Actions will speak louder than words after Idaho legislator apologizes for cow comments | Opinion

Every session of the Idaho Legislature, we can expect a Republican legislator to say something embarrassing that makes Idaho a laughingstock of the nation, like when Rep. Charlie Shepherd, R-Pollock, argued against an early literacy grant that “makes it easier or more convenient for mothers to come out of the home and let others raise their child.”

Or when Rep. Vito Barbieri, R-Dalton Gardens, suggested that women could swallow a camera to check on their pregnancy.

But usually we have to wait a couple of weeks for a legislator to say something like that.

Not this session.

Barely two days into the new session, Rep. Jack Nelsen, R-Jerome, uttered some strange words of “wisdom” in a committee hearing.

“I’ve milked a few cows, spent most of my time walking behind lines of cows, so if you want some ideas on repro and the women’s health thing, I have some definite opinions,” said Nelsen, who was a partner in a dairy and farming operation in Jerome for 45 years.

Not only were his comments offensive and embarrassing, they were odd, given that he was simply introducing himself to the House Agriculture Committee. This was how he chose to introduce himself, by comparing women’s health care with milking a cow?

After making his comments, Nelsen gave a chuckle, as if it were a laughing matter.

It’s not.

Women’s reproductive health care is certain to be an important topic of discussion this session, the first since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, and Idaho’s strict abortion bans went into effect.

Rep. Brent Crane, R-Nampa, already has suggested that the Legislature might further restrict birth control options legislatively.

It’s scary to think that someone like Nelsen, who fancies himself an expert on “the women’s health thing” because he’s “spent most of my time walking behind a line of cows,” will have a seat at the table when deciding such matters.

It would be nice if men like Nelsen would demonstrate a bit of humility and decency, and not paint themselves as experts in women’s health care — which they certainly are not.

It would also be nice if they kept their mouths shut a little more, didn’t insult women and saved Idaho from national embarrassment.

Nelsen issued an apology Thursday evening for his comments.

“The women in my life have taught me strength, resilience, integrity, hard work, joy, and love. I absolutely respect women, and the right to choose their own healthcare,” Nelsen wrote in a statement sent to the media. “The way I phrased my statement about women and reproductive rights yesterday completely missed the mark. I’m embarrassed, and I offended others in the process. I am deeply sorry. I recognize the mistake and commit to doing better in the future.”

We are at least encouraged that Nelsen’s apology came with a statement that suggests he won’t treat women’s reproductive rights the way he might treat a cow on a dairy farm.

“I have always operated and will continue to operate under the standard that the government does not belong in the doctor’s office,” he wrote.

We appreciate Nelsen’s apparent sincerity and that he actually apologized for his words, not just apologizing that some were offended. But we’ll be watching carefully Nelsen’s votes when it comes to women’s health care and reproductive rights.

After all, Nelsen is following a playbook that’s proven successful in the past: Say something stupid, apologize contritely and then continue to vote in a manner that comports with the underlying attitude that your words conveyed.

Shepherd is a fine example.

After he said the bad parts out loud, that he didn’t think we should make it easy for mothers to come out of the home, he still voted against the early literacy grant, doing damage to his constituents.

Still, he apologized for his words.

“I have learned the hard way that misguided statements do not help solve anything,” Shepherd said at the time. “I sincerely apologize to any and all that I have offended, and I will work hard to right any wrongs that I have done.”

Well, since he apologized, he’d go ahead and do the right thing, right?

Wrong. He still said he’d vote against the early literacy grant the next time it came up.

“If I cannot educate them (constituents) on what the bill actually does in time, at this point it’s almost political suicide for me to support the bill,” he told Betsy Russell of the Idaho Press.

So what were the political consequences for Shepherd after all that?

None. He won reelection in November without even a challenger.

Yes, words matter, Rep. Nelsen. If you truly are sorry for the attitudes that your statements expressed, your votes will speak louder than words.

This story was originally published January 12, 2023 at 11:03 AM.