Autism Speaks claims to be a charity, yet its goals are opposite the interests of the people it allegedly supports. The leadership of Autism Speaks consists of not a single autistic person. Its "awareness" campaigns frequently compare autism to diseases and sympathize with the murder of children.
Autism Speaks spends only 4% of its budget on family services. The largest portion, about 44%, goes to research aimed at causes and prevention. Autistic people do not want to be "cured" of their autism any more than blacks want their skin bleached to look more white.
As an autistic person, and a member of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, I urge the Obama administration to revoke the status of Autism Speaks as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and to publicly declare that Autism Speaks is a hate group.