Mr Shelhammer: But… but maybe he’s only a little crazy like painters or composers or… or some of those men in Washington.
…
Dr Pierce: Thousands of people have similar delusions living perfectly normal lives in every other respect. A famous example is that fellow…I can’t think of his name. For years, he’s insisted he’s a Russian prince. There’s been much evidence to prove him wrong…but nothing has shaken his story. Is he in an institution? No. He owns a famous restaurant in Hollywood and is a highly respected citizen.
Miracle on 34th street 1947
As we close the new year let me as a person who has worked with, carpooled with, gone to church with and attended political events on the same side with Transgender people explain the position I have concerning the matter a position which I suspect is shared by the vast majority of people.
If an adult person thinks they are Napoleon. Dress like Napoleon, Walks like Napoleon, Talks like Napoleon, and has himself surgically altered to resemble Napoleon even to the point of losing height and weight. That’s they’re business. I can work with him, eat with him, have conversations with him on various matters, even live next to him without incident, because it’s his problem and delusion and not my business. Of course if he asks me, I’ll tell him he’s not Napoleon and suggest he get help. If he’s a friend considering cutting off bits of himself to look more like Napoleon I’ll quietly and privately suggest that it’s a bad and drastic idea and advise against it because that’s what a friend does, but if he goes ahead, I’ll let it go because ultimately it’s his decision and if he wants to live with the consequences, so be it.
BUT
If that same adult person who thinks they are Napoleon not only insists that he’s Napoleon but insists that I refer to him as such then he becomes my problem and someone to be scorned ignored and avoided. If he works to amend the laws of the land to compel me and others to say “Vive L’Empereur!” then he must be fought and opposed publicly
Furthermore if he and like minded people convinces teachers in schools or public servants to encourage schools to convince other people’s minor children that they are Ney, Murat, Jourdan or Masséna or any other officer or soldier in Le Grande Armee, and having them act out the same even to the point of encouraging surgery so they can resemble an 18th or 19th century solider pf the French republic or empire without the consent and knowledge of their parents then they become society’s problem and a united effort must be made to expose them, publicly condemn them and expel any such teacher or public servant aiding and abetting such actions from their positions
Frankly the real villains here are not the people with these delusions. Mental illness is, by definition an illness and to a degree limits culpability of one who has such an illness for actions associated with said illness. Of course limited culpability doesn’t give the right of anyone to injure others or force us to not prevent it.
The people who are actually evil here are those who, knowing and recognizing this illness for what it is see such folks as a path to profit, power and position and encourage their delusions for the sake of those goals. Even to the point of traumatic physical and psychological harm to them and others.
Those folks have a lot to answer for. Pray for them.
