Jul 23, 2008 10:53 am US/Eastern
Radio Host Under Attack For Autism Remarks
Michael Savage said on July 16 that most children with autism were "brats" who should be told to "cut the act out."
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
The furor over syndicated radio host Michael Savage's autism comments intensified as parents of autistic children in South Florida called for his firing and at least one national advertiser yanked its ads from his show.
Every day, Michelle Rose struggles to teach her son Nakeem basic vocabulary and spelling. He's four and a half years old, but Michelle explains that because he's autistic, he behaves more like an infant. He is not yet potty trained, and despite Michelle's best efforts and the efforts of his teachers, he will only take food from a bottle.
She told CBS4 Reporter Natalia Zea, "My challenges and the choices I make in my life completely surround him and his condition."
Michelle was furious when she heard recent comments made by nationally syndicated conservative talk show host Michael Savage. Last week, Savage said doctors usually misdiagnose autism, and many families fake it to get a government check.
He said, "I'll tell you what autism is in 99 percent of the cases, it's a brat who hasn't been told to cut the act out. What do you mean they scream and they're silent, they don't have a father around to tell them don't act like a moron."
Outraged parents and activists protested outside Savage's New York studios, and Savage insisted his comments were taken out of context.
He later said, "Maybe, eventually the controversy surrounding my comments will be seen for what they were, an attempt to defend the defenseless. Instead of being attacked for what I said, I should be lauded for what I said. I should be given a prize for what I said."
Michelle isn't ready to hand out any prizes. She could only hope that comments like those bring attention to the disorder plaguing her son and thousands of children like him.
The programming director of WFTL that broadcasts Savage's radio show in South Florida told CBS4 it has no plans to pull the program.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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