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| Europe |
| Spain wants to grant apes human rights |
| 2006-06-10 |
| Spain could soon become the first country in the world to give chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans and other great apes some of the fundamental rights granted to human beings under a law being proposed by members of the ruling Socialist coalition. The law would eliminate the concept of "ownership" for great apes, instead placing them under the "moral guardianship" of the state, much as is the case for children in care, the severely handicapped and those in comas, said the MP behind the project, Francisco Garrido. Great apes held in Spanish zoos would be moved to state-built sanctuaries, unless there was a risk that moving them would harm their emotional welfare, he said. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #13 The rain in Spain Falls mainly on the insane |
| Posted by: tu3031 2006-06-10 22:10 |
| #12 Along with "Rights" come "Responsibilities" Just what responsibilities does the Spanish Court expect apes to adhere to? They can't communicate, read, write, or comprehend, so where's the Court's justification for granting "Rights"? It's judicial impeachment time. Reasob? Insanity. |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2006-06-10 21:29 |
| #11 I don't think their triceps are that strong (ie that they are able to launch powerful blows) and they can't put their weight behind the blow due to their weak legs. But I have no doubt that their biceps are strong enough that they can litterally tear you apart if you allow them to grab you. |
| Posted by: JFM 2006-06-10 17:45 |
| #10 Spain wants to grant apes human rights -another euro idea of trying to widen the tax base |
| Posted by: Broadhead6 2006-06-10 17:43 |
| #9 JFM: Also, because the points at which muscles and tendons attach to the bone are in different places than they are in humans, they have a lot more leverage available to their muscles. |
| Posted by: Phil 2006-06-10 16:35 |
| #8 ima theenk theys more hyoomen than em jihadees. >:( |
| Posted by: muck4doo 2006-06-10 15:26 |
| #7 IIRC, most apes can also bite pretty badly, and except for gorillas, they're meat-eaters as well. Remember that RB story (in comments) about an elderly chimp owner who was mauled (lost his face, testicles, and a foot), after being attacked by a couple of his protégés during a birthday party thrown for them? |
| Posted by: anonymous5089 2006-06-10 13:45 |
| #6 I subsequently learned living in Asia that any ape/monkey that loses its fear of humans is an extremely dangerous proposition. If you think about it, a chimpanze , by spending a lot of time hanging at trees will develop incredibly powerful arms. it has also proportionally far more of its muscular mass in arms and less in legs. This an apparently harmless 70 pounds chimpanze will have arms as strong or stronger than those of a heavy weighht boxer. |
| Posted by: JFM 2006-06-10 13:35 |
| #5 I presume they will then free all apes from captivity and let them After all, freedom is a basic human right.... |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2006-06-10 12:49 |
| #4 What is in their water or sangria in Spain? Something is not right with it. |
| Posted by: 3dc 2006-06-10 11:56 |
| #3 Spain wants to grant apes human rights Having solved all other problems... |
| Posted by: Raj 2006-06-10 08:26 |
| #2 I remember going to see the Gibraltar apes. Mean, nasty animals. I subsequently learned living in Asia that any ape/monkey that loses its fear of humans is an extremely dangerous proposition. |
| Posted by: phil_b 2006-06-10 06:35 |
| #1 Apes, then dolphins, then mammals, then fish, then plants, and then we exterminate ourselves. It's the first step down a logical progression. |
| Posted by: gromky 2006-06-10 06:09 |