1. United States
2. Neb.
3. Letter

As a constituent living with Autism Spectrum Disorder, I am appalled by the Health Secretary's stigmatizing remarks about Autism. I am not diseased. I am not helpless. I am not a burden. It took me years of therapy to finally achieve a mental state where I can thrive. The government's current treatment of autistics only serves to threaten that. What's worse, the National Institute of Health wants to add me and millions of others to an "autism registry." This is a blatant violation of patient privacy, and a first step towards eugenics. I urge you to use your authority as an elected official and a member of the ruling party to pressure the administration into abandoning this course of action. If you care about the people you represent, you have to protect us. Autism is not a threat to our livelihoods. Government overreach is.