guns, violent movies etc. In red states its very common for boys to receive BB guns on their 10th birthdays, to have R-ratings for violence(not for sex, sex is the EVIL in red states) acceptable fare for kids etc. I'm sure I could cite statistics for this. My point is a lot of Republicans are probably desensitized to violence and the article points out "patterns of brain activity are shaped by experience as much as by genes." Therein lies the difference- autistics might be born with inhibited functioning of the amygdala, but I think in the case of Republicans it's an effect of being conservative instead of a cause.

BTW I'm the only autistic conservative I know of (and I'm not much of a social conservative), all the other autistic people I know are democrats and some of them even work for the Kerry campaign.

[conuly]

BTW I'm the only autistic conservative I know of (and I'm not much of a social conservative), all the other autistic people I know are democrats and some of them even work for the Kerry campaign.

That was the WTF aspect of my irateness. Most autistics don't seem to be conservative. Whether or not this is actually true, I don't know, but it's certainly my impression.

[snarkophagus.livejournal.com]

Did she mention any studies about this? Or is that her post in its entirety? Did I miss an article in the news about that discovery, because it would have to be big news. I'd like to find her and ask her where she gets off making an unqualified blanket statement like that, but I don't know if I'd be able to keep from telling her off the minute I opened my mouth.

[conuly]

It's a letter in the news. That's entirely it.

[queengodzilla.livejournal.com]

My family's straight Republican. I'll spare you the trouble and go shoot myself... u_u Bleh. (Actually, I have no political ties because I don't want to get into arguments over politics, but the flaming 'Pubs get always bothers me.)

In other news: vitki is driving me crazy!! AAAAAAHHHHH... >_<#!

[conuly]

Oops, sorry ducky! I do know there are sane republicans out there, but right now they seem to be shouted down by the nonsane variety. Much like members of various religious groups, say the mormons.

I figured most of my friends are liberal, and didn't think about futher implications. Forgive?

And vitki is friggin' nuts. *sporksporkspork*

[queengodzilla.livejournal.com]

Forgive =)