Letters

Your recent story on Alex Gregor’s graceless exit from our political scene [“Without A Clear Party Line To Run On, Alex Gregor Will Not Seek Another Term As Southampton Highway Superintendent,” 27east.com, February 8] is disappointing but not surprising. Parts of the piece make me angry and parts make me laugh, but none of it is worth writing about now, except for a totally undeserved hit on town politics as “a sewer.”

The full quoted statement of the highway superintendent is: “I’ve had enough of politics from the federal all the way to the town level. It’s become so red and blue, it’s disgusting. It’s a sewer.”

I won’t address other levels of political activity, but as to Southampton Town politics, this statement is not only wrong, it’s seriously harmful. Forget the fact that it’s an insult to the many of us, of all parties, who have long labored in local affairs with no goal but the common good.

The real harm is what a slur like this says to people who may be thinking about getting involved, especially as it comes from an official with an arguably decent performance record and thus some level of credibility.

We who are active now need new people of all ages to come in and get active, to contribute to the renewal that any organism must have in order to thrive, because a healthy political scene is vital to everyone in Southampton Town.

Does Alex Gregor’s fake-righteous umbrage about political ethics really explain his departure, or could it be something else? Could it be that his Independence Party lost its line on the ballot and has thus effectively dropped off the edge of the world? Could it be that neither the Republicans nor the Democrats will have him on their ticket? Or could it be that he doesn’t want to campaign and take the heat for putting in a bill for his department’s minor service in blocking traffic for a hero’s funeral?

This is like a man being physically thrown out of a bar, saying, “I can’t stand the rowdy crowd in this joint — I’m leaving.” Come on, Alex, get real.

But I’m wasting your time and mine writing about Mr. Gregor’s farewell tantrum. The point is, political activity in Southampton Town is a good and important place to be. Come join us if you’re interested, and don’t be put off by the carping that’s just a tiny part of the whole story.

George Lynch

Quiogue

Mr. Lynch is treasurer of the Southampton Town Democratic Committee — Ed.