acknowledgements to shimin for showing me the way to this article

i thought J.K.Rowling's description about Harry feeling his heart clogged up behind his Adam's apple was lame and unnecessarily melodramatic. yet, i felt similarly when i read this letter

i didn't know autistic children need such special attention. i thought with more supervision and guidance, these children can be easily integrated into the mainstream system.

but if autistic children are Special people, can Duane really feel and conceptualise and verbalise the sentiments as expressed in the letter? His dad wrote the letter on his behalf, or so he said. Did the elder Goh unwittingly sensationalise the issue? I know i sound callous saying this but i'm really curious

I am so ashamed of myself for always lamenting my miserable time in the Sci faculty, for always self-mockingly whining about my mundane existance while people like Daune have to deal with struggles in every aspect of their lives, the most formidable task of all to gain approval from society or even their parents.

What a brisk slap across the face. What a humbling lesson on contentment.

hence a prominent showcase here to remind myself of the simple pleasures i already possess.

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OPEN LETTER TO PM GOH
We're special people, don't forget about us
THIS is an open letter to the Government and Singaporeans, from Duane Goh, an autistic person born that way.

I am writing this letter through my dad because I am a Special Person unable to write comprehensively for myself.

I am writing because I am very happy that the Prime Minister himself said that he can accept even a homosexual because that person was born that way. So I ask: Can the Prime Minister accept me because I was also born 'that way' - not a gay, but an autistic.

If the Prime Minister and everyone else can accept me, then may I ask why the educational privileges given to all children are not extended to people like me in the special schools. Why the Sars kit given to all schoolchildren is not given to children who are like me? My 'whys' go on and on.

After all, I did not ask to be autistic or handicapped intellectually. I may behave differently from other people, but I do it openly and there is no secret about it. I pose no danger to others as I just talk to myself - I cannot help it, it's the autistic part of me. And yet people think that I am some kind of a spook and shun me.

I am usually a very happy person and when I think of funny things, I laugh - and I am not even aware that people around me look at me with disdain. I am glad that I don't know much about what people are saying about me or I may no longer laugh but cry myself to death.

Sometimes I wonder why my parents look so sad and troubled and embarrassed whenever I do some of the things that I mentioned when I am out in public.

The things I do openly, I hope I could do privately one day, then perhaps everyone might accept me the way I am.

I know that I am a full citizen of Singapore and yet I am not treated equally. But I am still a happy person, loving my country and hoping that my country in turn will love me because I was born the way I am.


GOH KIM JOO
on behalf of son DUANE