I used to practice typing “Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their party,” when I took eighth grade typing.

Today I will amend that sentence to read: “Now is the time for all good men and women to come to the aid of their towns.”

It’s election season and your Island towns need you to be a part of our local government.

Don’t just assume an attitude of indifference or hopelessness. Those kinds of attitudes are what lead to the condition that our national government is in today. On a local level you can make a difference, however small. If you run for office, and there are many diverse committees which you might find interesting, you’ll discover that the work can be stimulating, educational and socially rewarding, even if your participation doesn’t lead to earth-changing improvements.

So I urge any person who has ever considered taking part in our local affairs, to go to your town clerk and take out papers. There’s not a lot of time left to get the required signatures (in Oak Bluffs anyway), so the time is now. Don’t keep your head in the sand; make a contribution to our democracy, please.

Steve Auerbach
Oak Bluffs