A Note from the Editors

By Mark Blaxill

It has come to my attention that there has been a bit of uncertainty regarding my recent comments here regarding RJ Bates of Celgene. I'd like to take this opportunity to clarify any ambiguity that may have emerged in recent days. I'd like to cover four main points.

First of all, when I post comments on Age of Autism (AoA), I use the author name "Mark." Our regular readers know that this name refers to AoA Editor-at-Large, Mark Blaxill. My dual role as editor and commenter seems to have led to some confusion recently in a number of exchanges between "D's Advocate" or "RJ" and "Mark." In these comments "Mark" was, as always, Mark Blaxill, AoA Editor-at-Large.

Second, there has been a bit of a kerfuffle in some quarters about my editorial decision, as a service to our readers, to inform them of the true identity of a commenter posting under the names "D's Advocate" and "RJ."

This commenter was well behaved for a while, but over time it became clear he had an agenda. He made most of his comments surrounding posts on vaccine safety; at the same time he was employed by a biopharmaceutical company called Celgene, a company that is involved in vaccine development. When pressed for transparency he blustered and tried to change the subject. Then he started posting under a different name. After he denied his conflict of interest a second time, we decided to set the record straight and we kicked him off. It was not a difficult decision; indeed, it's one we're proud of.

Third, Age of Autism is a moderated blog. We have the authority to include or exclude any comments at our discretion. We exercise that discretion rarely, but when we do, we do so in the interests of our readership. We want our loyal readers to find their experience here both informative and enjoyable. When commenters are impolite, dishonest or deceptive, we have no obligation to tolerate their behavior or defend their privacy on our site. We understand, however, that norms regarding disclosure vary across journalistic media. We call ourselves "the daily newspaper of the autism epidemic", and it's worth noting that most newspapers require the disclosure of identities and affiliations for all contributions: in articles, editorials and letters to the editor. In blogs, these disclosure requirements are often relaxed, in order to promote a more freewheeling discourse. But the fact that disclosure requirements are less stringent in blog posts does not obviate our right to ask for disclosure from our commenters, particularly when they become disruptive. Quite the contrary, we'd like to make our norms at AoA quite explicit: when you post here, you should expect that we will enforce standards of transparency and honesty. This is not a place to swoop in anonymously, take cheap shots at autism parents, lie about your true interests and identity and expect to get away with it

Finally, it's worth restating that openness, personal accountability and transparency are some of our core values at Age of Autism. It's an important difference between how we run things here and how other blogs operate. It's not complicated. The issues surrounding autism—the epidemic and its denial, the role of the environment, the links between autism, vaccines and mercury—are important, indeed historic questions that should interest a broad spectrum of concerned and responsible citizens. Unfortunately, these are also controversial issues and many individuals who have chosen to speak out publicly on these issues--putting their personal reputations, careers and futures on the line--have suffered greatly for our children.

By contrast, there is a weird subculture that has emerged that has tried to turn this tragedy into an odd kind of rhetorical sport and identity politics. Many of these people attack our community's leaders from behind a veil of anonymity, obscuring their intellectual limitations and personal failures behind a bizarre kind of faux-scientific sophistry. It's a free country, and these cowards can spew whatever they want on their own blogs, but they are not welcome here.

Mark Blaxill is Editor at Large for Age of Autism.

Comments

[Lisa Sigismondi]

No fretting here - I'm quite happy with your decision. As I see it, this is OUR forum. And until the various 'companies' can tell us a different reason that our kids are injured and make it stick, I am oh so grateful to have this place to come to.

After all....if I want to hear this kind of 'commenting' - I can get that anywhere I look, from the media to my family to my supermarket. I really hate to see that sort of thing here and don't care about listening to 'opposing viewpoints', they are already shoved down my throat day in and out so I thank you!

[Cherry Sperlin Misra]

Thanks for giving him the boot Mark. I recall reading his comments, and after a while I would think "Either I dont get it or this person is not making sense"
It is important for us all to stick to the science as much as possible. The autism parents have so much to be proud of. Over the years I have watched them be right on so many issues . And the medical community , which is wrong time after time, simply retreats to another fall-back fortress. They never admit their errors, but would love to tar all parents of autistic kids as nuts. So we dont need the ill intentioned. They distract us from the important issues.

[Lea Schizas]

It was this comment that I stand up and cheer you:

By contrast, there is a weird subculture that has emerged that has tried to turn this tragedy into an odd kind of rhetorical sport and identity politics. Many of these people attack our community's leaders from behind a veil of anonymity, obscuring their intellectual limitations and personal failures behind a bizarre kind of faux-scientific sophistry. It's a free country, and these cowards can spew whatever they want on their own blogs, but they are not welcome here.

