WP: FAREWELL to a LIFE (bush* cabal DEPORTS an autistic man)

[diamond14]

Farewell to a Life
After 15 Years, Autistic Man Must Return to an Unfamiliar Homeland

By Elizabeth Williamson
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, December 26, 2004; Page C01

Chris Takaishi

Tadakatsu Takaishi, as he was known then, came to the United States from Japan in 1989, a 15-year-old boy sent to military school by parents who thought he simply lacked discipline. In fact, those who know him say now, he had autism. Takaishi proved a survivor, learning English, eventually earning a college degree and finding a job in Bethesda.

He built a life, and at its center was Herb Stutts, a longtime American University dean who treated Takaishi like a son. Then this year, Takaishi's student visa ran out, and though everyone who knew him tried, he was not allowed to stay. So came his toughest lesson: Sometimes, hard work doesn't change things.

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About that time, Stutts contacted former colleagues, neighbors and friends to try to find Takaishi a job. Weeks into the search, Ed Downey, a former classmate who owns Empower IT, a Bethesda business that sorts information from product bar codes, said he had an opening. It was a repetitive keypunch job, but the small company was warm and casual, roamed by the Downey's two spaniels. Everyone wears jeans and often socialize together.


"We decided we'd only give him a job if he could do it, or it wouldn't be fair to everyone else," Downey said. "He focused on it as if his life depended on it."

Takaishi developed an error rate of zero and won the company's PRIDE award, which stands for Production Really Is Dependent on Everyone, colleagues said. "I was like, 'Good for you, Chris,' " recalled Tracy Marquette, Takaishi's supervisor. "That's when . . . we became his close friends."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A25978-2004Dec25_3.html

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bye bye, Chris....Merry Christmas from the anti-Christ, g.w.bush* !!!!
hohoho ho ho...terrorists have got to go.....

[Lydia Leftcoast]

1. Visa enforcement has gotten extra stupid since 9/11

:-(

[Meme]

2. So... this guy has to leave

because of 9/11.. yeah.. that makes sense >_< I never get stories like this one. What´s going on in your head when you decide to throw someone out of the country based on... nothing really? The life of this man will change forever, and not in a good way.. I just don´t get it. But.. this isn´t something that only happens in America because of Bush (and believe me.. I like to blame him for everything) but these kinda things happen all around the world.

[Name removed]

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[Karenina]

5. THIS is how the*cabal

is proceeding with its population reduction plan. One by one. No nassy pix. No statistics. THIS ONE is just anecdotal...

[Meme]

7. gees. Calm down

I DO NOT justify ANYTHING! I just said I don´t get how anyone could do something like this to a person like this man. I certainly do NOT think this guy is LESSER than me. Where in my post did I give you THAT impression??? And where exactly did I justify ANY of this for crying out loud?!?

[Name removed]

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[Meme]

15. wow. went from nazi to pig

definitely making progress here.

on edit: you don´t even have a response to my other post? go ahead. Read it. Find out about the real evil that´s me, that is probably worshipping the nazi´s!!!

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

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[blue neen]

17. Please, please, please.

Can we all agree that this is a travesty. George W. Bush and his band of henchmen deserve our anger. Let's all please direct that anger at them. :grouphug:

[Meme]

18. well I certainly can´t help my foul language

Im a nazi after all. And what the hell does my perception of American values have to do with anything? You HAVE to know I REALLY do NOT justify ANY of this!!! If you had ANY perception of MY values you would know that. How many times do I have to say that??? You just don´t wanna read it or what??? And yeah, I DO see that what is happening to this man is terrible, worse then terrible even. But terrible things do happen all around the world, and the example that I gave maybe wasn´t as terrible as what´s happening to this man, but it still impressed me, and THAT´S why I said that it happens all around the world. But hey. Don´t believe me, don´t trust this nazi if you don´t want to :>

ow... exactly what does "foul language" mean? someone calling a nazi wouldn´t be foul language right?

[Name removed]

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[Meme]

20. no no no

I don´t live in America, believe me.. my english would be way better if I did live there ;) I still live in Holland. This board is THE reason I started to believe in America, I know it is a great country, I really do. Before I found this site I really didn´t believe in America (can´t blame me after that idiot got re-elected...)but I was so damn happy when I found this site! I DO feel there should be room for Chris Takaishi, especially for Chris Takaishi even! Look what he´s done and what he´s overcome. I admire him in every single way I can. I swear on my life! I don´t want him to be kicked out either. You just have to believe that.

