I was invited in 2017 to help take questions at a National Library presentation in Wellington by a French author of an autism book, who was key speaker; I was four years a trustee of an adult autism group; in 2009 I spoke on autism at Canterbury University in a lecture room of academic and administrative staff.
And now ... people of Jigsaw, if a qualified psychiatrist tells you that autistics don't have feelings, then please ignore that cruelly wrong advice.
Autistics - high-functioning ones, at least - feel as deeply as anyone. It is our mechanism for portraying feelings to others which typically is faulty, which may cause us to feel misunderstood and cause stress. That's not good - and that's an understatement.
Our IQ is typically high; our social abilities can be pitifully low. But I guess, Jigsaw, you will already have learned that.
Should there be readers who wonder how I can comment on social issues - "we learn or we give up". My BA was conferred at Victoria University in 2014, major sociology, minor anthropology, smattering of psychology and philosophy papers. I was 68 years young.
Keep up the great work, Jigsaw - never give up on the hard ones.
"There, but for the grace of God ..."
STAN HOOD, BA, Aramoho
All too late for vegan
We have Lyndsay Veganforlife who changed her name by deed poll to impress people of her dedication to the elimination of animals from our planet. She obviously thinks there is only room for us.
People lose control of their minds. Steve Jobs, one of our planet's heroes, lost the plot and became a vegan.
It was not agreeing with his system and his doctor decided to scan his gut, leading to the discovery of a small tumour on his pancreas.
They said how lucky he was that they could whip it out while it is so small. Not I, says he, I am a vegan and I'll treat myself with vegetable juices (which might have helped if they were full of minerals, but today they are not).
His treatment didn't work and he had to have an operation, By this time it had moved to the liver, and needed the removal of a large part of his pancreas, and some of his liver.
His doctor said he would have to go on an easily-digestible diet, of fat, proteins, eggs and red meat. Not I, says he, I am a vegan. He struggled on until near the end he could not eat vegan broths, so tried an omelette, he finished the lot and said it was delicious. Too late, Steve.
G R SCOWN, Whanganui
Money for guns?
I am thinking of starting up a "GiveaLittle" page to raise a bit of money that would enable that poor mother in Goochland County, Virginia, USA, to obtain a larger calibre handgun and have some practice with it - just in case that Kiwi Lothario returns to have another shot at kidnapping her daughter.
I'd also like to send him a target-painted mask, so he can disguise himself while trying to smash in.
G A McGRATH, Whanganui
Voting records
Thank you for the article on our good keen man ... the youngest councillor.
Now could we have record of how each councillor voted on each issue before the next election?
ELAINE HAMPTON, Durie Hill
