Diane Dimond

Former Speaker of the House, Dennis Hastert, cut a pitiful figure this week as he left a federal prison in Minnesota and his wheelchair stuck on a bump in the sidewalk. His wife, fumbling at his side trying to manage his aluminum walker and other items wasn’t immediately able to help him over the hurdle. The just released prisoner was momentarily stuck. Pathetic for a man who was once second in line to the presidency of the United States.

I didn’t feel sorry for him one bit. Hastert is one of the worst kind of criminals in my book. He robbed children of their innocence and damaged their futures forever.

Upon passing two people in the street the other day I heard one say, “I don’t know what’s wrong with him. He’s a psychopath or a sociopath – or both!”

I’m no expert but from what I’ve learned studying crime and personality disorders I don’t think one person can have both of those qualities. So, how can you tell if that certain someone in your life is just annoying or has a diagnosable condition? Here’s a quick primer.

A reader from New Hampshire wrote to ask, “Why, just because you are born here, are you an American citizen? I know the history of this law but it is out of date and just encourages more illegal immigration.” Well, I cannot argue with that.

The reader, who goes by the handle Rocheleau, expressed displeasure with the practice that automatically awards all babies born on American soil a certificate of U.S. citizenship. “Just because you are born in a garage,” Rocheleau wrote, “does not make you a car.” That may be an odd analogy but I take the reader’s point.