[Name removed]

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[Meme]

22. I never said anything about "american values"

neither did I tell you how to conduct your policies. NOWHERE. So what issues are you talking about? No offence, but you´re the one that brought up the "american values" the only thing I said was that if you knew my values you would know I don´t justify what is happening to Chris. Neither did I criticize your cultural approach to life. Can´t you see we actually agree?? You feel that Chris should be MORE than welcome in America, so do I. I do NOT understand why this man should leave AT ALL. I also do understand there are differences between your country and mine, but when it comes to people and their lives (like Chris) dont you think American values and Dutch values are exactly the same? Or should be, at least... Yes, there are huge differences between our countries, but not when it comes to important stuff like what´s happening to this man. And would you please stop pretending that I see this man as someone who is lesser than me because he has a disability. I hope that Chris WILL stay where he is right now, that he doesn´t have to leave, and yes: that would prove the beauty of american values, but to be honost, at that point your values don´t differ that much from dutch values at all. We do agree.. Chris doesn´t deserve anything like this happening to him, he should be able to stay in America, he´s a GREAT man, a hard worker and I hope, from the bottom of my heart, that he can stay where he loves to be.

[diamond14]

23. we don't agree....and your cultural values and mine are very very

different....

If you feel that you are representing Dutch values in this discussion, then I, as an American and a strong believer in real American Values, can guarantee that there are major differences here...

and I do take offense, despite your "no offense" preface...

[Meme]

25. we don´t agree?

that´s weird. I don´t want Chris to leave the place he loves, I think it´s awful what they´re doing to him and I hope he can stay in America. So what do you think, cause according to you we don´t agree.

And why on earth are you taking offense? I never said anything about your values, you brought it up and now I´m the one that´s offending you?? you´re the one that compared me to the nazi´s not too long ago.

[diamond14]

27. No. we don't agree. And your distortions of previously deleted posts

are NOT appreciated....

Your culture, (with your admitted foul language, including many deleted posts and a 'private message') differs enormously from MY culture. This prevents us from making any progress in this discussion...

You were clear about what your country does to people like Chris. Your newfound enlightenment that Chris should STAY in my country amazes me....perhaps the 'spotlight' on intolerance created that PUBLIC attitude change....I will AGAIN tell you that Chris will stay here, now that we have become aware of his circumstances...and that is very different from what you admitted actually happened to immigrants in YOUR village....


Holland has now verbally BEAT THE HELL out of three Americans on this board...I expect you to celebrate....

[Name removed]

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[Meme]

26. guess you´re right

sorry.. didn´t mean to make such a big deal out of it. Just didn´t wanna leave as "the nazi that wants chris to leave the place he loves".. gonna let it go now. tnx :) and sorry again.

[BrklynLiberal]

3. That is such a shame. I hope that somehow there is a last minute

reprieve and he can stay. Coouldn't they get some special consideration from a local Congressperson or Senator?

[cornermouse]

6. Most autistic people can't do what he has done.

Its cruel to send him back to Japan. He's not likely to be able to adjust to different suroundings very well, if at all. That's one of the things about autism that people don't understand.

[diamond14]

12. he has completed a college education, he has a job, pays taxes...

he is a contributing member of the USA (more than some citizens)....he's well-adjusted and productive....

removing him from this environment will likely KILL him...the normal repetitive life-syle will be TOTALLY in chaos just as soon as he boards the airplane at Dulles International Airport.....Chris may have severe challenges just making it through the long international flight....

it's ghastly to have this happening in America...all under bush* USA-PATRIOT I and USA-PATRIOT II Acts...both were passed by BIG majorities by OUR Elected representatives (hitler enacted similar legislation, rising to power after the Reichstag fire burned up the German Government Building).....

I don't think any of OUR congressional representatives will step up to save this man....afterall, that would fly in the face of bush* USA-PATRIOT I and II ACTS.....

[liberalhistorian]

29. As the mother of an autistic son

(he has Asperger's Syndrome, a form of high-functioning autism) who knows more about this condition than I ever thought I would, I'm beyond impressed at what Chris has been able to accomplish. That shows great intelligence, perseverence, persistence, and work ethic, some traits a lot of Americans themselves have trouble with. Isn't this exactly the kind of immigrant Smirk and his merry band of troglodytes claim they want in the country, and that they're trying to encourage? It blows my mind that this is happening to this young man. There must be something we can do!

[Ilsa]

8. Hey George, isn't this man doing one of those jobs

that you say US citizens don't want to do? Isn't that your basis for immigration reform - to let workers into the country to do menial tasks that you think we don't want because they pay so poorly?

Does anything this cowardly Admin does make any effing sense?

[blue neen]

10. Ilsa, how are you doing?

Did you have a good holiday? How are your kids?

[Ilsa]

28. We're okay, actually.

We had 12 inches of snow in south texas, and that messed up my Christmas morning plans because we had to stay at my MIL's Christmas Eve all night unexpectedly. But we had a really good time with family, and that more than makes up for that "Currier & Ives" moment around the tree CHristmas morning.

I'm getting a little tired of the kids being at home, but it's just one more week and a day and they'll be back in school.

How was your Christmas?

[blue neen]

9. OMG. I have tears in my eyes.

So, this is what "compassionate conservatism" has done for our country. Another glaring example of the complete LACK of compassion and understanding ushered in by this administration.

[drscm]

11. I wish we could love the entire * administration the same way

they love others. Oh, wait! * was telling us in his "Christmas message" that we have to love our neighbors as ourselves, not his motley crew. They are exempt from anything human.

[Name removed]

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