I am writing in response to the article published describing the Bellerose residents’ opposition to the development of a group home for persons with autism.
I am chagrined by the comments made about this one house which was going to be a home for eight young men.
Autism is a communication disorder. Autism is not something people should be fearful of. People with autism are not hanging out on street corners in the middle of night.
Bottom line is the Bellerose home is now being moved and sadly, people won’t have the opportunity to enrich their lives by meeting our residents.
As one parent of a person with autism said “they should be ashamed of themselves, how could people be so ignorant today when autism is so common and may one day affect one of their friends or family members.”
Gary A. Maffei
Manhattan
