May 25, 2003
The Saga of Agitated Man
It's not entirely unusual to hear some shouting altercation outside in my parking lot, usually somehow related to the neighbors who have some affiliation (patient-wise) with the Cascadia facility across the street. For example, earlier this afternoon, the female neighbor was sitting on the stairs, praying loudly for guidance from God, while a solitary red balloon (leftover from the downstairs neighbor kid's birthday party) fluttered and bounded around the pavement.
So when I heard such noise a few minutes ago, I assumed it was just more of the same.
It was, but with a few bonus features. Namely, the seven police cars and at least as many officers in and around the parking lot.
Over on the upstairs landing outside the aforementioned neighbors' door was a man in heated conversation with another man who was standing on the stairs. Obviously, I had missed the start of something a little more complicated than normal.
I suspected from the conversation that the man on the stairs was, in fact, from Cascadia across the street, since he was engaging with Agitated Man -- who was ranting about wanting "the killing to stop" -- in a way that suggested trying to "talk him down" while the police officers stood around and milled about.
Eventually, Cascadia Man asked Agitated Man is he trusted him (he did), and then convinced him to let one of the officers -- who Cascadia Man said was "a good man" -- take him to the hospital. As long as Cascadia Man went with him, and that there was no trickery, Agitated Man said he would go.
And so Agitated Man came down the stairs, and Officer Good Man explained that although it wouldn't suggest that Agitated Man was somehow a bad man, there was a procedure to follow, and he had to restrain Agitated Man's hands.
"You mean handcuff me?" asked Agitated Man. This wasn't a problem, he explained. He'd been through it before.
So the extraneous officers began returning to their cars, as Agitated Man was put into the one belonging to Officer Good Man. Three officers than stood around outside the car for a bit, discussing satellite television.
Strangely, given Cascadia Man's earlier promise to accompany Agitated Man, he instead returned across the street to the Cascadia facility.
And the police cars slowly and silently lit up, each in turn, one by one, until at last they had all driven away.
Comments (22)
Jack Peek on 25 May 2003
First of all, great post by "true".
The story is being replayed in too many neighborhoods in Portland.
Just a guess on my part, but the numbers of cars dispatched to the scene indicates a PSRB "client".
If it wasn't..... what the hell is a PSRB client?
GLAD YOU ASKED!!!!!! It is the PC VERSION.......of criminally insane.
What the hell is criminally insane and why would he be loose?
Glad you asked.. because the law says he can be loose for 90 minutes at a time from a Cascadia residence/apartment/ grouphome anytime he is doing ok on his meds.
The problem is......the meds are not really predictable and the damn people who run these places know it.
If you think I do not know what I speak of... you're dead wrong.
In my neighborhood we have a PSRB/ CASCADIA residence, because (5) unrelated people can be called a family.Sooooooooo, the law say's 4 murders and one arsonist(the first group 5 yrs ago)CAN LIVE ANYWHERE they want to.
In this case.. they can throw a fit on the school grounds of Marysville Elemetary which is 400 yds away.
Ask yourself if this sounds like commonsense. I HAVE FOUGHT THIS LACK OF CONTROL FOR 5 PLUS YRS. Folks, we are going to have a train wreck.
JACK PEEK on 26 May 2003
Really want "true's" comments on Cascadia, the control of their clients, and the idea there are no, zero, notta, commensense laws to at least make rules for oversight and accountbility for the "caretakers" of some of the really dangerous narrow bands of some of these people "SLAMMED" into PDX neighborhoods.
You all better think past this is an anti-mental illness deal... it is not, it's commonsense......and this city and county has none .
JACK PEEK on 26 May 2003
Really want "true's" comments on Cascadia, the control of their clients, and the idea there are no, zero, notta, commensense laws to at least make rules for oversight and accountbility for the "caretakers" of some of the really dangerous narrow bands of some of these people "SLAMMED" into PDX neighborhoods.
You all better think past this is an anti-mental illness deal... it is not, it's commonsense......and this city and county has none .
The One True b!X on 26 May 2003
I have no comments on Cascadia, because I have no background to comment. Well, except to comment on how well Cascadia Man handled Agitated Man last night. Other than that, it's a colorful place to live, right across from a mental health clinic.
Jack Peek on 26 May 2003
NO COMMENTS?????? WOW!
So you favor a "criminally insane grouphome in your own neighborhood?
Since you didnt mention your family status.....one could safely assume the safety of your kids and your neighbors is and clearly is not a problem for you, nor is a grade school with 400 kids in it either.
