Intolerance and Ignorant Behavior

[jmichelle79]

I'm so sorry that happened to your family. My brother also has Asperger's Syndrome. He is a adult, but I know exactly what you are talking about.

[Jonathan Whatley]

You're not alone.

So Matthew Taronno, a 20-year-old mildly autistic man, was riding a bus in Ottawa and apparently reading a script he had written into his cell phone. He later admitted his script included some "inappropriate language," and another passenger said he'd been talking loudly.

Then, apparently, Taronno went up to the driver, realized there was a problem and apologized.

According to cellphone video that that other passenger captured, another man, said to be the driver - let loose a stream of profanity, and a threat of physical violence against Taronno.

Taronno says and the consensus seems to agree that this was the driver. The union head is asking us to step back and consider that it might not have been the driver, which, certainly if this went to a disciplinary case or jury trial, of course we would; until then, I believe Taronno. It's also reported that there were only two passengers on the bus.

It's shocking and sad even to read the account. I haven't even brought myself to play the video, embedded here from YouTube.

Autistic passenger responds to bus driver tirade (Warning: Graphic language) (CBC News, November 7, 2011)

[Krisboelte1]

You hug and kiss that little dude for me. I think he sounds awesome.

[IgnazSemmelweis]

This is why I always use the computerized checkouts.

[mrs.b]

You hug and kiss that little dude for me. I think he sounds awesome.

Done and done! He is awesome, and if he were not currently in superhero mode (wearing Spiderman PJs, his favorite blankie draped over his shoulders like a cape, shouting at his computer that "IT FEELS GREAT TO SAVE THE WORLD!" c/o Ben Ten game on their website), I'm certain he would agree.