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The Curious Incident of the Pulitzer in the Night-Time

Why is the Times so obsessed with autism? It’s like they’re in their own little world, not looking out, just focusing inward.

Battling Insurers Over Autism Treatment, December 21, 2004, by MILT FREUDENHEIM, appearing in the Business section

How About Not ‘Curing’ Us, Some Autistics Are Pleading, December 20, 2004, by AMY HARMON, appearing in the Health section

In Autism, New Goal Is Finding It Soon Enough to Fight It, December 14, 2004, by ANAHAD O’CONNOR, appearing in the Health section

For Siblings of the Autistic, a Burdened Youth, December 10, 2004, by JANE GROSS, appearing in the National Desk section
One subject matter. One human interest. Three different sections. Three different weeks. Four different dates. Four different writers.

7 replies on “The Curious Incident of the Pulitzer in the Night-Time”

I noticed that, too. Very strange. There are a lot more kids in this country living in poverty than living with autism–why don’t they cover that instead? Bizarre.

** Why is the Times so obsessed with autism? It’s like they’re in their own little world, not looking out, just focusing inward.**
I just loved this!

I work in early intervention with children with autism. I always used to get excited to see anything about autism in mainstream media. Lately however, when my husband points to a piece in the Times, I ignore it. I have a thoery that someone high up on the staff has a kid with autism.
Also, only about 1/2 the articles the run are worth reading.

autistic kids are funny. poor kids aren’t. well, they’re smelly, which can be funny, but mostly, they’re not. sometimes, if you have food, and they don’t, then they’re funny again. but autistic kids are way more funny. and they’re funny for a longer period of time than poor kids. poor kids grow up to be poor adults, and then they’re really not funny. but autistic kids stay funny forever.

it’s pretty obvious that someone high up there has a kid with Autism. Plus wasn’t there an article or two in the NYer about it? Maybe it’s just an urban white thing.
Here’s another one from a NYTimes parent “Six years ago, my son James fell down a well, and he’s still climbing out.
James has autism.” This story by a deputy editor, John O’Neil. Not sure if that counts as high up.

Gee, think it could have anything to do with the fact that the number of kids with autism in the U.S. has increased more than 300% over the last ten years?
My daughter has it. It’s about as funny as coping with childhood leukemia.
If the percentage of poor kids had increased at that rate over the same fucking period, there’d be a lot more articles on them, too. Not like the NYT doesn’t already do a lot of kids-living-in-poverty coverage.
But maybe that’s an “urban white thing” too?
Nice blog. Scathing wit and insight just bubbling up all *over* the damn thing, speaking of funny. I’ll make sure to bookmark it.

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