City Council at odds with opposing views

A lesson in civics, Boston-style: If you work hard and persevere, you can eventually land a seat on the City Council. But if you’re a conservative voice, then expect to have your fellow councilors, and the mayor, ready to pack your bags.

This is what City Councilor Althea Garrison is facing. The longtime candidate for the Council finally landed in the spot as the first runner-up after Ayanna Pressley resigned to become a congresswoman last year. Garrison’s seat is up for grabs in the upcoming at-large election, and as the Herald’s Sean Philip Cotter reported, Mayor Martin Walsh and City Councilor Michelle Wu are promoting progressive challengers over her.

Wu has endorsed and campaigned closely with Alejandra St. Guillen, and Walsh’s campaign noted his longtime friendship with Councilor Annissa Essaibi-George and that challenger St. Guillen headed up his administration’s Office of Immigrant Advancement. “They are bold leaders who understand the importance of working together to solve some of our biggest challenges,” Walsh said in a statement.

As for Garrison? Crickets.

Garrison’s sin is being a Trump-supporting conservative, which puts her at odds with her left-leaning colleagues. While this council has long touted inclusion and diversity, apparently that doesn’t extend to differing points of view within its own governing body.

“My guess is they will be happy if she’s no longer a city councilor,” former councilor Tom Keane observed about Walsh and Wu endorsing at-large challengers.

Last week, Garrison made waves when she introduced a resolution in support of cops and the police union in the aftermath of the Straight Pride Parade.

“As elected officials, we have a moral obligation to partner with the Boston Police Department,” Garrison said.

But City Councilor Lydia Edwards objected, saying Garrison’s resolution was “intended to support a political agenda.” Wu also objected, and the resolution didn’t go to a vote.

Garrison also resigned last week from the council’s Committee on Homelessness, Mental Health and Recovery in what she said was a protest of supervised drug injection sites, which are supported by the mayor and some on the council.

The City Council is a legislative body elected to represent the people of Boston — not the cool kids table where outsiders are snubbed. Nor should it be the green room where prospective mayoral candidates wait it out before making their bid for that City Hall office upgrade.

Those eager for an ouster of Garrison do their constituents a disservice by downplaying her voice and experience. She won the 5th Suffolk district seat in the Massachusetts House of Representatives in ’92, representing Dorchester and Roxbury, hardly a newbie.

And despite Walsh and Wu’s maneuverings, perhaps we shouldn’t assume Garrison is down for the count in the coming election.

Former councilor Larry DiCara, who studies elections in Boston, said name recognition and low turnout could give Garrison a boost against progressive challengers.

“Althea has run for office many times and knows a lot of people,” DiCara said. “I don’t think people should dismiss her.”

Whether Garrison hangs on or loses her seat, one thing is clear. Even if one disagrees with someone’s politics, this is still a democracy, where opposing viewpoints have every right to be aired.

The Boston City Council is better than this.