>>But that's fine. And OF COURSE we don't know an official
>>diagnosis unless he or his family tell us but do you need to
>>be in the room when Rape Kelly pees on a girl or do you
>follow
>>alllll the breadcrumbs laid out over the years to know he's
>a
>>predator?
>
>OK - but wait ... couldn't someone like yourself step in and
>say, "hey, come on, show some empathy, R Kelly clearly has
>mental issues that need to be dealt with, look at all the
>evidence over the years" ?! Just because HE never had a full
>on nervous breakdown or face his demons like Kanye did two
>years ago doesn't mean that *his* behavior can't be the result
>of mental issues, too. Right ?

Sigh. I was hoping I'd be able to skate by this (*shakes fist at you*). But...here goes. Here is where I, soulpsychodelicyde, raises her hand and admits that she has a blind spot when it comes to sexually predatory behavior. It is one of those behaviors for which I struggle to muster up any empathy at all and see the world in the darkest shades of black, and the brightest shades of white. Grays do not exist. It is a blind/weak spot for me and I own that.

I'll also say that predatory behavior doesn't automatically mean mental illness. But I digress... your point is well taken but yeah... it's a blindspot for me.
>
>
>>AND... him being ____ has been a part of the narrative for a
>>long while now... particularly since he had that breakdown 2
>>years ago.
>
>Huh ? I thought you were saying the narrative HAS changed on
>him ? In which case you're kind of arguing against yourself
>here.

I'm not. I'm saying that we've always said he's nuts/mentally ill. But the narrative changes when that behavior impacts us vs. him/themselves/someone we don't like.

Erratic behavior that DOESN'T impact us/we agree with = he's nuts
Erratic behavior that DOES impact us = he ain't crazy, them Kardashians got him, etc.

Again if this were a suicide attempt vs. a gross tirade WE WOULD HAVE A TOTALLY DIFFERENT POSTURE and would be talking about how we hope he gets help.
>
>
>>IT WAS GENERALLY ACCEPTED/TALKED ABOUT/UNDERSTOOD that he
>has
>>mental health issues because the clues were there. The
>>cognitive dissonance on this is weird. Actually it's not. I
>>take that back. I get how hard it is to make this type of
>>behavior make sense. But what I'd like to have happen is for
>>people to see past their anger and outrage over his
>despicable
>>behavior and show some compassion for what I -- and I'd
>wager
>>a gang of folks in this very post (though most won't admit
>it
>>for their pearl clutching) -- believe is a pretty sick man.
>>
>>My only motivation is to advocate for better understanding
>of,
>>and empathy for people with, mental illness.
>
>I'm with you on that mission. Again, my wife suffers from
>mental illness and has since she was a child. So I've seen it
>firsthand, attended therapy, read about it endlessly. I'll
>still never understand it fully. Don't think any of us will. I
>share that mission and motivation with you.
>
>But I'm *not* willing to use that mission to excuse
>inexcusable behavior that has massive negative implications
>for others, even if I find it sad that it's happening and that
>people have enabled folks like Kanye. It is sad. But like ...
>Trump is mentally ill too, isn't he ? Not diagnosed that we
>know of, but similar to Kanye he's shown PLENTY of evidence
>over the years, so should we show *him* endless compassion too
>? Or should we be outraged at the fact that he's destroying
>the country specifically *because* he's been enabled, and is
>narcissistic, etc. ? Like how much weight do you put on mental
>illness before you can be outraged ? Where do we draw the line
>?

Who says I'm not outraged? Who says anything about excusing behavior? I think I was pretty clear that I was/am BIG mad and that he should be checked swiftly and clearly (shouts to Van...again). But I'm also truly sad that we're watching (what I believe to be) the mental breakdown of one of our truly great artists. I'd like for people to also feel sad and not just 'fuck Ye' about it. I have room to feel both on this issue. I wish others did, too.