During his first press conference as Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s outrageous statements on autism. His remarks sparked a firestorm of criticism from his own relatives. He stated, “These are kids who will never pay taxes. They’ll never hold a job. They’ll never play baseball. They’ll never write a poem. They’ll never go out on a date. Many of them will never use a toilet unassisted.” The eruption of comments came in response to a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This report announces that 1 in 33 children in the United States are diagnosed with autism.
Within days of his speech, RFK Jr.’s cousins, Anthony K. Shriver and Timothy Shriver, released an open letter denouncing his comments. They called his remarks ‘hurtful misconceptions’ that dehumanize people with autism and other intellectual disabilities. The Shriver family has been strong advocates for autism. This promise became a family legacy, starting with their matriarch – Eunice Kennedy Shriver – who founded the Special Olympics in 1968.
In their letter, Anthony and Timothy Shriver emphasized the capabilities of individuals with autism, asserting that “people with autism can and will continue to date, hold jobs, marry, and pay taxes.” They further stated, “Slurs and statements that demean, devalue, demonize and identify people with intellectual and developmental differences as hopeless are not only inaccurate but they are deeply damaging to the hopes and dreams of millions of people who struggle for dignity every day.”
We don’t know why RFK Jr. thinks he deserves this new role, but as part of it, he’s attempting to create a registry to track Americans with autism. Alliance National Institutes of Health Announces $100 Million Initiative To Support New Study Of Autism The National Institutes of… They will make available data from federal and commercial databases to support this critical research. This move has raised some eyebrows. Folks are asking how his latest comments may jibe with his upcoming role as the nation’s Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Maria Shriver, another RFK Jr. cousin and a prominent public figure in her own right, applauded the actions of Anthony and Timothy on social media. She commented on their Instagram post: “Proud of both of you mummy would be happy you did this together proud of our family’s work in this space that you both continue carry on.” This agreement is the current extension of the family’s long-standing passion for recognizing the achievements of remarkable people with disabilities.
That’s because Eunice Kennedy Shriver’s advocacy was profoundly personal. It was inspired, in part, by her long life with her sister Rosemary, who was born with intellectual disabilities. The legacy of this advocacy lives on with her descendants, who as adults are now dealing with the fallout from RFK Jr’s comments.
Anthony K. Shriver and Timothy Shriver called on Americans to appreciate and unleash the potential of people with autism. They stated, “They can and will continue to go to school, be great friends, join teams, and contribute to their communities,” highlighting the need for a more positive narrative surrounding autism.