June 15, 2004
We spend millions of dollars and thousands of hours and all our strength and energy to tell ourselves that we are good, we are kind, we are decent human beings. That's television. That's "I am Sam" or "It Could Happen to You" or "The Terminal".
But the men and women who run for public office know they are more likely to be elected if we think they are heartless. Can he be tough enough? Can he make tough decisions? Can he protect American interests?
When is the last time you heard a candidate talk about compassion? When is the last time an elected official said we need to do more to help the disadvantaged?
Oh yes, we are kind and compassionate and forgiving-- on the latest episode of "Friends" and at the Jerry Lewis Telethon. In real life, we take people like Darius McCollum and lock them up.
Darius McCollum, without a doubt, is a problem. He likes trains-- subway trains. He likes public transit. He has a strange "thing" for public transit.
He has occasionally disguised himself as an employee of Metropolitan Transportation Authority. He has taken city buses for joy rides. He has tripped the emergency brakes on subway trains, and then arrived on the scene in uniform to handle the "emergency". He's kind of a strange guy.
Where would our society be if we allowed men like Darius McCollum to wander around undeterred? Well, probably about where we are. But no, you can't have strange people joy-riding around in public transit buses and trains. So he was caught. He was sentenced, recently, to three and a half years in jail. He was released. He was on parole. He violated the parole by impersonating an MTA official again.
A psychiatrist has diagnosed Mr. McCollum as having what is called Asperger's disease, sometimes known as "little professor's disease". The New York Times says it's like autism. But the judge didn't think much of the psychiatrist and sentenced Mr. McCollum to the three and a half years in jail. This is an American jail. This is hell on earth, especially for a man with a disability.
Believe it or not, Mr. McCollum is married. He met his wife in a subway station. She married him while he was serving his prison sentence. [added 2011-02] I can only imagine.