Robert F. Kennedy Jr. United States Secretary of Health and Human Services

**KS 5150** · 04.17.25, 06:45 AM

Up here in Canada we now have a measles outbreak in my province of Alberta. A relatively minor one, mostly embedded in the rural parts of the province. The same places where we had the Covid outbreak of the unvaccinated in 2021. Coincidence? I think not.

Lots of Fox News fans in that region, I've heard.

**rchop84** · 04.17.25, 07:14 AM

They're not measles, they're 'freedom freckles'

These people would rather see their kids suffer than admit they're wrong about some ridiculous conspiracy

**VH1986** · 04.17.25, 07:54 AM

Originally Posted by rchop84

They're not measles, they're 'freedom freckles'

These people would rather see their kids suffer than admit they're wrong about some ridiculous conspiracy

That's how cultists behave.

**Brett** · 04.17.25, 11:04 AM

Originally Posted by lovemachine97(Version 2)

Secretary Kennedy calls autism a "preventable disease," says it "destroys families" and destroys the children who have it.

Well, that settles it. Fuck this douchebag in the asshole with a big rubber dick. And then break it off and beat him with the rest of it.

You know what destroys families, Bob? Habitually fucking other people who aren't your wife. Maybe start there. That, by the way, IS something that's preventable.

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Real great idea putting this imbecile in charge of anything health related. We are so fucking doomed with idiots like this.

**Daisy Hill** · 04.17.25, 02:41 PM

Originally Posted by lovemachine97(Version 2)

Secretary Kennedy calls autism a "preventable disease," says it "destroys families" and destroys the children who have it.

Well, that settles it. Fuck this douchebag in the asshole with a big rubber dick. And then break it off and beat him with the rest of it.

You know what destroys families, Bob? Habitually fucking other people who aren't your wife. Maybe start there. That, by the way, IS something that's preventable.

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This broke me. The ignorance is just shocking. Maybe he should talk to the guy on the spectrum in charge of DOGE. Maybe that might make him think differently.

**lovemachine97(Version 2)** · 04.17.25, 02:59 PM

It's entirely possible that this new push for the cause results in actual, usable, good information.

But I just want to point out that when the guy in charge has spoken, he non-chalantly mentions they will find the "environmental cause," and the person he has running the research, to the extent that is what we should call it (and maybe it will turn it to be so), David Grier, is a vaccine skeptic who helped his father in his "studies," which helped his dad lose his medical license, and has long peddled the theory of vaccines causing autism. He and his dad also peddled junk treatments to vulnerable parents of autistic children. While his dad lost his medical license, David Grier, who has a Bachelor's degree, has been disciplined for practicing medicine without a license.

So we shouldn't be going into this thinking there aren't preconceived notions, here. In fact, this leans toward clown show.

**jimmy812** · 04.17.25, 03:27 PM

Originally Posted by Brett

Real great idea putting this imbecile in charge of anything health related. We are so fucking doomed with idiots like this.

They're firing people who are doing research on diseases (others are also voluntarily retiring). Some of the financial cuts they're making really should be reviewed first. But that's not their way. I'm sure the workforce may have been bloated, but just blindly DOGEing departments isn't the best process.

I'm sure the conspiracy theorists will stay on.

**Majestic** · 04.17.25, 07:40 PM

I haven’t dealt with individuals labeled as Autistic since college, but I’m almost certain it was classified as a disorder, and not a “disease” back then.

**jimmy812** · 04.18.25, 07:40 AM

Originally Posted by Majestic

I haven’t dealt with individuals labeled as Autistic since college, but I’m almost certain it was classified as a disorder, and not a “disease” back then.

Yes, it's actually in the name...Autism Spectrum Disorder.

But I think the word spectrum is what should be more defined by RFK, if he's going to be making such wild claims. FFS, he said that autistic children will "never pay taxes, never hold a job, never fall in love" etc. He makes it sound like a blanket statement of all who are diagnosed with the disorder.

No one is denying that there should be continued research into ASD, and we're all hopeful something good comes of it. It's just difficult when it's someone with such a checkered past of making debunked claims leading that charge. And also placing his trust into someone who is arguably worse (Geier).

**SmileyJoe** · 04.18.25, 08:09 AM

He’s beyond ignorant -
Can have a job??? Can’t pay taxes??? Can’t use the bathroom on their own ?

There is a show literally called “Love on the Spectrum”

Is anyone is this cabinet a serious person or are they all just boot lickers ?

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**jimmy812** · 04.18.25, 08:14 AM

Originally Posted by SmileyJoe

Is anyone is this cabinet a serious person or are they all just boot lickers ?

That's why they're "only the best people."

**Brett** · 04.18.25, 08:34 AM

Two of my second cousins have autism. They’re brothers. One of them will always require care. He’s never going to have a job, and sadly has the mental capability of probably a 12-year old at 25. But his older brother is very high functioning, went to college, is an engineer, lives on his own and has a life. And guess what, he pays taxes! So of course dipshit RFK Jr. is talking out of his ass about things he knows nothing about…again.

**lovemachine97(Version 2)** · 04.18.25, 08:42 AM

Look, he's not wrong, in some ways, on severe ends of the spectrum. Our former ABA therapist would tell as about (without giving any information that could identify them, just FYI) new clients who just got their kid help, and the kid is 21 years old, and they're asking, "Will my kid ever talk?" And at that point, the likely answer is, "No." She also had parents that basically locked the kid in a room and the parent played video games all day. That's not going to help that kid function (no shit).

Back when RFK was younger, we institutionalized these people (which is why he didn't see them, probably). But, today, many of them get interventions before the age of 3, and after, plus specialized education, and they do very well. It's no longer Rain Man or worst.

But if you've met one person with autism, then you've met one person with autism. Just within my household, my two kids are very, very different, despite the "same" diagnosis. Also, girls tend to get under-diagnosed because it can be so different.

Painting with a broad brush people on a spectrum, in and of itself, is silly.

But take all of that away. The issue we are headed towards--with the caveat that maybe it works out fine--is that we have someone who has long connected vaccines and autism, despite the wealth of evidence that isn't true and a lack of evidence that it is, who put someone who also believes that, to the point of his dad losing his medical license over it and the man in question convicted of practicing medicine without a license, in charge of the studies to find the cause. AND Kennedy is already speaking as if they know it is some external cause, a toxin, exposure, of some sort. That does not bode well in finding the cause, no matter what it is (assuming there is one cause, which is not a guarantee), as opposed to reinforcing the priors of the Secretary and the man in charge of the study.

**Brett** · 04.18.25, 09:15 AM

I think we agree that you can’t generalize everyone who is autistic.

**It's Mike** · 04.18.25, 12:01 PM

I'm going to give him far too much grace and assume he was referring kids on the high needs end of the spectrum. And if he was then his comments not only correct, but obvious.

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