As long as I’ve been running for office, people in hushed voices have said, “That’s Esrati, he’s crazy.” Donning a black hood at a city commission meeting and getting arrested didn’t help dispel that notion. The fact that I don’t quit- running time after time, you know that quote they attribute to Albert Einstein “doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result, that’s the definition of insanity” – and they apply it to me as justification for writing me off as, well, crazy.
So, because 9 out of 10 candidates, in my experience, don’t say anything interesting, or even remotely worth hearing- I decided to confront my reputation head on- and tell the voters, yep- I’m crazy. Watch this and see if you agree (I included the question for the commission candidates- as well as a woman trying to refocus the question after the other 3 tried to redirect the blame).
If you want to know the truth, really, the voters are the crazy ones- they keep voting for the same people who give them the results that they aren’t happy with. Until they realize that in order to spend $260,000 to get 5,000 votes in the primary, like Ms. Whaley has- you have to give something back to your donors. And, most Dayton voters should be smart enough to know that her money isn’t coming from the voters in this community.
I’m within $450 of my $10,000 goal. Please consider donating [1] so I can totally concentrate on giving you the most bang for a campaign dollar the United States has ever seen. So far, I’ve hung over 250 basketball nets, 3 new rims at Princeton Rec Center, cleaned up broken glass and weeds on courts all over the city (including the ones yesterday with some help [2])
And if you really want to help “Crazy Esrati” get elected- volunteer- call me at 937-985-1312 and I’ll get some literature and a walk list for you to go talk to voters.
After the event, a bunch of people came up and told me they were voting for me. They wish there were more crazy people like me running for office, “’cause if you are crazy, I must be too.”
You can watch the un-crazy politicians, including AJ Wagner who referenced me at least 3 times in his opening speech here:
Just remember, only the crazy candidate makes sure you have every event to watch on YouTube, because he not only believes in open honest government, he actually walks the talk. Actions should speak louder than words.
Did you notice, David, that Nan continues to make comments as you speak and look for approval from fellow commissioners? Would love to have a close up of her mouth and get a lip reader to tell us all what she’s saying, tho I can pretty much guess. As I addressed both the school board and the city commission about their underhanded, shortsighted, downright criminal plan to tear down Julienne despite all those who came before them to ask that it remain as the anchor of the Five Oaks neighborhood, she wore that same bland, arrogant, indifferent look on her face and I came to dislike her intensely for being a nobody doing nothing. You are so right!…that there is no pride in Dayton. When I moved back to Dayton after being away for decades, the people I went to school with were horrified that I lived IN Dayton itself. The problem isn’t drugs; the problem isn’t crime, the problem is poverty. Desperate people do desperate things in order to survive and feed themselves and their families. Give people decent jobs and the crime rate will plummet. Our jails are full of sad souls lost in a corrupt system that now criminalizes poverty and rewards the real criminals….the corporations who continue to put profits ahead of people, including the banks who are, like you say, pushing people out of their homes leading to further neighborhood deterioration. My home was auctioned off at the sheriff’s sale Friday for $14,000. I had paid $76,000 for it in 2006 but for three years, the bank refused to work with me, to consolidate my first and second mortgage or to refinance at a lower interest rate. The bank itself bought it for that amount. NOW, who’s crazy?!???
I don’t always agree with you, but I know you speak from the heart. I hope it was okay for me to suggest your site to some sites I am on. Keep the good insanity going strong as we need all we can get.
Dave, you are one of the very few individuals in Dayton that will openly and without reservation say that City of Dayton is in terrible shape. It’s the truth, and nobody in a position of prominence wants to speak this truth.
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Is Dayton’s situation hopeless? Nope. But acting like everything’s OK is crazy, and will only make things worse. Talking rationally and directly is the only sensible option.
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There are deeply entrenched, crippling problems in Dayton. A severe racial divide, myriad economic woes, crime, a lousy school system, and an ongoing brain drain. These problems have persisted for decades, and so far you are the only person ( that I know of, anyway) that stands up in public and states the obvious truth(s) about Dayton.
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I doubt that telling the unvarnished truth is a very good way to get elected, but I commend you for your honesty.
Marianne,
I doubt Dayton’s criminal element is stealing to feed a family so much as they’re stealing to feed a drug and/or alcohol habit. Guess that’s a symptom of a population that has given up hope (of finding a job, of making a better life for themselves, of developing some sense of self-worth) or hasn’t developed sufficient coping skills to weather the disaster that is Dayton.
I lived in East Dayton from approx. 1986 to 1991. In that time, my car was broken into on several occasions, my house was burglarized 2x, my garage was vandalized, and a crack dealer set up business next door.
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I invested a lot into renovating my house (gutted the entire 2nd floor, replaced kitchen, bathroom, electric, plumbing, painted exterior) but when I had a chance to sell at a modest profit, I took it. The crack dealer was the final straw.
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It has been more than 20 years. Today, the house looks bad, and the old neighborhood looks worse. I sold for $70k, but doubt if the house is worth even half that today.
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Granted, I may have had more than my share of bad luck on this particular property. But I have spoken to others with similar experiences, and to this day I would not consider buying in Dayton. If others can make it work, more power to ’em, but I’m out.
There are in fact some nice, stable neighborhoods in Dayton. I know becuase I live in one.
I disagree that the city needs more people to say it is terrible.
@Chris- I don’t think the city is terrible- I think what the residents have been willing to accept as the “norm” is terrible.
Example: when a property owner’s alarm sends too many false alarms- they are penalized. However, when a house has 22 police visits a year- on average- there is zero consequence.
I believe we need to fine the people that aren’t law abiding- and help the ones that are.
David: Sorry for not being more clear–I was responding to Dave C more than anything. I should have just ignored him. Thanks for the response though.
Geez, Chris – never meant to offend. I stand by my words, though.