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"I can’t stand being around brats in public either. If they will not (or cannot, in this case) act appropriate for the venue, they have no business being there."

Ouch.
My daughter is autistic - we will remove her from the situation ASAP when she has an episode, but sometimes it may take a few minutes more than people may like.
We never really know when she is about to lose it - she can be perfectly normal and charming, then all of a sudden.....
Would you rather that people that had children with disabilities keep them locked in their rooms for fear they may make someone uncomfortable?

I can’t stand being around brats in public either. If they will not (or cannot, in this case) act appropriate for the venue, they have no business being there.

I dunno, I guess as a new father I sorta have mixed feelings. On one hand, I sympathize with those who are disturbed during what should be a relaxing meal at a restaurant and on the other hand I wonder if it is fair that children with disabilities such as autism be denied the same experiences that other "normal" kids get to enjoy (like eating at a restaurant).

I was recently at a grocery store and saw a mother with her disabled teenage son. This kid had that "What's Eating Gilbert Grape" type of autism. I tried to put myself in her shoes and all I could think of was how grateful I am to have a healthy child.

I can personally attest that there is absolutely a difference between an autistic kid's behavior because of how it makes him/her and just a 'spoiled brat' kid. I have the former, I can't stand the latter. There are absolutely certain foods/additives that set my son off so artificially that as soon as his behavior starts going whacky, I ask my wife 'Did he have candy/gum/food with aspertame or a red-dye additive?'. No kidding. I always laughed at the aspertame idiot emails - and I glady enjoy Extra gum or anything else with aspertame. But it's like a switch goes off.

Having said all that - I provide a stern hand and discipline as needed to him as I don't mix his condition with just typical pushing Dad's buttons or acting up. I told my wife a long time ago, I'm hard pressed to let an attitude of heart/spiritual thing be confused by a physiological/neurological thing. And besides, God is greater than it all - He didn't just wake up last week and say "Oh, what's this? Autism? Hmm, not sure how to instruct on that one."

As far as this idiot goes, he's the typical ignorant dope. We control our son and I make sure to consider others around as best as possible. But I'm also not going to oblige to 'keep the little monster away from us normal folk out here'.

One time, and I must emphasize one time only, my kids acted up in a restaurant. Rather than ruin everyone's meal besides my own, I immediately removed them from the restaurant.

I gave them swats with my hand on the butt all the way out to the car as a woman from a nearby apartment yelled at me for abusing the children. I had been going through a real difficult time during that period of my life, actually the worst and I yelled at the lady to come down if she had a problem.

The kids never had a problem in a restaurant again.