Bloodless Coup

Women have value because of their uteruses

Just like cows.

Word got out that a South Dakota politician compared pregnant women to cows, saying that they were more valuable when pregnant. No one got good notes, so some ex post facto questions were asked:

Gordon also apologized for the remark. He said he only meant to say that South Dakotans value life. If we value unborn livestock, he said, why wouldn’t we value the lives of unborn human beings. “I freely admit I said that very poorly,” Gordon said.

When contacted to verify his statement, Howie obliged:

"We place value on life in South Dakota, and even with a mother cow, as soon as you can demonstrate she is pregnant, an even higher value is placed just because she is pregnant," Howie said. "I said that, and it was a clumsy way to make a point. I probably deserve to be beat upon the head and shoulders for it."

He prefaced his recollection by saying, "I admit up front that I am prone to saying stupid things, and I want to apologize to anyone who may have taken offense." Howie said he "enrages" people who don't share his views "because I just don't mince words. I don't choose them well, either. ... Any person who really knows who I am knows I don't place women and livestock on the same level."

Aw shucks. Enraged people are pissed because he doesn't mince words. Nor because his "attitude is so abhorrent" or because his comments came "in response to questions from the audience about how he could reconcile his views on limited government with his views supporting further government intervention into matters relating to a woman's body."

We should give ol' Gordon a break, huh? He's just a plain spoken guy. Clearly he doesn't equate women with cattle. Why, heck, he's never even bought a diamond for his favorite heifer. Now, as for the little filly:

"My wife told me I was going to get in trouble for that," he told me. "I was not attempting in any way to compare women to livestock."

See, just because he compared women to livestock, doesn't mean he was comparing women to livestock. Gosh!

Via Pandagon, MediaGirl, and South Dakota War College.

Posted by binky at January 7, 2006 06:35 PM | TrackBack | Posted to Gender and Politics | Reproductive Autonomy