The beginning of the end for species-ism in Spain? I am not making this up:
Spanish apes are one step closer to receiving the same [rights] to life and freedom humans have.
The environmental committee of Spain’s parliament approved resolutions that urge the European country to comply with the Great Apes Project — a plan developed by philosophers and scientists who say the animals deserve the same rights as their closest genetic relatives, the Reuters news agency reported.
UPDATE: Stephen Green thinks that European-style human rights isn’t much of an aspiration for the apes:
Try looking at it this way. Your average EU country doesn’t really recognize individual rights; there are just some facets of human existence Brussels hasn’t gotten around yet to regulating fully. So why not give “rights” to chimps? It’s not like they’ll gain much, when half or more of Europe is already one very posh, very nice zoological garden where people are kept on display in a semi-natural state.
Heck, Madrid, or even Brussels, could extend the franchise to dogs who think they’re people, at it wouldn’t make one bit of difference to how the place is governed.
UPDATE (7/14): The NYT picks up the story. (Via Instapundit.)
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