Oak Bluffs Has a Choice

Tonight is the annual Oak Bluffs town meeting, an opportunity for the voters to participate in their political process. The agenda is full, and may run to a second night. On Thursday voters will have a chance to express themselves in a formal referendum by secret ballot on several measures of consequence to the town.

Not the least of these measures is Question 2. A vote of Yes on Question 2 will send a message to the selectmen that the voters are tired of the annual shark-tournament weekend, at least in its present form. It would recommend changing the tournament to “catch-and-release.”

Regardless of the sentiment expressed at the town meeting on Tuesday night, or the non-binding referendum on Thursday, the selectmen have authorized Steve James to continue with his shark tournament in the current format. They have asked him to tone down the animosity toward protesters, to use the loudspeaker to inform not to inflame and to warn his onlookers the police will enforce the town laws against open containers, rowdy behavior and urination and other behaviors in the bushes of town residents.

The selectmen have authorized Steve James to continue his bloody and inhumane spectacle because they believe they have no choice. Like an alcoholic or a heroin addict, the town has become dependent on revenues from the annual shark tournament weekend – or so the selectmen believe. They can see no alternative but to continue with the tournament and try to tone down the increasingly unruly behavior of the crowds it attracts.

But Oak Bluffs has a choice.

Moving to catch-and-release as tournaments in California have, as the tournament in Punta Gorda, Florida has, still drives tourist revenues. The principle of attraction shifts, however, from Steve James’ focus on the “sportsman,” to the theme of shark conservation, education and families. Instead of bloody carcasses hanging from the gallows, the catch-and-release  tournament features live, streaming video of the catch and release and riveting entertainment featuring sharks in the wild.

Oak Bluffs has a choice.

If the Oak Bluffs selectmen decide to change the tournament’s format to catch-and-release, Steve James has threatened to move his tournament elsewhere, like Newport, R.I., where he claims he will be welcomed with open arms. That may be true or not, but is a shark tournament the only option for Oak Bluffs?

The Vineyard arts movement has built significant momentum over the past several years. Making the Vineyard an “arts destination” is having some success. This week one of Oak Bluff’s neighbor towns, Vineyard Haven, was named one of America’s top twelve artsplaces for 2013 by ArtPlace, “a collaboration of leading national and regional foundations, banks, and federal agencies committed to accelerating creative placemaking—putting the arts at the heart of a portfolio of strategies designed to revitalize communities.”

http://www.artplaceamerica.org/articles/topsmalltownartplaces2013/

It’s not like Oak Bluffs couldn’t also be named one of those top artplaces. The Oak Bluffs arts district features many wonderful galleries and fantastic artists whose work draws the appreciation and admiration of our many summer visitors.

Why couldn’t Oak Bluffs replace the bloody shark tournament with an arts festival that would attract tourists and help rebuild its reputation which the shark tournament has done much to degrade?

Isn’t that a viable alternative to the rowdy, bloody spectacle that takes place annually in Oak Bluffs?

Oak Bluffs has a choice.  Vote Yes on Question 2.  And encourage your selectmen to consider the alternatives.