Anatomy lesson

Behold state Representative Brad Tschida bringing national attention to Montana by announcing that a woman’s uterus serves no real purpose for a woman, that it is a “sanctuary” for the pre-born. Sort of a condo leased out to a fertilized human egg. I’m not sure what Tschida’s stand is on ovaries and fallopian tubes and the other plumbing that contribute in one way or another to the creation of a human life, but if we view a uterus as a sort of freeloading body organ on standby until it is called upon to do as God intended, and that it otherwise contributes nothing to a woman, then I want some answers. If indeed the uterus is that “sanctuary” or condo, I want to know who’s paying the rent on it, not to mention the heating and plumbing bills and then there’s the groceries. Even a sanctuary needs upkeep. I’m curious to know if there are any freeloading organs inhabiting the male human anatomy that are independent of the male body. I can think of a couple (besides the appendix) that could qualify as independent of maleness but being a polite kind of guy I’m not going to go into that kind of detail.

I have noticed that as far as politicians are concerned, it does seem that a brain is kind of an iffy necessity. Years back when I would recruit people to run for the Montana Legislature not a few would tell me they didn’t think they were smart enough to serve in the Legislature. “Trust me,” I would assure them, “You are.” Of course, these were people I had just met and really had no idea of how smart they were or weren’t. Nor did I need to know because I knew how smart many legislators were — or weren’t.

I envision the human brain as a kind of sanctuary where thoughts and ideas go to roost while they are maturing — well, at least aging — into something that’s presentable to the public. Of course, many of those thoughts emerge before they are fully formed and then there’s a lot of explaining to do. If you’re anything like Tschida, I guess you just double down and stand your ground. “I don’t care how dumb it makes me look, I believe it with all my heart and if you think it’s so dumb maybe you can come up with something that sounds smarter.” My word of advice to a guy like that is don’t invite disaster.

But I guess that the point Tschida is laboring (sorry) to make is that the function of the uterus is to serve — and to serve only — as a place where a child is created and has nothing to do with a woman’s development, health, or well-being. I will leave aside the maturational and emotional aspects of human development and personality because they are just too abstract and personal to deal with, but what Tschida definitely does not understand is that whether or not the uterus, as he says, “serves no specific purpose to her life or well-being”, a woman contributes virtually everything to a uterus. And not just any uterus, HER uterus. So, Representative, it’s like love and marriage and a horse and carriage, you can’t have one without the other.

He goes on to quote a woman with whom he says he agrees wholeheartedly; “…[T]he womb is a place set aside for another person who arrives as a result of a choice of a man and a woman to procreate.” I can agree wholeheartedly with that, too, especially on the word “choice” if only to point out that “choice” is not even remotely a consideration in the crimes of rape or incest yet Tschida believe the victim must carry the resultant embryo to term.

Tschida is an important member of the Montana Legislature. In 2019 he served as Majority Leader. His opinions, however bizarre, matter.

He should not be allowed a platform from which to embarrass the state of Montana.

Jim Elliott served 16 years in the Montana Legislature. He lives on his ranch in Trout Creek.