TV Schedule

Spain set to give apes 'human rights'

  2. mattbrawn
  3. related topics
Spain's parliament are reportedly all set to pass a new law that will see the right to life and freedom being granted to apes. If passed, the first-of-its kind legislation will make it illegal for apes to be kept for experiments, circuses, TV commercials and filming.

A great day for Ape rights, not so good for Bubbles' TV career...
mattbrawn

48 responses // Spain set to give apes 'human rights'

  • http://aisadesign.net/wp-content/uploads/2006/05/charli...
    So which part of this would be illegal ? the smoking or the television spot?
    BenDorries
  • NO! Has no one seen Planet of the Apes?!? We DO NOT want to give them these rights!!!
    Thargor19
    1 response to this
  • Ha, this is cool and all, but can me make sure, you know, all humans have human rights?
    AreOh
    1 response to this
  • I want to move there so I'll be able to have a chimp as a friend.
    cerealforeal
  • That's pretty cool. Inclusion is a sign of an enlightened society.

    Of course, that brings up the point...if they have a right to freedom, what about zoos holding them?
    PoisonTheMonkey
  • http://www.greatapeproject.org/
    This is a really significant step! For all of you who want more information on the philosophy behind it all, visit the Great Ape Project website!
    JanaPokana
    1 response to this
  • It begs the question of what is it to be human and if we are special.

    I think that we are.

    Apes don't have the same capacity for language or building or anything else.

    They are decidedly not human.
    PatrickEdwardMurray
    4 responses to this
  • Of course we do also have the obligation to look out for them as we do for all living things that are creations of God.
    PatrickEdwardMurray
    1 response to this
  • Looks like Spain has lowered itself to pandering to the ape vote.

    Sad.
    Disable
  • http://www.comedycentral.com/colbertreport/videos.jhtml...
    It gives them their shot to take N. Korea's place in the Axis of Evil, That's hitting the big time in recognition
    Argon18
  • This is great.

    It amazes me when I see how forward thinking other countries can be.

    It amazes me further that at the same time some countries still don't even give equal rights to gay people.

    Crazy world.

    http://www.cuddlethis.com
    iloveravi
  • Q: What seperates us from the animals?
    A: We "think" we're not animals!

    This would be truly progressive, and it might mean that we are closer to knowing what this planet is about. This is "The Planet", not "Our Planet".

    Viva Cornelius!
    PajamaDan
  • I have so many questions. I can understand giving apes rights in the respect to their treatment, but who determines the limits of this? Many of them have no way of communicating advanced ideas about their rights and honestly, they aren't always going to know whats best for them. Are all apes living in zoos and in captivity going to be released now? What if they can't physically survive in the wild because they've never been there? How do they know that the apes want to be released? Maybe they love their trainers or keepers and don't really want to leave? Do they just ask them? What if the ape can't understand?

    And does this mean that all animals will have human rights soon? Will fish have the right to not be caught and eaten? Will cows or goats or chickens have the right to not be bought or sold? Will dogs have the right to not be neuterd or spaid?

    I dont understand this.
    squidteeth
    3 responses to this
  • wait apes can have normal human rights but unborn babies can't? flawed logic at it's best
    kewal91
    7 responses to this
  • How about giving humans 'human rights' first?
    merasyad
    5 responses to this
  • I just checked out the website: http://www.greatapeproject.org/

    Very cool!
    jefftego
  • We hardly even give humans, a human right. This whole thing is a joke. Sorry. Humans are animals, but we are the dominant ones.
    ctrl_alt_del
  • No offense to Spain at all, but gays don't have human rights in some countries, but apes do?

    To all the other countries out there, FOLLOW SPAIN'S LEAD, they have gay marriage and full right for them, now they are going to give it to apes.

    It can't be that bad to let gays have human rights. Spain's civilization isn't crumbling around them.
    jubal
    1 response to this
  • Just a question.
    Would a homosexual ape have these rights as well?
    Chemical_Imagination
  • This is a joke.

    What are they going to do give rights to Dolphins and Whales? They can be just as smart if not smarter than furry five fingered, banana eating, flea infested, big eared, smell animals.

    It's okay to club a seal but not okay to get a monkey to work in a movie.

    Alright.....nothing like being worthless in law making like that....maybe this is far more important than them solving the cries of high gas prices by their own people...who knows. Right?
    J_Jammer
  • Some monkeys have been taught thousands of words from American Sign Language and have used them to create elaborate sentences and thoughts expressions which demonstrate their ability to understand time, emotion, their existence and well-being, and the ability to plan and care for others. And if they don't know ASL, they communicate with one another in their own language of sounds and physical communication, much like humans do (and most animals). They've also been proven to use tools and complex problem solving skills. All that aside, it is not their capacity to think or say things the way "we" do that makes them worthy of rights, but it is whether or not they have the ability to feel pain and joy and have a substantial interest in determining their own destiny. I have to ask anyone who suggests that monkeys are not "smart enough" or don't use "language" enough to have rights: are you suggesting that people who cannot think at higher levels or communicate effectively do no deserve rights? We should elevate those below us to our level, but NEVER take a person's rights away.

    Elevating those below us who are weaker to our level does not bring us down, instead, it raises us all together.
    Colonial_Zombie
  • Just a reminder, kids, APES ARE NOT MONKEYS!
    Monkeys have tails, are generally smaller, and generally spend most of their lives in trees.
    This is a giant misconception.
    CHIMPANZEES AND GORILLAS ARE NOT MONKEYS! They are apes, like you and me.

    LIKE YOU AND ME.
    PajamaDan
  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJM4EBuL82o
    always liked this
    Rjc808
  • Colonel_Zombie,

    Kindly remember that YOU WERE (as we all were) a fetus once too...

    Your parents obviously didn't think that you were

    "JUST a fetus" now did they?
    PatrickEdwardMurray

Add your response

Login/Registration is required to add a response.