Oh I AGREE, "colorful" sure describes my thoughts too for what I have directly behind me also.
Stupid is another word that comes to mind when there is not one bit of oversight for Cascadia, nor the county, or the state as to how these people run these "APARTMENTS/HOUSES/GROUPHOMES either.
The state has a group called, "PSRB" but they only tell you to butt out and only site them without telling you up front what some of these clients are like.
Come on "TRUE"...you can do better then colorful.
Jack Peek on 26 May 2003
NO COMMENTS?????? WOW!
So you favor a "criminally insane grouphome in your own neighborhood?
Since you didnt mention your family status.....one could safely assume the safety of your kids and your neighbors is and clearly is not a problem for you, nor is a grade school with 400 kids in it either.
Oh I AGREE, "colorful" sure describes my thoughts too for what I have directly behind me also.
Stupid is another word that comes to mind when there is not one bit of oversight for Cascadia, nor the county, or the state as to how these people run these "APARTMENTS/HOUSES/GROUPHOMES either.
The state has a group called, "PSRB" but they only tell you to butt out and only site them without telling you up front what some of these clients are like.
Come on "TRUE"...you can do better then colorful.
The One True b!X on 26 May 2003
My point is this: I have no personal experience with your "criminal insane grouphome" pet peeve, and I only have your word and your opinion to go on. And with a million and one different issues in the world, and in Portland, no one can get to them all. You've picked yours, I've picked mine, and I'm not going to take time away from the issues I do follow just to get up to informational and factual speed on your issue.
Therefore, it would be irresponsible of me to comment on the matter, because I don't have the knowledge to do so.
JACK PEEK on 26 May 2003
CANNOT LET YOU GET AWAY WITH THAT!
You have an opinion...you sure let me know about your opinion on what I am doing on this recall.
So the "real truth" comes out!
You did the damn research on me, tell your forum what a PSRB group home is.
TELL YOUR CITY, what a criminally insane person is and what they do do get there.
The truth is your live, or is it?
Tell me why all of a sudden you have no comment since when?
Jack Peek on 26 May 2003
Going to be busy with the recall..but a couple of things before I go.
In commenting here, one thing stands out.. you seem to have an opinion, but rarely does someone it seems other then me comment back... You seem to like to look at your comments a lot.
The dissing of my committee to recall the mayor sure seems to have slowed down.
Maybe because people are statrting to ask themselfs some questions. .does she really represent me, or a very and I mean very narrow bunch of people?
Does the fact employment here in Portland is down, have anything to do with her "style"?
Do your opinions state the majority feelings as posted here?
Does that fact..you dont sign your name to your opinions show the "TRUTH" about someones character? I SURE THINK SO. .JACK PEEK
The One True b!X on 26 May 2003
Ah, there we go. I've been awaiting the "don't sign your name" attack for days now. It's inevitably the last refuge (or sometimes the first) of people who can't get me to agree to their position on one issue or another.
If one were to invest the time, energy, and money in a poll, one would find that far more people -- both online and off -- know who "b!X" is than know me by my name of birth, because it's been my day-to-day name for more years than I can count now.
In other words, I am signing my name to what I write.
To go back to whether or not I have an opinion or a comment. On the matter of Cascadia grop homes, no I simply don't have a comment because I don't have the background or experience to make one. That I felt inclined to look into the recall effort and comment upon it doesn't somehow mean I am obligated to investigate every single one of Jack Peek's concerns, nor does it somehow mean I am obgliated to simply accept his opinion or his assertions at face value.
He could be right, he could be wrong. It's just not a pressing enough issue for me to compell me to go find out.
Next.
JACK PEEK on 26 May 2003
Didnt ask you to agree.. asked for your opinion! You seem to have it on all things in this town.. THAT IS A FACT!
I think this as I HAVE LEARNED the hard way.. mental health discussion is so PC people are afraid because liberals like you start the name calling, this is a fact... BEEN THERE DONE THAT!
If you dont care about community safety where real people are concerned.. print that here as well. But dont tell me you dont have an opinion. Your whole forum is your opinion. Would still like to meet you, and you are welcome next Saturday to meet with our committee before we file.
Michael Hall on 26 May 2003
Does that fact..you dont sign your name to your opinions show the "TRUTH" about someones character?
Considering b!X was happy to tell me, a relative stranger, his name when I asked as a matter of curiosity, he's hardly cloaked in secrecy.
The dissing of my committee to recall the mayor sure seems to have slowed down.
Perhaps because it warrants little comment or examination before revealing itself as readily dismissible.
