Court to decide if Chimps should get Human Rights

SkyBlueClouds

A lawsuit says a 26-year-old ape called Tommy has been unlawfully imprisoned and deserves "legal personhood".

The case, which experts say is the first of its kind, revolves around Tommy the chimp, who is currently being kept by his owner in a cage in upstate New York.


Lawyer Steven Wise represents an animal rights group called the Nonhuman Rights Project and has been campaigning for decades to extend human rights to other intelligent animals.


Its website states: "Our mission is to change the common law status of at least some nonhuman animals from mere 'things', which lack the capacity to possess any legal right, to 'persons', who possess such fundamental rights as bodily integrity and bodily liberty, and those other legal rights to which evolving standards of morality, scientific discovery, and human experience entitle them."


Mr Wise is seeking a ruling that 26-year-old Tommy has been unlawfully imprisoned and should be cared for in a Florida sanctuary.
Previous lawsuits have been thrown out, but Mr Wise has appealed against the decision.


The court, which heard arguments on Wednesday, is expected to issue its ruling in coming weeks.


If the New York state appeals court rules in his favour it could strengthen the case for extended rights for other high intelligence animals such as dolphins and elephants.


The Boston-based lawyer has also lodged an appeal on behalf of another chimp called Kiko.


He is using a legal argument usually deployed by prisoners who feel they have been locked up illegally.


Tommy's owner, Patrick Laverty, has waived his right to make an argument before the court, but has said previously that Tommy actually lives in a state-of-the-art facility and that he has been on a waiting list for an animal sanctuary for some time.


He told the Albany Times Union newspaper: "He's got a lot of enrichment. He's got colour TV, cable and a stereo … he likes being by himself."
Some legal experts such as US Circuit Judge Richard Posner and New York University law professor Richard Epstein have criticised the court case.
According to Reuters news agency, both men believe that if animals are afforded the rights traditionally reserved for humans, courts could be overwhelmed by difficult legal questions.

Bizzare. Imagine if this went ahead. What next? Human rights for cats?

ancapailldorcha

Shouldn't we make sure that every human being has their human rights protected first?

The Backwards Man

I know a few humans that should be given chimp rights

SkyBlueClouds

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

Shouldn't we make sure that every human being has their human rights protected first?

I was thinking that myself

Donkey Oaty

The chimp's legal team have advised him to remain silent on this matter for now.

Banana's

--LOS--

Calling them 'human rights' or changing their legal status to 'person' is not appropriate but they should be recognised lawfully as someone instead of something. Most often animals are treated as property or objects by law, that's more ridiculous, that an animal would have the same legal status as an inanimate object. When the french changed one of their laws recently in relation to dogs, they were given legal status as sentient beings, that's what all animals should have. I wonder would the people who name elephants and dolphins as high intelligence animals also consider pigs and birds?

Rabbo

He should be afforded animal rights and surely a superiorily intelligent animal such as a chimpanzee should not be kept in a cage

Yarf Yarf

Yeah, I don't know if 'human rights' is the right way to put it, but animals deserve much better treatment than they currently get and are definitely entitled to greater rights than they currently have. I don't think an animal should simply be objectified or regarded as property, and if the law changed its stance on this, a lot more animals may receive much better treatment.

LowOdour

Steven Wise....ironic name

solomafioso

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5mLjKI968g

corner of hells

If only it was like a Planet of the Apes scenario , where the chimp represented himself and had a sexy sidekick chimp working with him, maybe Mariah Carey could be sexy sidekick.

Ave Sodalis

I find it bad that they even have to go to that length to ensure other people don't abuse animals. There shouldn't have to be a legislation to consider an animal with the same rights as a person, it should be automatic.

AnonoBoy

Get your rights off me you damn dirty apes!

Skylinehead

AnonoBoy wrote: »

Get your rights off me you damn dirty apes!

He can talk! He can talk!

SEPT 23 1989

Ah yes the young ape with a shovel.

Lalealynn

SkyBlueClouds wrote: »

Bizzare. Imagine if this went ahead. What next? Human rights for cats?

And your point is?

Seriously though they can't even be bothered to enforce animal rights as they stand.

And humans rights for humans is still a goal rather than a reality.

Animals feel suffering they feel , they are NOT things.

It's empathizing and I think the opposite is a little bizarre.

PizzamanIRL

A chimp is an animal. Why would it deserve human rights? WTF

Buona Fortuna

I wonder if they could open an account on Boards - maybe they already have

crosstownk

The monkeys will soon be in charge of the bananas. Although Dail Eireann comes to mind..........

SkyBlueClouds

Lalealynn wrote: »

And your point is?

Seriously though they can't even be bothered to enforce animal rights as they stand.

And humans rights for humans is still a goal rather than a reality.

Animals feel suffering they feel , they are NOT things.

It's empathizing and I think the opposite is a little bizarre.

You can attribute common sense to animals the same way we should treat other humans - by not hurting them, treating them with respect and love. Animals are inherantly different to humans though - 'human rights' is not the correct term to be applied. 'Animal rights' is more approptiate imo.

reprise

SkyBlueClouds wrote: »

The case, which experts say is the first of its kind, revolves around Tommy the chimp, who is currently being kept by his owner in a cage in upstate New York.


