IMO, it is in poor taste to disseminate negative information about someone whom one has never personally dealt with directly. Let those who have share their own experiences. When second-hand information is perpetuated, it allows the possibility of disparity between perception and reality. The longer the perpetuation continues, the greater that disparity can become. For example, one person has a bad experience, 20 people read about it and spread it like gospel. That makes for quite a disparity between perception and reality. Then, perhaps years later, although whatever situation caused the original complaint may have been resolved, the misperception lives on.
In speaking with him, he told me that he did unknowingly sell a hybrid, thinking it was a new species. However, once he discovered it wasn't, he stopped selling it. He's certainly not the only person in the hobby that's had that happen to them. Now, his hybrids are listed as such on the stock list. I say let him be judged by the present and not the past. He's a very knowledgeable, experienced, and conscientious collector/imported/breeder. Don has always treated me well.
Agreed.