The One True b!X on 26 May 2003
If you dont care about community safety where real people are concerned.. print that here as well. But dont tell me you dont have an opinion. Your whole forum is your opinion.
Ah, and here we go trying to insinuate that because I have stated no opinion as to your specific pet peeves against so-called "criminally insane group homes" I must therefore not care about "community safety" or "real people."
See, this sort of rhetorical crap is why I'm sure your recall campaign is doomed. It's childish.
Again, I never said I wasn't opinionated. Obviously, I express opinion everywhere here. What I said -- and what I will say once more, for the umpteenth time now -- is that I have only your word that there's an extreme problem with "criminally insane group home" sitings in residential neighborhoods. And since the matter does not compel me to sit down and research the facts, it would be irresponsible of me to express an opinion on that particular subject.
Are we, at long last, perhaps, clear yet?
JACK PEEK on 26 May 2003
PERFECTLY CLEAR.. SOS from the left.. PC is safe here, and you intend to play it safe.
Just think what a great time your going to have if we fail.
Just think how little you will write if we win.
The One True b!X on 26 May 2003
You've lost all coherency now. What does being up front enough to admit not having the experience or the background to comment on group homes have to do with suddenly being politically correct?
I wasn't aware that "I don't know enough to responsibly offer an opinion" was somehow a PC thing. I thought it was a sign of intelligence and self-awareness.
JACK PEEK on 26 May 2003
MIKE HALL.. see recallvera.com
JACK PEEK on 26 May 2003
I didnt understand a thing either about mental health issues, the law, siting such places, lack of oversight, no accountibility. and in Portland, speaking out on it was considered a fatal sin.
But that thing your sitting in front of can sure help you a lot.
If you think living next to a high risk, dangerous group home with a family is in your words...."colorful" you have had too many green teas. Asking you to consider this as an issue, then telling me you dont care when you can check out all I say, really shows me why we need a change at city hall ......SHE DOESN'T CARE EITHER!
The One True b!X on 26 May 2003
I never said that "living next to a high risk, dangerous group home" was "colorful." I never referred to the Cascadia facility by my apartment as anything other than "Cascadia facility" or some such similar nondescript language.
You believe the Cascadia facility on SE 42nd and Division to be high risk and dangerous? Ok, fine.
However, I have never had anything but the occassional peculiar interaction in the area. We have different experiences of Cascadia, and yours have led you to dig into certain issues, while mine are simply not that compelling.
Or at least, not compelling enough to drag me away from my concerns just because you want me to get into yours.
Which has been my point all along, and you fail to grasp it, whether by chance or by intent, I have no earthly idea.
Chase whatever issues you want. But stop acting like everyone else in the world has to have the exact same concerns as you.
JACK PEEK on 26 May 2003
The issue is a train wreck....its coming, you remind me of the mayor in "JAWS".. He was just concerned about his issues too.. got some people killed!
Listen ..this is just my deal, its what got me pissed enough to do this, but it IS NOT THE ONLY ISSUE. If you care to read......see recallvera.com
And by the way...keep watching the issue of the cop shooting, if something isnt done to work this out, you like all the media will really have something to write about.
That is a problem for me...I WOULD PREFER YOU DIDNT HAVE SOMETHING TO WRITE ABOUT.
JACK PEEK on 26 May 2003
The issue is a train wreck....its coming, you remind me of the mayor in "JAWS".. He was just concerned about his issues too.. got some people killed!
Listen ..this is just my deal, its what got me pissed enough to do this, but it IS NOT THE ONLY ISSUE. If you care to read......see recallvera.com
And I just might be right about this one too,
And by the way...keep watching the issue of the cop shooting, if something isnt done to work this out, you like all the media will really have something to write about.
That is a problem for me...I WOULD PREFER YOU DIDNT HAVE SOMETHING TO WRITE ABOUT.
The One True b!X on 26 May 2003
I'm aware that this isn't your only issue, just as I'm aware of the other issues listed at the recall website. But this is the only issue about which you've been foaming at the mouth to get me to agree with you, which is why it's been the point of contention, and of focus.
JACK PEEK on 26 May 2003
Maybe that is why my wife of 23 yrs said she married me.. I COULD BE THE MOST PERSISTENT SOB IN THE WORLD.
I see this as a duty, I CANNOT walk around and ignore this, I SEE A PATTERN ,it comes from all the research I have done. WE ARE DEAD ON TRACK FOR for you and the media to write a sad story. Wish I was not this way.. trust me on that! But people will suffer if something isn't done. But hey can't say I DIDNT TRY!!!