It often seems, after publishing a
blog post, I have some additional thoughts, even second thoughts, about what I
said.
A couple of additional comments are
in order:
First, I think Dave Dahl’s bail was way
too low, if the reported circumstances are accurate. Bail was originally set at $250,000; but,
subsequently, reduced to $20,000. The
$20,000 figure is chump change to Dahl, who kicked in a mere $2000 (10%) with a bail
bondsman picking up the rest. The theory behind bail is that the judge should
set a sum that would insure, within reason, a subsequent appearance by the
defendant in court. It’s meant to hurt a
little – give the defendant some serious consequences if he decides to skip. As far as Dahl is concerned, $20,000 won’t
cut it. He probably did more than
$20,000 dollars in damage to the patrol cars and the required medical treatment
for our deputies.
Furthermore, Dahl endangered lives
as he attempted to escape capture.
Additionally, he is an x-felon – a wealthy one at that. I’m not sure, but he might still be on parole
status. The judge should have kept the
bail high to emphasize the serious nature of his offense; and the judge should
have made it clear to Dahl that he (Judge Eric Butterfield) considered the matter
serious – which he did not.
Steve Houze, Dahl’s attorney, stated
to the judge that Dahl’s behavior was “clearly a mental health issue.” My question would be; precipitated by what? I think most of us could make a pretty good
guess. Houze even said that Dahl’s
condition was “extremely fragile.” Does
anyone honestly buy that? This guy
survived fifteen years in the penitentiary.
Come on Steve, you make the guy sound like he’s Miss Prim. I bet the boys in the joint didn’t consider
him ‘fragile.’ Attorneys have such a way
with words, don’t they?
True Nelson
8 comments:
Well sorry to hear about Dave. I love his bread too, it is all over the country. Wired behaviors don't die easily, even money doesn't seem to calm them down. Well Dave, drink some calming tea and get back to bread making! Thanks True for the info.
True, you rather surprise me with your comments consistently pointing out that Mr. Dahl is an ex-felon, spent 15 years in the 'pen'...etc. Why you must be reading the Oregonian too often you are beginning to write like it does more times than not - standing trial by the media!
On a serious note, he may well have had a mental break - recall he punched a poster of himself in the store when he went off and his actions were erratic. Yes, he made a lot of money but we don't know what pressures he was possibly under in his business or personal life.
Mr. Dahl is probably under a lot of pressure. He may very well have some mental problems. I do read the Oregonian, but not every day. I try and look for stories that interest me and potentially my readers. I'm sure my background has affected my initial perception of people's actions. And, former drug dealers and criminal types tend to return eventually to old habits. Not always -- of course, I understand that. I visited the Killer Bread Bakery a few days back and it seemed business as usual; which brought a question to mind that interests me, and I hope some of you will help me with. It's a hypothetical, but relevant. I hope you will take a few moments to read my next post.
True
I am deeply saddened that the author of this blog obviously lacks compassion for people who struggle with mental illness. You ask, "Dahl’s attorney, stated to the judge that Dahl’s behavior was “clearly a mental health issue.” My question would be; precipitated by what? I think most of us could make a pretty good guess. Houze even said that Dahl’s condition was “extremely fragile.” Does anyone honestly buy that?"
Yes, sir...I do "buy it."
Your attitude is one of the reasons why people with a mental illness feel so marginalized. There are many reasons why someone like Dave becomes ill again...and none of those reasons have to do with what I think you are insinuating.
I survived bacterial meningitis over a decade ago and as a result, have seizures. My seizures are controlled by medication; many of the same medications that are used to treat mental illness. I have had the experience of being seizure free for many years and then, BAM! The meds no longer work. Two years ago, we had a lot of difficulty in finding the right combination of meds to control my seizures, not to mention select drugs that didn't have horrific side effects.
On one of the medications, I lost much of my memory. I remember sitting one morning at my kitchen table trying over and over and over again to tie my shoe. I knew I knew how, I just couldn't do it. :-(
It was obvious that I couldn't take THAT particular seizure med, even though countless others are helped by it. I also found myself depressed and manic at times. It was terrible. I gained a new understanding and appreciation for folks who suffer from a mental illness.
Another thing people don't understand is that when someone is in a manic state, they can be just as suicidal as when in a depressed state. It simply "comes out" sideways sometimes through careless and risky behavior.
I hope and pray that you will try to educate yourself on just how fragile mental illness can be - even when treated and monitored.
Thankfully, no lives were lost in this incident - either Dave's, or any officers or other innocents, nor was anyone hurt badly. I'm certain that Dave, who is a compassionate, kind, loving and generous soul, is even more grateful for that than any of us can imagine.
My father used to say, "Don't kick a man when he's down." You see, because to kick a man when he's down is to attack someone at their weakest moment. It defies all human compassion for those who are sick...without THEIR permission to be so.
David Foster Wallace understood that. But sadly, he ended up taking his own life. :-( However, he left a legacy that can teach us to do better and be better.
After all, characteristics such as empathy and compassion are what separates us from...say...being a turkey vulture. Fact.
