Ben Siegel Troubles

BTW, what icon choice did I have as the op when I created this thread? Bad guy, good guy, inquiry, information. I struggled a bit over this before I posted and chose the icon that I though was most appropriate. Informative.

Originally Posted by Pink Lady Exotics

No one is labeling or assuming anything. Ben's disorders are already known to many people and confirmed by those who know him well.

A variety of people are seeing the news headlines and want to jump to assumptions about Ben's business and how he conducts it. The discussion regarding his mental illness in this thread revolve around helping people UNDERSTAND what Ben is dealing with in order to DEFEND his business and DEFEND him as both a businessman and a fellow hobbyist. It is extremely relevant and pertinent to the BOI given that some are deriving negative opinions of his business based on these events, and should be given information and viewpoints from the opposite side as well in order to have a fair and balanced evaluation. Unless you'd rather we just remain silent and let all sorts of people read the news and refuse to do business with Ben because they think he's a mean, self-centered animal abuser without knowing any of the truth behind it?

Exactly. WE are not diagnosing Ben with Bipolar -- he has a KNOWN MEDICAL HISTORY of it that has been discussed and openly stated at various times in the past. We're mentioning it because, although it is a documented fact, it is not tremendously well known. Bringing it to light helps explain his incredibly erratic behaviour lately, and makes it a lot more clear that this is a mental health issue above all else.

Originally Posted by RachelSS

As someone working in the medical field, I can assure you it is INCREDIBLY bad taste for anyone to label, diagnose or assume things about a person without any sort of prior history or medical background. It's horribly unprofessional and is in no way, shape, or form a justification to provide background on someone they have never met nor treated.

As someone in the medical field, I assure you that discussions about the nature of mental illness have been swept under the table for far too long. Much of what has been said is general in nature, in an attempt to help others understand.
Information about Ben in particular was already out there, but many have discussed themselves, their acquaintances or friends/family.

Not only do I disagree with the 'let's keep it all hidden' view, I feel that this thread is a gift- to Ben, so that more may have the opportunity to understand this particular incident; to readers, that they may because of this thread feel comfortable discussing mental illness which is a misunderstood topic and often hushed, and a gift to each and every one of us who value the freedom afforded to us on this site, to discuss important and relevant information secure in the knowledge that as long as we are courteous, we may voice what we feel is important.

Thank you Lucille for a response that nails how the majority of individuals used to perceive/respond to mental illness.

Originally Posted by Lucille

As someone in the medical field, I assure you that discussions about the nature of mental illness have been swept under the table for far too long. Much of what has been said is general in nature, in an attempt to help others understand.
Information about Ben in particular was already out there, but many have discussed themselves, their acquaintances or friends/family.

Not only do I disagree with the 'let's keep it all hidden' view, I feel that this thread is a gift- to Ben, so that more may have the opportunity to understand this particular incident; to readers, that they may because of this thread feel comfortable discussing mental illness which is a misunderstood topic and often hushed, and a gift to each and every one of us who value the freedom afforded to us on this site, to discuss important and relevant information secure in the knowledge that as long as we are courteous, we may voice what we feel is important.

I had a decent reply to send back but if you're claiming to be a medical professional inferring from my post that I don't support brining awareness to mental illness you don't deserve a genuine reply.

This is why I personally feel there are issues with the integrity of the boi. Everyone takes any disagreement as a personal attack and takes things to extremes. It's a joke. If you read through the thread you will see plenty of posts that have nothing to do with BSR and just anecdotes about other people's experience with mental illness. This is not the place for it.

Originally Posted by RachelSS

This is why I personally feel there are issues with the integrity of the boi. Everyone takes any disagreement as a personal attack and takes things to extremes. It's a joke. If you read through the thread you will see plenty of posts that have nothing to do with BSR and just anecdotes about other people's experience with mental illness. This is not the place for it.

First, I don't see anyone taking anything that you said as a personal attack. Second, a man in the business of selling animals is in jail on charges of animal cruelty. It seems like a no brainer to question whether or not he has any business staying in this business and whether someone should support him by purchasing animals from his business given the animal abuse charge. Without the mental illness discussion, I would have though of him as an abusive person who doesn't deserve to own this type of business, but the mental illness complicates a cut and dry answer to these questions. So, the mental illness is absolutely relevant to a discussion that explores his innate character verses his recent actions.

As for BOI rules, you are breaking one by being insulting toward Lucille.

Rachel, you're the only one who is taking disagreements as a personal attack. We're sharing opinions that differ from yours. Plain and simple.

Rachel, it does seem you are personally attacking other users (Lucille, Mods...).

Originally Posted by Billy1138

Rachel, it does seem you are personally attacking other users (Lucille, Mods...).

Thread topic is about Ben's business, not your unfounded accusations

Originally Posted by SirenSanJose

Exactly. WE are not diagnosing Ben with Bipolar -- he has a KNOWN MEDICAL HISTORY of it that has been discussed and openly stated at various times in the past. We're mentioning it because, although it is a documented fact, it is not tremendously well known. Bringing it to light helps explain his incredibly erratic behaviour lately, and makes it a lot more clear that this is a mental health issue above all else.

Typing in caps drives the point home

How can you in one post, just this one, say he has a known medical history but it isn't tremendously well known?

Yikes.