Dear Jacqui Smith, Home Secretary,
The London Autistic Rights Movement (LARM) fully supports the Free Gary
McKinnon campaign. LARM is totally committed along with the rest of the
disability movements, to non-violence and thus condemns all terrorism.
Everything I say is based on what has been made available to us. And is
dependent on its accuracy.
How can you claim that Gary McKinnon will get a fair trial in a country
which has so systematically abused Human Rights at Guantanamo Bay and in
which several state Governments have had to suspend their death penalty
because of a torrent of wrongful convictions. And in which there have been
conferences *of* death row survivors?
If the evidence is so strong, let it be presented before a British Court.
It is quite clear that he is not a terrorist.
It is also crystal clear that all of the alleged acts took place sometime
before the new extradition treaty with the USA.
It is equally clear that he was trying to find out information about UFOs,
obsessively, as a minority of people with Asperger's can do. This meant that
he was not in full control of his actions. Also, as innocently as the
British "planespotters" in Greece, he made no attempt to hide his address or
to hide that he was seeking the truth about UFOs. Therefore, as with
the "planespotters", there is no "criminal intent" or "criminal mind". And
therefore no crime has been committed by Gary McKinnon.
Had there been proper services, then he would have been diagnosed decades
ago and given appropriate support. In which case this situation would never
have arisen. If there is a crime, it is here: negligence by the relevant
public authorities. Therefore, you should systematically investigate and
potentially prosecute *all* those in public services who may have failed
Gary McKinnon.
According to members of the Free Gary McKinnon campaign, the USA has alleged
that he crashed Pentagon and other high security computer systems, but has
consistently refused to supply any evidence of this.
I speak not as an "ordinary punter" but as someone who has had not one, but
two workplaces which were subjected to terrorist attacks (one while I was
there), and also as someone who highlighted the usefulness of the "special
skills" and "special interests" autistic people sometimes have, for example
in highlighting the religious significance (especially around dates in
calendars) of the dates of terrorist attacks.
This skill or interest is refered to in the Disability Rights Commission
(DRC) Neurodiversity & Autism Action Group Majority Report, which needs to
be implemented.
This will be supplied to you under separate cover, as updated for the DWP's
Independent Living Review Consultation.
Yours sincerely
Adrian Whyatt, RADAR (Royal Association on Disability and Rehabilitation)
Trustee, LARM Steering Group Member. In a personal capacity.
On 17/10/2008, Colin REvell <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>
>
> 17/10/09
>
> Dear Jacqui Smith, Home Secretary,
>
> As you can see bellow I have made complaints about disabilist comments,
> attitudes and behaviour aimed towards me as an Autistic, Neuro-Diverse
> professional, user lead advisor, educator and consultant in the field of
> Autism, Neuro-Diversity and mental health to various government departments
> and the UN disability convention that sadly again, in my contact and
> correspondence with the Home Office I have been subjected to disabilism
> again. As an active member of the Human Rights and Civil Liberties movements
> especially in my field of interest, Autism and Co-Morbid and associated
> conditions (as mentioned above) again I need to bring to your attention, not
> for the first time in my work that reasonable adjustments as per my
> requested access needs were not met by the Home Office which is totally
> against your disability equality duty. I am duly informed and have
> experienced in my research that out of all the government departments the
> Home Office is the worst, not just for people living with
> autism/neuro-diversity and mental health issues but for the wider disabled
> community.
>
> In my work I have been liaising on basic human rights issues and civil
> liberties with Shami Chakrabarti and others at Liberty and like many more
> individuals within the autistic/neuro-diversity rights movements and wider
> mental health and disability rights movement are pro actively campaigning
> within the Garry Mackinnon case. All I tried to do this morning was to ring
> your office to ask some questions to you as the minister about this case. At
> the present time, I am not typing this letter, it is being dictated to my
> PA/support worker. This is not her job, it is the duty of all service
> providers and statutory bodies under the DDA 2005 to accommodate the needs
> of all disabled people. This morning, my needs were ridiculed and I was
> forced to make my own written notes which caused me a great deal of physical
> pain, distress and discomfort. This complaint has been made to the Equality
> and Human Rights Commission and Liberty.
>
> The EHRC and Liberty are well informed that I am an autistic/neuro-diverse
> person without any assistance, support and technology aids and equipment,
> which I am fighting for. This is why I asked for assistance this morning, I
> don't have the technological aids I require so have to ask for the support
> of staff and officers. This clearly shows your lack of understanding of the
> needs of Autistic individuals and it is no wonder you do not understand
> Garry's needs.
