I have to agree. While I do not know Jim Speaker and likely will never know him, I find it deplorable the way he is treated on this forum. The sophmoric attitudes of people toward him, and others, on this site is unfortunate and anyone who has engaged in poking fun should be ashamed of themselves. It reminds me of high school, where a small group of ignorant, yet popular individuals thought it funny to pick on someone with special needs or learning disabilities.

I would suggest anyone who is posing as Mr. Speaker to make fun take a few moments of introspection to really think about what they are doing and imagine the tables being turned. Imagine it being your child in such a situation, your sibling being picked on because they are not as bright or eloquent in their speech. And those who join in should do the same. Most on this board are adults, yet behavior such as this suggests otherwise. It is such actions which lead many people to associate railfans with anti-social behavior and poke fun at them (ie - Dr. Sheldon Cooper on Big Bang Theory). I so want to engage in my hobby of railfanning, which I enjoyed with my father, but hesitate out of fear of exposing my children to the know-it-all, condesending, your-an-idiot attitudes of most railfans.

So all who have or are engaging in belittling Jim Speaker - or anyone else for being different - you should be ashamed of yourselves. I believe Jim Speaker deserves an apology for being treated like a pariah in this community. This community forum is about trains, and just because someone enjoys trains in a different way, doesn't mean they are fodder to be used in your supposed amusement.