When Robert F Kennedy Jr claimed that autism "destroys families" in a shocking public statement, he ignited the fury of parents like me – an American mom in Luxembourg – who know that what truly destroys families isn't autism, but ignorance and stigma.

As an American mom living in Luxembourg, 99/100 of the headlines from my country these days make me cringe, or worse. Recently, nothing has infuriated me more than the words coming out of Robert F Kennedy Jr's mouth last week when he said "Autism destroys families…these kids will never pay taxes. They'll never hold a job. They'll never play baseball. They'll never write a poem. They'll never go out on a date. Many of them will never use a toilet unassisted."

Hell hath no fury like a mama bear who is compelled to protect her young, so here I go: Autism does NOT destroy families. Stigma and ableism does. Is RFK a doctor? Is he a scientist? Does he have any medical qualifications whatsoever? No. He's a politician, a lawyer, a conspiracy theorist, and a drug abuser!

We are talking about cocaine and heroin here, people. I think it's pretty proven that heroin destroys families, but I digress…

It is deeply unfortunate and downright scary that Trump has tapped RFK to "Make America Healthy Again". I have good friends who are so grossed out with the US food supply and the healthcare system that they actually voted for this guy for president.

So, he wants to limit highly processed foods and ban red dye? Good for him. Europe has been doing this for years. He's not some messiah. He's dangerous. Here's why:

RFK is basically saying that Autistic people are worth less than neurotypical humans. That there is something wrong with them, a problem that needs to be fixed. Autistic people have always existed, and they always will exist. Unless of course they are exterminated, but I will get to that in a minute.

Sometimes they're great contributors to society (Albert Einstein, Elon Musk, or Bill Gates to name a few). Sometimes they're not. By the way, I love how first on RFK's list that proves a meaningful life is if you pay taxes. Shout out to my autistic buddy Elon Musk! In 2021, Tesla had reported an adjusted income of $7.6 billion and paid $0 in taxes. Again, I digress…

Even if you never pay taxes, never play baseball, even if you never use a toilet, so what? Does that mean you don't have a right to exist? Does that make you the carrier of a great affliction that destroys? Are you telling me that in the year of our Lord 2025 in the 'greatest' country on Earth, we can't find a way to accommodate these families and help these people live a life that holds dignity and meaning for them?

I have a friend whose kid is severely autistic. Not toilet trained. Only drinks baby formula from a bottle. He is also wicked smart, funny, and the light of her life. Is their family destroyed? Is he a problem that needs to be fixed? Or is he just living a life that's different to most? Do you think that for one moment she wishes he wasn't there? No. Do you think she wishes there was more support available to help them? Absolutely.

For the autistic people with lower support needs, the ones that can function in mainstream society, all this will do is shame them and force them underground. Maybe all they need is a little accommodation here and there. Maybe they don't need any accommodation at all, they just see the world in a different way.

Should they also be punished and deemed "less than"? Autistic people are not broken. Just different. Similar to how people who are left handed were once stigmatized and regarded as sinister. Now left handed people are considered to be highly creative, intuitive, and often better athletes than right handed people. What would happen if we widened our lens a bit further on Autism?

Just yesterday, RFK went a step further, but in the wrong direction. He is now going to access private medical records of autistic people across the country (how is that legal?), and start a national registry to track them. Track. Like with an ankle brace? Or perhaps with a tattoo on their arm, or a yellow star on their chest?

I am not a major history buff, but I think I have seen this film before. It was vile. He has pledged to find the cause of Autism by September. That's when things will get really scary.

At a time like this, I am so glad I live in Europe. I moved here to get my kids away from gun violence, the #1 cause of death for kids and teens in the USA. I will stay because Europe is a beacon of human rights, for now at least.

The sad reality is neurodiverse people everywhere should be scared. For better or worse, the US sets the tone for the world. Again, I am not a major history buff, but I do remember a poem from elementary school about speaking out for what's right. I will post it here to jog your memory, too. Written by Pastor Martin Niemoller:

First they came for the Communists

And I did not speak out

Because I was not a Communist

Then they came for the Socialists

And I did not speak out

Because I was not a Socialist

Then they came for the trade unionists

And I did not speak out

Because I was not a trade unionist

Then they came for the Jews

And I did not speak out

Because I was not a Jew

Then they came for me

And there was no one left

To speak out for me

I hope if you read this article to the end, you will indeed speak out. 

Hayley Allam is an American living in Luxembourg, a mom to three young boys, and a neurodiversity advocate. She is the host of the leading parenting podcast, RTL Today's Mom Life in Luxembourg. You can find her show wherever you get your podcasts. To learn more about Hayley, check her out on instagram at momlifeinluxembourg.