Responses from list re A Matter of Importance:
In support of having perverts use prosthetic facilities to their own ends…
1a I hope this gentleman sues you.
1b I am neither a devotee or wannabe. I am a certified prosthetist. But I think
if someone trusts me with a secret it is my responsibility to protect it. The
line this gentleman crossed over is in contacting a P&O facility to
volunteer. Finding gratification in amputees probably is no different from
being attracted to blondes or black men/women, etc. Outing someone is
offensive to me. As far as I know there is no law against being attracted to
anyone, and as long as they are MUTUALLY CONSULTING ADULTS. they can do
whatever they please.
If you have a problem with that it’s your problem
1c If a total stranger came up and confesedhis/her desires to have one of there
own good limbs removed I would think they need some psychological help. I
don’t think outing them to the world does any good.
mutually consulting adults is where I draw the line.
I do think you have an obligation to inform the facility about this person.
There is no mutual consent to stalk. I would appreciate the info if I was the
hosp/clinic. I would have done the same.
I don’t agree with what this gentleman did and I don’t even begin to
understand the fetish.
I am not a “devotee/wannabe” sympathizer. I am a human rights sympathizer.
It’s presumptuous of you to jump to that conclusion.
I would never give access to any of my clients for this issue.
Bottom line for me with you posting this guys letter. If you left off his
name, it’s good information for the O&P community to digest. By including
stats. you have only hurt him. I think you are probably a decent guy, why not
try to help him. Directing him to a therapist would have be a noble act.
2a I was apalled reading the message from mr. Gregson. Most of us/you are
professionals who have a strong feeling about not broadcasting what is told
to us in private.
REGARDLESS of my or your opinion on sexual preferences I think mr. Gregsons
message is way out of line and an abuse of trust. A person has given
private information and has SPECIFICALLY requested his name is not made
public. Instead. mr. Gregson does not consider himself too good to make his
e-mail conversations known to the world, and he does not seem to care about
the damage he does the another person. Do we as a list have to accept this
kind of abuse?
2b I couldn’t agree more. Whether or not we agree with or condone a
person’s particular fetish does not give anyone the right to create a
witch hunt to ruin that person. I’ve witnessed some very unethical
behavior on this list, but this borders on the illegal.
If you have positive evidence of professional wrongdoing, perhaps the
regulating board for the person’s profession.
If you have proof of criminal conduct, the police.
Otherwise, it is just rumor and speculation that should not be placed on
this type of forum.
3 I do not know the legality of providing this type of information….
I do not know what moved Mr Gregson to forward this information…
and I do not know if this information is ‘true’ or not.
This could be just as it seems..or it could be a case of someone seeking to
destroy someone else professionally.
Either way, this seems like the wrong place to pass on this information.
Just my opinion.
4 My opinion as well! I am surprised it got by the monitor/ moderator
Those against….
1 Thank you very much for taking the time to deal with this important issue.
I plan on sharing all this information with my staff and surgeons.
Again, Thank you
2 Very good job Ian. Thank you for putting this subject out in the open so
that others can be informed.
3 Thanks for the information. You obviously worked hard gathering this
information. Thanks for caring.
4 Good for you. I am a Certified Prosthetist. I would hope any decent person
would do what you have done. Thank you.
5 I wouldn’t normally wade into such discussions, but I don’t think that this
issue is simply one of sexual preference or confidentiality. When someone
looks forward to the day he can get his leg amputated for sexual
gratification this is not mere fetish. When he also tries to buy his way
into a clinic to establish a relationship where a patient becomes indebted
to him, this behavior is “predatory”. He admits to removing himself from a
field of practice where he might be tempted to physical harm and yet is he
to be trusted in situations where the patient places his trust and
vulnerability in the hands of clinicians. Just as we are trying to establish
ways to foresee impending horror such as in Columbine High School, Mr.
Gregson’s action should not be considered unethical but admirable.
I re-read the original post and for the sake of clinics or individuals who
may be approached by this man I see the point of posting this…it would
seem to be the equivalent of a “Megan’s Law” poster electronically. I do
think if there is any falsification to this story the man involved would
have the right to sue, which is the obvious check and balance to a message
like this being used to deliberately defame an innocent person. For
example, this post would help to stop him from volunteering for a mission
trip or otherwise getting involved with the Barr Foundation or similar
groups, if he initially presents as likeable and charitable and has a good
cover story or rationale for his interest.
This does not stop an individual who knows full well what he is getting
invovled with from deciding to have a relationship with Dr. Sisler, it is
just letting people know and helping agencies or clinics avoid liability
for inadvertantly exposing people to him under any pretense he may
present. Proper authorities have been alerted and I think it is not
necessarily improper that we have been alerted also, but then I am not a
lawyer.
Ian Gregson (igregson@amputee-online.com)
Amputee WEB Site <> AMPUTATION Online Magazine
http://amputee-online.com
Moderator Amputee & D-Sport Listservs
icq # 27356900
