US chimpanzee Tommy 'has no human rights' - court

[webfact]

US chimpanzee Tommy 'has no human rights' - court

(BBC) A chimpanzee is not entitled to the same rights as people and does not have be freed from captivity by its owner, a US court has ruled.

The appeals court in New York state said caged chimpanzee Tommy could not be recognised as a "legal person" as it "cannot bear any legal duties".

The Nonhuman Rights Project had argued that chimps who had such similar characteristics to the humans deserved basic rights, including freedom.

The rights group said it would appeal.

Owner pleased

In its ruling, the judges wrote: "So far as legal theory is concerned, a person is any being whom the law regards as capable of rights and duties.

Full story: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-30338231


-- BBC 2014-12-05

[terryp]

is there any wonder this countrys is in the state it is ..a big clue to this idiotic court is the word H U M A N...it should have been ANIMAL

In its ruling, the judges wrote: "So far as legal theory is concerned, a person is any being whom the law regards as capable of rights and duties

a PERSON is a legal fiction ( a corporation of 1) a person is not a HUMAN but a legal definition to collect taxation and basically be sold as a commodity (i.e when you work for payment)

people have NO idea whats going on

[zaphod reborn]

is there any wonder this countrys is in the state it is ..a big clue to this idiotic court is the word H U M A N...it should have been ANIMAL

In its ruling, the judges wrote: "So far as legal theory is concerned, a person is any being whom the law regards as capable of rights and duties

a PERSON is a legal fiction ( a corporation of 1) a person is not a HUMAN but a legal definition to collect taxation and basically be sold as a commodity (i.e when you work for payment)

people have NO idea whats going on

You're on the right track, but you're reasoning is flawed. A person cannot be sold in the US, because that is slavery. A person has the right to sell his services (unless the services are illegal, ie, prostitution and murder for hire).

The court should have reasoned that an animal is property, but humans can never be property. Property has no rights, only its lawful owner has rights over the property.

Edited December 5, 2014 by zaphod reborn

[Seastallion]

While I am an advocate for intolerance towards cruelty to animals, I don't go so far as to believe animals have rights. If you start giving animals rights, where do you draw the line? All simians? Just the most intelligent ones? go on down the intelligence track and you come to dolphins.....(I know they're mammals) ....fish? Thousands, millions of fish are very cruelly put to death each day, suffocating on a deck or crushed in a net......where do you stop? When the whole world becomes vegan?

Some of these PETA types are just downright weird

[TVGerry]

is there any wonder this countrys is in the state it is ..a big clue to this idiotic court is the word H U M A N...it should have been ANIMAL

In its ruling, the judges wrote: "So far as legal theory is concerned, a person is any being whom the law regards as capable of rights and duties

a PERSON is a legal fiction ( a corporation of 1) a person is not a HUMAN but a legal definition to collect taxation and basically be sold as a commodity (i.e when you work for payment)

people have NO idea whats going on

Don't blame the courts, blame the treehugger's lawyers who argued it that way. They're the ones who put out the argument that chimps have human characteristics and thus deserve rights.

[spiritrace]

I had such great hopes that he would be our next president......

[Lupatria]

I hope this ruling does not affect Obama.

[rickirs]

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I had such great hopes that he would be our next president......

Only people are dumb enough to run for president.

[rickirs]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

I hope this ruling does not affect Obama.

Why?

[weegee]

my goodness.....what next?

[rickirs]

"... a person is any being whom the law regards as capable of rights and duties."

Eugene Goostman, a computer programme made by a team based in Russia, succeeded in a Turing test conducted at the Royal Society in London, 2014. It convinced 33 per cent of the judges that it was human - a 13-year old Ukrainian boy.

Looks like Artifical Intelligence might someday have a better chance at be designed a "person" than a chimpanzee.

[Lupatria]

If you think this to the end you may get sued by a guy keeping cockroaches as pets for fighting a chemical war against his vermin friends. But American lawyers would be happy to defend you for 400 US$ per hour.

And don't forget: being a vegetarian or vegan is a big missed steak!

[freebyrd]

I hope this ruling does not affect Obama.

Rather a sad comment in this 21st Century.

[laislica]

If you think this to the end you may get sued by a guy keeping cockroaches as pets for fighting a chemical war against his vermin friends. But American lawyers would be happy to defend you for 400 US$ per hour.

And don't forget: being a vegetarian or vegan is a big missed steak!

Moved to The Worst Joke Ever.

and that's no missed steak!