Offended by ‘hate speech’

Never before have I been accused of emotionally abusing my children in a national newspaper.

Writing in your paper, Tony Humphreys more or less did this. This was hugely offensive and in my opinion an instance of “hate speech”.

He accused every parent with an autistic child of displaying “troubling behaviours” towards their children.

I myself am a computer programmer. According to Tony Humphreys I am more likely to have an autistic child. My middle child has been diagnosed as being mildly autistic.

Humphreys states that engineers/programmers “live predominantly in their heads and possess few or no heart qualities”. I have rarely read a more stupid statement in a supposed quality newspaper.

I know that other parents with autistic children are outraged by this article. I would ask that the Irish Examiner acknowledge a mistake has been made and that someone with some knowledge of autism may be allowed to write an article setting the record straight.

Damian Morrissey

Midleton, Co Cork