Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is in full damage-control mode after causing outrage with his comments about autism during his first official press briefing as health secretary.

Kennedy, a longtime vaccine skeptic, attempted to dial back the controversy in a sit-down Thursday night with Fox News’ Sean Hannity.

He had triggered a firestorm by claiming that people with autism—a neurodevelopmental disorder—will never play baseball, go out on dates, pay taxes, write poems, or hold down a job. He also described autism as a “preventable disease” caused by a mysterious environmental toxin.

  • Narri N.@lemmy.ml
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    2 days ago

    Man, if anyone wants to put me within stabbing distance of this fucking spineless removed I can and will gladly feed him his own testicles after cutting them off, break his kneecaps and leave him bleeding in a sewer to be eaten by cat-sized rats, and take the blame for it. And again, to reiterate, gladly. For no other reason than hate.

  • NigelFrobisher@aussie.zone
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    3 days ago

    He only meant the bad autistics like the Rain Man and the annoying kid from the Curious Dog In The Night Garden.

  • Doctor_Satan@lemm.ee
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    3 days ago

    Kennedy, a longtime vaccine skeptic, attempted to dial back the controversy

    Nope. You told the same lies that Nazi eugenicists told when they wanted to sterilize and eliminate neurodivergent people. You said that shit with your whole chest and you meant it. Don’t run from it. Own it, you fucking coward.

  • Atelopus-zeteki@fedia.io
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    3 days ago

    Good let’s keep him in ‘damage-control mode’. Keep pushing back, friends. Don’t give anyone in this administration a moment’s rest.

  • ButteryNickel@lemmy.wtf
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    3 days ago

    Being autistic, the ignorance yet dominance of the conservative party pisses me off. But RFK Jr targeting autism really puts a fine point on my anger.

    He’s willing to ignore science and still try and tell me about my own body and mind.

  • thesohoriots@lemmy.world
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    3 days ago

    Fingers crossed he fucks up enough to link it to something like PFAS (already a no) and we get serious reform out of it.

    • Blackout@fedia.io
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      3 days ago

      What’s worse than hearing bullshit come out of RFKjr’s mouth? Having to listen to him grumble out an apology. Dude should get AI to do his talking.