A message for Mr. Jon Stewart Hi Jon, First on behalf of the World, thank you for The Daily Show. I watch it every day at work on my lunch break. Thanks for keeping us all in check and cutting through the bullshit. Thanks for coming back from your Christmas Break with a bang. Lots of crazy stuff went down while you were on vacation. As always you and your writers didn't disappoint. You went after the tough issues and put things in perspective after the talking heads muddled through the issues. Love the show. Your show and your intelligence have made you a personal hero of mine since your appearance/confrontation on CNN's Crossfire. It was truly a legendary performance. I also wanted to thank you for Night of Too Many Stars. As a father of a child with autism, it really means a lot to me that you would put yourself out there for such a good cause. My daughter was diagnosed with ASD in July. When we got the news my wife and I were gutted. It took some time to get our heads around it. What does it mean? Where do we start? The doctor gave us some paperwork and things to sign and sent us back out into the world changed forever. After The Diagnosis I feel like we actually grieved the loss of a ‘neurotypical’ child. We really felt like we’d lost something. We made the decision early after her diagnosis to be open about it. We weren't shouting from the rooftops or anything, but we told people what was going on. After watching Night of Too Many Stars we kind of took it to the next level. We started a website www.goteamkate.com. We've done an interview with our local newspaper here in New Brunswick. We're making t-shirts for her therapists and family. I guess you could say we're shouting from the rooftops now :) It would really mean a lot to me if you would check out our website. If you liked us on Facebook I think I would shit a brick. We've learned a lot since the diagnosis. We've researched therapy options. We challenge the government and the medical professionals to do their best. Just like you take on the newsmakers, we cut through the bullshit and push for what's best for our little girl. We have discovered one unsettling fact however. Parents tend to be marginalized by autism policymakers. People in government are so hung up on titles, educational background and their own egos that they forget how much of an asset parents like us can be. We spend more time with our children than anyone and we are more motivated to find suitable therapies and interventions; we search for a cause and a cure etc. It’s emotional for us. It’s not our job it’s our life. The bottom line is that parents have more to offer than they are given credit for. They should be given a voice in the process of treating their child and searching for answers. So, here’s where I believe you come in. You’re a smart guy. Why don’t you show everyone how educated parents of autistic children can be on the subject? Talk to the always funny and brilliant Big Daddy Autism or Homestyle Mama just to name a few. I’d love to see you challenge someone from the CDC or discuss some myths about autism with Sanjay Gupta or Mark Blaxill. What about asking Alex Plank what everyday life is like living with autism or check in with another father. As you know it’s not easy being the parent of a child with ASD. We worry a little more about them and what the future holds for them. We could use a boost from time to time. If you’re willing then I bet you could provide that boost. Just like your appearance on Crossfire, a conversation about autism on your show or some other medium would be truly legendary. I wish you and your family all the best on your journey, Alex Mouland, fellow father, big fan. www.goteamkate.com
8 Comments
Sue Clarke( Kleyn-Molekamp)
1/26/2013 03:52:31 am
.It looks as though you and your family are on the right track; being open. This means you are open to everything out there that is available to you in helping your precious daughter. I am proud of youDear Alex,
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Donna Moore
1/26/2013 05:39:39 am
Keep up the good work, keep in the front row of action.
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Kelly A.Lawson
1/26/2013 07:17:09 am
thank you. I am the grandmother of an amazing young man who is autistic . The support in PEI for him is great but here in NB far less so. I find that most do not know what Autism entails for many of these children. The more it is brought to light , the better it will be for their futures. Thank you.
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Laura
10/1/2013 01:40:56 pm
Did you see tonight's show?!? Awesome!
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Roberta
7/25/2014 04:05:56 pm
Your "Open letter to Jon Stewart" moved me tremendously. I respite/support with a 14 yr. non-verbal young man who is one of the most amazing people I have ever met. Not only do I GET to help him day to day learning & strive to accomplish what I take for granted, he's constantly teaching me his world. Thank-you for being a voice of honesty on how important parents & caregivers of these amazing people are!
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Kimberlee
3/5/2015 06:10:23 am
Honestly this disgusts me. Oh autism parents need a voice!!! You know who needs a voice? Actual autistic people. You're not living with autism, actual autistic people live with autism. And you grieved for your neurotypical child!? How awful can you be!? You never had a neurotypical child, first and foremost, but also having an autistic kid isn't something to grieve it just means they have a brain that works differently. In short fuck you and everyone who thinks like you, signed an actual autistic person.
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Lee Anne Weir
3/8/2015 07:59:39 am
Hi Kimberlee - i hope your mom did everything she could to help alleviate any suffering your autism may have caused you while loving you more fiercely than she could possibly imagine - as I do with my son everyday. Our wish to help and heal is the purest love there is. Your interpretation of it as somehow negating who you are is a very sad perspective. I wish you every joy and celebrate you embracing your autism. My son will never be able to write or express himself as you do - but I honor his unique magical self completely.
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Hi, did you get some response to this letter? I came across this in 2015 and there is still a chance to do this before Jon leaves the Daily Show. I believe this would be a great way to occupy his last minutes on air with this subject.
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