Should Chimps Have Human Rights?
A Brazilian court has already issued a [a href="http://www.wesleyjsmith.com/blog/2005/11/chimp-becomes-litigant-granted-habeas.html"]writ of habeas corpus in the name of a chimp[/a]. And now an Austrian court may well [a href="http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,2047459,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=12"]decide that a chimpanzee is a 'person'[/a] with what [a href="http://www.newscientist.com/blog/shortsharpscience/2007/03/great-ape-on-trial.html?DCMP=Matt_Sparkes&nsref=chimp"]up until now[/a] have been called human rights."
From the story in the Guardian/Observer:
"He recognizes himself in the mirror, plays hide-and-seek and breaks into fits of giggles when tickled. He is also our closest evolutionary cousin. A group of world leading primatologists argue that this is proof enough that Hiasl, a 26-year-old chimpanzee, deserves to be treated like a human. In a test case in Austria, campaigners are seeking to ditch the 'species barrier' and have taken Hiasl's case to court. If Hiasl is granted human status — and the rights that go with it — it will signal a victory for other primate species and unleash a wave of similar cases." [hr style="width: 100%; height: 2px;"]
This is especially ironic to me because not long ago certain "leader of the free world" took away its citizens' habeas-corpus provision.