I've been reading many blogs and appalled at how many readers there are out there who denounce any outcries from parents and continue to hide behind a wall of anonimity.

It's easy to slash and cut one's hopes wearing a hood but one who believes what they are saying has some validity, then they come out and state it openly with no mask.

[Teresa]

To Mark and everyone at AoA,

I love coming here to get my doses of autism reality. It's a big vaccine-loving, toxin-denying world out there and it is a safe and truthful haven here at AoA. Please keep kicking out all those who lie and cater to the dogma of *all vaccines are safe, thimerosal is out of vaccines, and so what if there is a subset that is harmed.*

These people often have dollar signs hidden in their agenda. Thanks for saying "no more" to the bullshit deceit they masquerade.

[nhokkanen]

I try to fathom that "weird subculture" and its perverse "rhetorical sport" of beating up families of children injured by vaccines.

The abuse is particularly disturbing when delivered by those in the helping professions -- even people with medical degrees. Apparently it's necessary for them to demonize families, in an attempt to justify what modern medicine has done.

The pro-vaccine-injury bloggers and the unhealthy few who feed on their rants falsely believe they have a stranglehold on the epistemology of immunization science. When challenged, their reactions are akin to the wife beater who tries to beat some sense into his spouse. Hardly the way to make a case for credibility and trust.

Imagine being that person for whom a good day is defined in the number of character assassinations compiled, untruths perpetuated, and hostilities unleashed. Mother must be so proud....

[Mary @ 'Project Tonos' Declassified]

Mark,

Excellent piece. I love this blog and I hope it continues to be here for all of us. Even though we have our own website, we continue to come here to read the EXCELLENT posts from real editors. From our family we would like to thank you for continuing to be bring the REAL story of what Autism is like in our world.

Sincerely,

Mary

[Twyla]

"a bizarre kind of faux-scientific sophistry"

Well said -- it really is bizarre.

[Craig Willoughby]

No worries from me, Mark. We are all a family here, and you did what you felt was right. I've seen it so many times on this site, something that warms my heart considerably, how we all pull together and help one another, like family should.

Kelli said it quite well; this is our Oasis. Sometimes, we need to get away from people who sneer at us, away from jerks like Ken Reibel, and talk to sane people who understand what we are going through. If it's necessary to weed someone out who may be disruptive, oh well. Thanks for all that you do, Mark, and thanks to everyone here at AoA who fights for our children.

[KarenAtlanta]

One could only imagine attacking and ridiculing parents treating their children for
some other life threatening injury.
Imagine Budweiser turning out to deface MADD.
Yet those profiteering from vaccines will attack and discredit by every dirty means possible. (ie Paul Offit)
It's hard to believe these people actually have any humanitarian intentions.

[Maggie]

The only people who defend vaccines are people who work for pharma. Most people who "don't have a dog in this fight" don't really care. Families of children injured and pharma employees are the only peeople who follow the vaccine/autism stories. And it's pretty obvious to figure out who's who.

[Kelli Ann Davis in Support of Mark]

"Unfortunately, these are also controversial issues and many individuals who have chosen to speak out publicly on these issues--putting their personal reputations, careers and futures on the line--have suffered greatly for our children."

And you, my good friend, are one them.

I *know* the sacrifices you have made on behalf of our children and this community as a result of your relentless pursuit for the truth and going the *distance* no matter what the cost; your standard of *excellence* that you impose on yourself is the same one you expect from others and your unwillingness to allow any sort of *dishonesty* on this blog and *calling it out* is not surprising to me. In fact, it’s this kind of consistency that sets you apart and it's what I admire most about you.

As I expressed to both you and Dan at dinner just this past Monday, I consider AOA *my oasis* -- it's the one place I can go publicly to connect with others in our community who share much of the same heartaches and struggles that I do without having to worry about encountering the discord that is so evident elsewhere.

I’d like to take this opportunity to publicly thank-you for maintaining that oasis for me and many others in our community.

You’re the best Mark.

Kelli

[Angela Warner]

"Quite the contrary, we'd like to make our norms at AoA quite explicit: when you post here, you should expect that we will enforce standards of transparency and honesty."

YAY!!! That is exactly why I love AoA!

I now have Wierd Al's "Trash Day" stuck in my head. Thanks for taking out the garbage. It was getting kind of stinky :D