A very valid LIFE~ Alex Spourdalakis.
A 14 yr. old Autistic teen has been murdered again. Many in the community have been sick about it all day as one by one we came to the realization that this poor boy’s story had been chronicled earlier this spring. His struggles within his system, his families struggle with the myriad of doctors, organizations and hospitals. Struggling for the care he needed to feel okay in this world. To find “his chemistry”and balance out his Autistic system. When a person has no verbal communication skills and is in undescribable physical and emotional distress. A lot of scary things can happen…but resorting to MURDER?
For those of you unaware of Alex Spourdalakis. Some of the tragic back story can be read here:
and HERE:
http://www.ageofautism.com/2013/03/day-19-loyola-chicago-hospital-locks-down-autistic-patient.html
and sadly HERE:
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=9136005
No one can ever work toward making Alex comfortable again. No chance for him to look up into the sky at the sun and feel the beautiful breezes of this world. That is wrong. Plain and simply wrong. Yet, the news stories do not reflect that. INSTEAD we hear all about the care-givers that were over-burdened by the conditions under which they were living. The first reaction seems to be pity for the care-givers. What is wrong with that scenario? Alex is gone. There are no shots at happiness left for him. Who cares about the care-givers that planned his demise up to 1 week in advance (as we are now being told). Alex is not the first or last Autistic or differently abled person to be “set-free” by care-givers. This is a sad and sick phenomenon that has always happened while others look away. Time to STOP averting your souls and pay attention.
PLAIN and SIMPLE.
What do people deserve?
Who decides? In my fifty years on the planet I have seen that concept decay. I was brought up to believe that being a hard-working, helpful and happy person will bring you the good things. The things “you deserve,” the things you need. You will have scrapes and scuffles and things won’t always be easy…but, persevere with a smile and you will get what you need in life. That IS life. In today’s world that concept seems lost. People huff and puff and pound there chest about what they deserve, as they step on those around them whilst grabbing”it.” The world has become a very me oriented and selfish place. Life should be wonderful and I should have all of the perks no matter what I do or don’t do! Most importantly, it should be easy and trouble free. Entitlement.
In that same vein…some have decided “others” are not entitled. Like young Alex Spourdalakis. Judging by the things I have read and seen some have determined that Alex would still be alive had the “system” not failed him. Had his mother been given the “supports” she needed. WHAT?
The ‘system’ that failed him was his preeminent source. His Mother. She is the one that seeks out the formula for Alex’s comfort levels as a “severely Autistic”individual. It is a complicated task, I know I travel that HWY everyday with a growing 14 yr. old “severely” Autistic teen. Dorothy Spourdalakis decided that he deserved death. When is it ever appropriate for one human to decide another’s mortality? Never. There are no qualifying answers OR mitigating circumstances. Just stop trying to pretend there are.
Alex deserved LIFE…like all of the rest of us. He deserved a chance to find the correct chemistry to help relieve some of the compromises to his Autistic system. That can never happen now. Some people now seem to be politicizing this by making it about “the failing system” and lack of supports and services for families. Yes, we need more comprehension in society toward Autism and all that, THAT entails. (pretty much the focus of this entire website!) What we don’t need is sympathy and pity. Especially for someone like Alex’s Mom, a mom too tired to persevere. Someone all too willing to make a decision she had NO RIGHTS to!
Alex dies in vain IF society does not realize how cruel and insipid it is to torture a culture of brilliant Autistic people by excusing and sympathizing with the people that murder them.
UPDATE SEPTEMBER 1ST. Apparently no one is listening and SYMPATHY for those THAT KILL is only gearing up. CBS This Morning should be ashamed of this NEWS STORY:
