Tough talk urges kids to choose the positive path

By Steve Moyer

Nevada Daily Mail

Dale "Mad Dog" Mesmer began his talk at the Nevada High School by saying that some of the things he said might be offensive.

"Some of what I tell you might offend you," Mesmer said. "I don't care. What I have to say could save your life."

Mesmer used illustrations from his own life, those of people he met, and humorous stories in a mix of techniques that kept the audience focused on the message.

Mesmer stuck some humor into his speech in order to leaven the very serious talk so that it did not become overly heavy and to give the audience members a chance to decompress after some very graphic information.

Mesmer told of the effect a poor choice could have on family members.

"The choices you make don't just affect you, they affect everyone around you," Mesmer said.

He told of his wife's death while he was in prison and said that he wasn't allowed out to go to the funeral.

"When you're in prison they don't let you go to the funeral," Mesmer said. "They take you into the chaplain's office and say that your family member died and then take you back to your cell, that's it."

Mesmer told of going to speak at a school where he had been assured of a large audience. When he arrived the audience was much smaller than he expected.

"The principal told me that the previous Friday night a dance was going on and a young man kept going out to his pickup to drink from a bottle he stole from his father," Mesmer said. "After the dance his brother and their two dates got into the pickup, knowing the young man had been drinking. The young man pulled out of the parking lot and into the path of a large truck. Four young people died because of one's drinking."

Mesmer used some statistics to get his points across.

"Out of every 100 18 to 21-year-olds right here in Missouri 15 will be or have been in prison. Seven will be dead, 30 shot, 56 crippled, 16 will drive after drinking and will die, and 42 percent of those times they will also kill someone else.

Mesmer stressed the importance of education and told of a man he shared time with who used to hire high-school dropouts. The area he was from used to think he was doing it to help the young people he hired but he had a less worthy motive.

"I spent time with a man who people used to look up to and thought highly of," Mesmer said. "He hired young people who didn't finish high school. A lot of people thought he was doing it to be helpful to the young people but he hired them so he could steal $20 to $30 from them each week. He thought that he would be more likely to get away with it because they wouldn't have the education to figure out what he was doing."

Mesmer delivered his message several times Tuesday, and a public presentation took place Tuesday night.