Women take note of council vote

Priscilla Tyson, the longest-serving member, lost her bid, 4-2, for president of Columbus City Council (Dispatch article, Wednesday). With the exception of Councilman Mitchell Brown, who’d nominated Tyson, the local Democratic Party followed the national trend of exploiting black women.

Watching the stunning upset in the race for U.S. Senate in Alabama and the laudatory yet predictable role of black women in making that happen despite divides of race, gender, and socioeconomic status, I’m waiting to see what benefits will ensue. Historically, in alignment with the traditionally unacknowledged and unrewarded role of black women as political mules counted on for the heavy lift, the answer will be none. And that is a big part of this demographic’s rising disillusionment with the Democratic Party.

If translated into political apathy, that disillusionment will prove disastrous in 2018 and beyond. City council members Michael Stinziano, Jaiza Page and Elizabeth Brown, et al, I’m looking at you.

Finally, as an old(er) alum of Columbus School for Girls, Wellesley College, The Moritz College of Law and a woman business owner for 31-plus years, I think of a special corner in The Divine Comedy’s “Judecca,” named for traitor Judas Iscariot. Dante’s innermost zone of the ninth and final circle of hell should be reserved for women who do not support other qualified women. Westerville