What Helen Gym really wanted

Philadelphia’s favorite harridan, City Council member Helen Gym, was arrested Wednesday — according to her plan — in Harrisburg as she put on a show of demanding more money for schools from the Republican-majority legislature.

As she knew going in, there would be no more money, and disrupting activities — as she promised — destroyed any remote possibility of increased funding ($1 billion proposed by Gov. Tom Wolf.)

Seattle’s tainted gift to Philadelphia, Gym didn’t really want more money, she wanted more publicity, which she got, casting herself as the Joan of Arc of Philadelphia schools. Alas, no stake was available.

Protest organizers and Gym said that they would engage in “civil disobedience” and “disrupt business as usual in the General Assembly to make sure lawmakers in the Capitol hear this call for justice.”

They heard, but shrugged.

Gym and several members of the interfaith group POWER had been outside the Senate chamber for about 15 minutes, banging on the doors and demanding they be let in. They were handcuffed, and taken into custody for trespassing. Their actions were shameless, and pointless.

On the internet, there were outraged cries for her to resign, coming mostly from Republicans who completely misunderstand the dynamics.

They say lawmakers should not be lawbreakers (in a city that breaks the law by shielding foreign felons), and hope to shame her. Shame? That’s like trying to shame a maggot for eating garbage. 

Gym’s arrest photo probably will be used on her campaign website when she runs for mayor, to replace the hapless Jim Kenney. 

How would she react if someone interrupted Council meetings, some asked?

Most likely, she would do nothing because progressives like her have an entirely different idea about law and order than do traditional Americans. 

In 2017, Mayor Kenney and Council President Darrell Clarke let a couple of disorderly goofs break up a news conference. I wrote about it, including some other disruptions.

To be clear — nonviolent civil disobedience is legitimate.

So is the response — arrest and jail time.

But when you have spineless leaders, don’t count on it.