Can chimps sue their human researchers? Court says no

[C C]

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news...ft03a-1la1

EXCERPT: Chimpanzees are not legal persons who have a right to be free, a New York state appeals said in a ruling Thursday that denied a request to move two captive apes to a sanctuary. The unanimous decision was another setback for the Nonhuman Rights Project, a group that for several years has sought to persuade New York courts to grant writs of habeas corpus to chimpanzees. A court that agreed would be allowing the animals to challenge the legality of their “detention” — like human prisoners can do — and would also be acknowledging that the apes are not things but rather are legal persons entitled to bodily liberty....

[RainbowUnicorn]

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news...ft03a-1la1

EXCERPT: Chimpanzees are not legal persons who have a right to be free, a New York state appeals said in a ruling Thursday that denied a request to move two captive apes to a sanctuary. The unanimous decision was another setback for the Nonhuman Rights Project, a group that for several years has sought to persuade New York courts to grant writs of habeas corpus to chimpanzees. A court that agreed would be allowing the animals to challenge the legality of their “detention” — like human prisoners can do — and would also be acknowledging that the apes are not things but rather are legal persons entitled to bodily liberty....

Nonhuman Rights Project, a group that for several years has sought to persuade New York courts

"persuade " with what ?

[C C]

The impetus of a social rights movement (or any kind, for that matter) may bear resemblance to the momentum of a government bureaucracy. With regard to the latter, a legislative act and the managing department for it may sometimes only be temporarily introduced to regulate and solve a problem or imbalance. But once created the agency wants to stay "alive" indefinitely - its members want continued employment. So a formula / pattern of focusing on and engineering ever and ever more specific degrees of "why the _X_ issue must still be treated" or "many will suffer as a consequence" or "uncovering new dimensions to be addressed in its territory" is taken up to keep from being closed down.

Similarly, even if a social crusade has levels of widely distributed, unpaid volunteers in addition to the funded organization at the top -- maintaining a "purpose" and keeping the "club fellowship" going becomes addictive. Adaptive movements branch from the old or the latter becomes mutable.

New fringe groups and frontiers must be sought to advocate (and new menaces / enemies exposed). Whether over time they be human, animal, robot, space alien, mineral, vegetable. Legal proceedings schemes may be ignited and opportunistic experts / wonks of various fields are recruited to publish papers and provide support for substantiating previously neglected or unperceived / unconceived difficulties, injustices, and areas ripe for rehabilitation. As well as refining more bruises yet to heal in the currently active and traditional interests.

In the course of such, a spectrum ranging from fully warranted deliverance to middling to mad and trivial campaigns of salvation are concocted and endorsed. Their success depending upon garnering the notice of entertainment celebrities and how much of the shrinking bourgeoisie and skill / labor class is left and out of debt to offer aid. And to what extent their awareness and conscience can be expanded / aroused to be concerned about stepping on the ants in the backyard, as opposed to the narrow circle of their own personal, daily miseries and dramas.

- - -