Lawyer Steven Wise represents an animal rights group called the Nonhuman Rights Project and has been campaigning for decades to extend human rights to other intelligent animals.

Stopped right there.

What next?

Turkeys being encouraged to cast votes for/agin Christmas in State ballots?

AnonoBoy

Skylinehead wrote: »

He can talk! He can talk!

"Can I play the piano anymore?"

Akrasia

If corporations can have human rights.....

csallmighty

Will they be able to get the dole?

DubVelo

SkyBlueClouds wrote: »

Animals are inherantly different to humans though

What? Why?

Chimps, bonobo, gorillas, humans - we're all just primates really. Genetically we're only 1.2% away from chimps & bonobo, and 1.6% away from gorilla.

jimgoose

It's high time lawyers were given chimp rights.

deBop

PizzamanIRL wrote: »

A chimp is an animal. Why would it deserve human rights? WTF

Humans are animals. Animals deserve to be treated as sentient beings and not some inanimate objects in someone's possession, they are alive and aware of their surroundings - like humans. Humans share 95% of their DNA sequence and 99% of coding DNA sequences with Chimps.

DubVelo

jimgoose wrote: »

It's high time lawyers were given chimp rights.

Don't get carried away now. :pac:

uck51js9zml2yt

The whole concepts is nuts.
I dont know what the world is coming to. It's gone to the dogs.
We still have slave labour and in equality among humans so is this what he's wanting for monkeys.

DeadHand

Jax Better Rag wrote: »

We still have slave labour and in equality among humans so is this what he's wanting for monkeys.

They're apes actually.

BorneTobyWilde

He'll go apeshiit if he loses in court .

Skylinehead

AnonoBoy wrote: »

"Can I play the piano anymore?"

Of course you can!

mikeyjames9

SkyBlueClouds wrote: »

Bizzare. Imagine if this went ahead. What next? Human rights for cats?

Clowns in Dail Eireann ?

AnonoBoy

Skylinehead wrote: »

Of course you can!

Well I couldn't before!

Tigger

i saw this film
first the chimp gets rights and then we all get a disease
#ebola

shruikan2553

Tigger wrote: »

i saw this film
first the chimp gets rights and then we all get a disease
#ebola

It wasnt a film. Just a book
https://www.mundofox.com/social/afiliadas/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/simp-ok.jpg

DEFTLEFTHAND

Non Human Persons is what they want to reclassify them as, a new legal term. Animal rights lawyers in the past have also looked to have the Orca reclassified in their battles with Seaworld and other facilities keeping large marine animals in captivity.

It's an issue I don't see ever being resolved in the courts.

Rums

SkyBlueClouds wrote: »

Bizzare. Imagine if this went ahead. What next? Human rights for cats?

A lobby group set up for the interests of cats is one of the most well funded lobby groups in the European Union (mainly because old people die and leave some of their cash to cat charities), so on an odd note if this is successful it would most likely be Human Rights for cats next on the agenda.

EuropeanSon

They aren't asking to give it human rights. They are asking to afford it legal personhood, which is an entirely different thing.

SkyBlueClouds

DubVelo wrote: »

What? Why?

Chimps, bonobo, gorillas, humans - we're all just primates really. Genetically we're only 1.2% away from chimps & bonobo, and 1.6% away from gorilla.

Agreed. We are all primates however there is a marginal precentage difference in cognitive function. Therefore terms should remain different for description.

Skylinehead

AnonoBoy wrote: »

Well I couldn't before!

*piano riff*

AnonoBoy

Skylinehead wrote: »

*piano riff*

I love the legitimate theatre!

131spanner

42% of AH posters believe chimps should have Human Rights.

I cannot believe that

AnonoBoy

131spanner wrote: »

42% of AH posters believe chimps should have Human Rights.

I cannot believe that

Looking out for their own, ain't they? :pac:

Son Of A Vidic

SkyBlueClouds wrote: »

Court to decide if Chimps should get Human Rights

As bad as the shower in Dáil Eireann are, I think they should be entitled to the same rights as the rest of us.

camlinhall

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

Non Human Persons is what they want to reclassify them as, a new legal term. Animal rights lawyers in the past have also looked to have the Orca reclassified in their battles with Seaworld and other facilities keeping large marine animals in captivity.

It's an issue I don't see ever being resolved in the courts.

Prescient comment.
Today a court in New York denied an application for Legal Personhood on behalf of Tommy (Chimp). Refused, saying the primates are incapable of bearing the responsibilities that come with having legal rights.
Like children.
And intellectually disabled people.
The law is floundering.

wendell borton

Never turn yer back on a monkey......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4Z8buUn2Bs

steddyeddy

EuropeanSon wrote: »

They aren't asking to give it human rights. They are asking to afford it legal personhood, which is an entirely different thing.

This. I have even heard lawyers misinterpret the case.

keithclancy

Gays can't get married and were talking about giving monkeys people rights

Wtf