The autistic hacker who hacked into the US Military, NASA and other goverment agencies will most likely be extradited to the United States for his crimes withing 14 days. Gary McKinnon is suicidal according to his mother, who claims that the extradition of his son would be a cruel and excessive punishment. Gary McKinnon has lost almost every chance of winning an appeal as he claims because he has Aspergers he should not face the penalty for his crimes. My personal oppinion is this has nothing to do with Aspergers and rather the politcal climate in the UK against the United States.
Mr McKinnon broke the law, and is a criminal. He has admitted doing so. Its time he pay the time for his crimes. Using Aspergers as an excuse for him not paying the time for his crimes is stupid.
In a ruling by the UK Courts it was stated, “His extradition is a lawful and proportionate response to his alleged offending. In the circumstances we refuse permission to apply for judicial review against the Secretary of State – and we decline to certify any point of law of general public importance.
McKinnons lawyer had this to say questions the United States bullying tactics and the inhumanity of justice, “Why is our Government so inhumane to allow this to happen to someone, particularly someone with Aspergers, a form of autism? This is wholesale destruction and bullying of a small individual by the United States and now our own Government.”
To his lawyer I have to say he committed a crime, and locking a criminal in a jail cell in not bullying. I’m very sure the federal prison system in the United States has great mental health care – its common for criminals to get better medical care then people on the outside in the United States.
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And that’s right. He has committed a crime and, as such, should have to face the consequences of his actions. The law is the law – there isn’t a seperate law for each disability. I’m a mum to two boys with autism and I am sympathetic to what his fears are regarding the extradition. However, even though he as aspergers, surely his parents taught him right from wrong.
Autism is not an excuse for bad manners or for doing the wrong thing. With intervention, the person can learn how to cope with their obsessions and with everything else that goes with autism.
In all honesty, I hope that it all goes well for him and that he can cope with the consequences of his actions as it will be a very good learning exercise for him – he will know not to do it again and he can be an example to others of what not to do!
=)