If you want your opinion to matter, show up, participate in civic life and vote. The last year has taught me a lot, but has mostly reaffirmed the importance of involvement in achieving good outcomes that serve the needs of the people. No time has commanded the need for an engaged populace more than now. That is true at the local, state and federal levels. Big decisions are being made at all levels of government and good outcomes require the best and most all of us have to offer.
Look no further than the overwhelming response to APCC’s call for emails to Congress and Governor Healey opposing the multipurpose machine gun range. Those emails mattered and influenced and shaped the outcome of that long debate. Consider the overwhelming support for wastewater management projects seen in town votes everywhere on the Cape. These large and expensive projects reflect the collective voices of the people of Cape Cod who have taken the time and made the effort to ensure that decision makers understood the expectations of the voters.
A lot of forces and the big money behind them are making a major push to convince you that the system is broken, and your voice does not matter. If you can be sidelined, certain that what you say and think won’t change anything, then it is that much easier for someone else to replace your interests with theirs. All the lies, misinformation, and social media commentary are more directed at making you question everything rather than believe something. A disconnected populace is easier to control than one that is engaged and holds its institutions accountable.
Our challenge is to push forward. Get educated about real issues using real information. Don’t rely on the stuff fed to us by algorithms and single view media echo chambers. You have a brain for a reason; use it. Everyone will be better off if you are actively involved regardless of which “side” you support.
