The Great Ape Project is an organization dedicated to extending protections like life, liberty and freedom from torture to non-human apes. You can read about it here.
OK, that's a fairly complicated and controversial issue. Here's their website. I'm not really sure how I feel about it. I can't argue with most of the principles. But then again, I'm not pro-torture, imprison or kill tigers, elephants, marmosets and a lot of other animals. Does extending a gorilla these rights because they are more like us diminish the rights of say, an aardvark? And, of course there are a host of hidden legal implications.
I found an article from Laura Echevarria from LifeNews. Great. I thought it would be interesting to see the issue through the eyes of a member of an anti-abortion group. This is what got me reading about this in the first place. The author doesn't exactly wow me with her powers of persuasion (which consists of calling the whole notion "hogwash").
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I don't agree with your hesitation about the goals of the Great Ape Project. I understand your concerns that such advocacy for apes may hurt the standing of other animals, but I see this in a different light.
I think that extending freedoms from torture and abuse for apes is a FIRST step into extending such rights for other animals. It is much easier for humans to relate to apes because we are so closely related than for them to relate to an aardvark. Apes are the easier and more logical starting point.
Of course, there will be resistance. What does this mean to the animal research industry which experiments on animals such as chimpanzees? What about the cosmetics and cleaning industries? What about the PET FOOD and PET DRUG industry that experiments on animals before it even sells this stuff to other animals (there's an irony!) And, of course, our good friend the agriculture industry? Is slicing open a chicken while it's still alive torture? Maybe, but we have to keep that assembly line moving! Profit, folks, profit!
Have you heard about the attempted legislation in Spain to obtain human rights for apes? Interesting, although I'd like to see them reform the bullfighting industry first.
Thanks for the article!
Ana
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