>
> I would like some conciliation/mediation under the DDA 2005, I am happy for
> this to be facilitated by Liberty and the EHRC.
>
> The EHRC, Liberty and others are well aware of the autistic rights movement
> anxieties and concerns around Gary's case, not just for autistic people but
> ALL disabled people, especially those with neurological differences,
> developmental disorders, learning disabilities, specific learning
> disabilities, and those living with mental ill health/distress are all at
> risk. This has been brought to the attention of the EHRC and the government
> as a basic human rights and civil liberties issue which has a strong public
> interest. Liberty have taken on my concerns and that of the
> autistic/neuro-diversity movement and the wider disability movement. Liberty
> have expressed their concerns and we all feel that this is a one way treaty
> which is in breach of the UN convention. Are you aware that Gary, as an EU
> citizen could take this to the UN disability convention as it has been
> ratified by the EU?
>
> I would like some of my questions answering about this case;
>
> Has a disability equality impact assessment been done on the Gary Mackinnon
> case?
>
> Has Mr Mackinnon been represented throughout due process by a specialist
> barrister who has expertise within the field of autistic spectrum
> conditions/neuro-diversity and co-morbid conditions. In the UK Gary is
> defined a disabled person with a learning disability and mental health
> problem, in the USA Asperger Syndrome is defined as a pervasive
> developmental disorder which is not used in the UK or the EU community so
> which medical/clinical definition will be used in Gary's case?
>
> Has this case been brought to the attention of Her Majesty the Queen for
> the consideration for a royal pardon? Gary is not a bad person, he is a
> disabled person who's behaviour was fuelled by fear and anxiety. He is not a
> terrorist and the way he is being treated like one is deeply effecting him
> and his family as well as other disabled people. Please note that if he was
> a terrorist I would be backing your decision 100%.
>
> No-one in the Home Office understands that Gary's behaviour has been
> fuelled by anxiety, as he was left undiagnosed for so long his anxiety would
> have been out of control. He is in his current position because there has
> been a serious failure to discharge a duty of care by the UK state. He
> should have been diagnosed a long time ago, this is clear negligence. It
> appears that you are now questioning the legitimacy of his diagnosis, he has
> been assessed by two leading experts in the field who are willing to testify
> in court.
>
> This case is causing me a great deal of anxiety and distress. I feel
> threatened by this and need some reassurance from you. Can you empathise
> with my severe anxieties on this? This is why I am asking if you have done a
> disability impact assessment.
>
> Yours Sincerely
>
> Colin Revell - CEO Neuro-Diversity and Autism Action Group (NAAG).
>
>
>
> ________________________________
>
>
>
> From: [log in to unmask]
> To: [log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask];
> [log in to unmask]
> CC: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: RE: Helpline call
> Date: Fri, 17 Oct 2008 10:47:23 +0100
>
>
>
>
> Neil/Reni,
>
> I would also like to know what has happened with my previous complaints
> about the Home Office, Hayley said there were no other Home Office
> complaints on my file but I have made some.
>
> Colin Revell
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
>
>
>
>
> From: [log in to unmask]
> To: [log in to unmask]
> CC: [log in to unmask]
> Date: Fri, 17 Oct 2008 10:25:17 +0100
> Subject: Helpline call
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Hi Collin,
>
>
>
>
>
> Thank you for your recent helpline enquiry. Your reference is 1-3208145.
>
>
>
>
>
> Here is a copy of the notes that I have forwarded to Reni Parekh and Neil
> Crowther as requested, and also my team leader.
>
>
>
>
>
> Caller has an issue with Home Office. He is involved with the Gary
> MacKinnen case. He has great concern about this, and he attempted to speak
> to someone within Jackie Smith's office within the Home office. Caller
> explained that he has autism and asked for reasonable adjustments as he has
> problems with writing things down. The person who answered the phone at
> Jackie Smith's office laughed at him and refused to give caller his name. He
> also made discriminatory comments and antagonised caller - he wouldn't
> listen when caller explained that he appeared to be shouting as he has
> autism. He also wouldn't email information to caller. He also refused to put
> caller through to his line manager, or the data protection officer to
> request a recording of the conversation. This happened this morning, so
> caller called helpline immediately. He is very distressed about this issue,
> and called the helpline as he could not get through to Neil Crowther or Reni
> Parekh.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Kind regards,
>
>
> Hayley
>
>
> Helpline Operator
>
>
> Equality and Human Rights Commission
>
>
> Email: [log in to unmask]
>
>
> England 0845 604 6610
>
>
> Scotland 0845 604 5510
>
>
> Wales 0845 604 8810
>
>
>
>
>
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>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
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