I'm Gary McKinnon
No, not really. I recently discovered that I almost certainly have Asperger's too. It's a huge relief, I can tell you, finally understanding why everyone else is so weird. The unfortunate thing is that the real weirdos have been treating me as one for as long as I can remember. I've always felt different from the majority of people although, on the whole, as an adult I, more or less, pass muster as a slightly odd neurotypical and have a reasonable number of friends. The problem is that some people are highly attuned to the differences I do exhibit, take an instant dislike to me and, if at all possible, endeavour to make life difficult for me. This has been happening all my life and hasn't made for a uniformly happy existence. I've been mistreated by those in authority since nursery school, i.e. primary school, secondary school, university, employers, doctors, police and parts of the legal system. If this sounds like a sob-sob story, it is, I'll be honest.
I don't doubt that Gary has Asperger's and I'm sure that he's faced difficulties in life not too dissimilar to mine. I have also spent a considerable number of years working my way through the legal system in an attempt to put my life back together after it was destroyed by the criminal acts of others but I'm still not there yet. It's remarkable the lengths some people will go to and the risks that they will take in order not to admit fault even though it's clear that they will be exposed eventually, their lies will catch up with them and the end result even more damaging to their lives and those of others. In Gary's case, as in mine, he exposed the criminal incompetence of people charged with protecting something extremely valuable. They are desperately trying to pin the blame on Gary in order to detract attention from their own failings. Nothing more.
I would say Gary has certainly suffered enough; not just as a result of his own actions but as a result of the way he's been treated throughout life because of his differences. Extradition would be "cruel and unusual punishment" and his chances of a fair trial non-existent. He should've sent them an invoice for helping to harden their security and they should've offered to pay him not prosecute him.
For those referring to Asperger's as a mental condition, it's nothing of the sort. It's the result of an unusual brain architecture. People with Asperger's think differently from the majority of the population and it's a bloody good thing too. People with Asperger's are responsible for some of the greatest art, science and literature ever created. They should be identified, helped and encouraged to make the contributions to mankind their often brilliant brains were made for. Instead, they're singled out, bullied, humiliated, mistreated and forced to expend their energies just surviving day-to-day life rather than applying themselves to whatever they have a talent for. It's a shocking waste and a tragedy that so many people are ignorant of it. I knew nothing about it myself until a few weeks ago.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
