On a patch of pavement outside the Canadian Embassy, Jay McGinley is trying to starve himself to death.
After drinking nothing but water for more than 30 days, he appears close to achieving his goal. When he stands up, his dark blue sweater hangs from a wasted frame.
On the 21st day of his hunger strike, May 15, McGinley was hospitalized briefly when his kidneys almost failed. He returned to his post the next day. Wednesday is his 36th day without food.
He demands that the United States stop using fossil fuels, particularly those harvested from tar sands deposits in Canada. He is confident that if 1,000 people were to die for his cause, the government would act.
He really seems to care. About what I have no idea.
Of course, if he's truly nuts and not just enviro nutty, it's a different story.
But if he is truly nuts, the story shouldn't be portraying him as an activist warrior, thus encouraging him and maybe others to be really, really stupid.