"The so-called ‘psychotically depressed’ person who tries to kill herself doesn’t do so out of quote ‘hopelessness’ or any abstract conviction that life’s assets and debits do not square. And surely not because death seems suddenly appealing. The person in whom Its invisible agony reaches a certain unendurable level will kill herself the same way a trapped person will eventually jump from the window of a burning high-rise. Make no mistake about people who leap from burning windows. Their terror of falling from a great height is still just as great as it would be for you or me standing speculatively at the same window just checking out the view; i.e. the fear of falling remains a constant. The variable here is the other terror, the fire’s flames: when the flames get close enough, falling to death becomes the slightly less terrible of two terrors. It’s not desiring the fall; it’s terror of the flames. And yet nobody down on the sidewalk, looking up and yelling ‘Don’t!’ and ‘Hang on!’, can understand the jump. Not really. You’d have to have personally been trapped and felt flames to really understand a terror way beyond falling." — David Foster Wallace
I am deeply saddened that the author of this blog obviously lacks compassion for people who struggle with mental illness. You ask, "Dahl’s attorney, stated to the judge that Dahl’s behavior was “clearly a mental health issue.” My question would be; precipitated by what? I think most of us could make a pretty good guess. Houze even said that Dahl’s condition was “extremely fragile.” Does anyone honestly buy that?"
Yes, sir...I do "buy it."
Your attitude is one of the reasons why people with a mental illness feel so marginalized. There are many reasons why someone like Dave becomes ill again...and none of those reasons have to do with what it seems you are insinuating.
I survived bacterial meningitis over a decade ago and as a result, have seizures. My seizures are controlled by medication; many of the same medications that are used to treat mental illness. I have had the experience of being seizure free for many years and then, BAM! The meds no longer work. They backfire. :-( Those meds which used to help, hurt. As a result, changes needed to be made.
Two years ago, we had a lot of difficulty in finding the right combination of meds to control my seizures when my old ones stopped working, not to mention how difficult it was to select drugs that didn't have horrific side effects.
On one of the medications, I lost much of my memory. I remember sitting one morning at my kitchen table trying over and over and over again to tie my shoe. I knew I knew how, I just couldn't do it. :-( Mind you, I am a working professional...I am not a "sit at home" type of gal. Ever.
It was obvious that I couldn't take THAT particular seizure med, even though countless other people are helped by it. I also found myself depressed and manic at times. It was terrible. When my neuro doc reminded me that these meds are of the same "family" as medications used to treat bipolar, Schizophrenia, and other mental illnesses, I gained a new understanding and appreciation for folks who suffer from a mental illness. I remember saying out loud to my doc, "No wonder some folks stop taking their meds!" and "How does someone who is already compromised deal with these med changes???"
...to be continued...too many characters. ;-)
...continued from comment above:
Another thing people don't understand is that when someone is in a manic state, they can be just as suicidal as when in a depressed state. It simply "comes out" sideways sometimes through careless and risky behavior.
I hope and pray that you will try to educate yourself on just how fragile mental illness can be - even when treated and monitored.
Thankfully, no lives were lost in this incident - either Dave's, or any officers or other innocents, nor was anyone hurt badly. I'm certain that Dave, who is a compassionate, kind, loving and generous soul, is even more grateful for that than any of us can imagine.
My father used to say, "Don't kick a man when he's down." You see, because to kick a man when he's down is to attack someone at their weakest moment. It defies all human compassion for those who are sick...without THEIR permission to be so.
David Foster Wallace understood that. But sadly, even though he understood, he ended up taking his own life. He simply couldn't take it any more. :-( However, he did leave an amazing legacy that can teach us to do better and be better and more compassionate human beings. After all, characteristics such as empathy and compassion are what separates us from...say...being a turkey vulture. Fact.
"The so-called ‘psychotically depressed’ person who tries to kill herself doesn’t do so out of quote ‘hopelessness’ or any abstract conviction that life’s assets and debits do not square. And surely not because death seems suddenly appealing. The person in whom Its invisible agony reaches a certain unendurable level will kill herself the same way a trapped person will eventually jump from the window of a burning high-rise. Make no mistake about people who leap from burning windows. Their terror of falling from a great height is still just as great as it would be for you or me standing speculatively at the same window just checking out the view; i.e. the fear of falling remains a constant. The variable here is the other terror, the fire’s flames: when the flames get close enough, falling to death becomes the slightly less terrible of two terrors. It’s not desiring the fall; it’s terror of the flames. And yet nobody down on the sidewalk, looking up and yelling ‘Don’t!’ and ‘Hang on!’, can understand the jump. Not really. You’d have to have personally been trapped and felt flames to really understand a terror way beyond falling." — David Foster Wallace
Dear Ms. Vetter,
Re: First sentence, your presumption regarding how I feel about mental illness is incorrect. And, I am truly sorry that you have had severe mental problems.
However, you have ignored and disregarded Dave's past history with illegal drugs, serious crime and lengthy imprisonment. You are willing to accept the words of his retained attorney, who is obligated to represent Dave in as positive light as possible. I do not accept them outright, noting the words subjectivity and their ambiguous nature. Based on Dave's past history and the overwhelming rates of recidivism, it is likely that Dave has overdosed on something which would explain his manic behavior. I'm not here to carry the crying towel for Dave. He's a big boy with money and a considerable support system. If he actually has mental issues, including drug use, he should get the help he needs. But, don't try to tell me that Dave's attorney was actually representing the truth. For attorneys, truth is relative and ephemeral.
True
First of all, I don't think you read my comments carefully enough. A seizure disorder is not a mental health issue. But your response helps me understand just how closed-minded you are. :-(
Secondly, unlike you, I am not basing my opinion on news articles, nor am I accepting "the words of his retained attorney."
However, it is obvious by your reply that you are not interested in considering any kind of a truthful explanation; nor do you seem to posses the capacity to have empathy for our brothers and sisters who struggle with mental health issues...especially if they "have money."
Sad.
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