Rights for apes, next - ban bullfighting!
Antonio, this ties in with the text that you read for today's class. I remember being surprised when reading it at the time; as I wouldn't expect a country with the track record of Spain to produce a law supporting animal rights.
In what is thought to be the first time a national legislature has granted such rights to animals, the Spanish parliament’s environmental committee voted to approve resolutions committing the country to the Great Apes Project, designed by scientists and philosophers who say that humans’ closest biological relatives also deserve rights.
The resolution, adopted with crossparty support, calls on the Government to promote the Great Apes Project internationally and ensure the protection of apes from “abuse, torture and death”. “This is a historic moment in the struggle for animal rights,” Pedro Pozas, the Spanish director of the Great Apes Project, told The Times. “It will doubtless be remembered as a key moment in the defence of our evolutionary comrades.”
Reactions to the vote were mixed. Many Spaniards were perplexed that the country should consider it a priority when the economy is slowing sharply and Spain has been rocked by violent fuel protests. Others thought it was a strange decision, given that Spain has no wild apes of its own.
In an editorial yesterday, the Madrid daily El Mundo noted that the only apes in Spain were “the ones that could cross over from Gibraltar”, and questioned why the country should become “the principal flag-bearer of the apes” cause. “With the problems that Spanish farmers and fishermen are experiencing, it is surprising that members of Congress should dedicate their efforts to trying to turn the country of bullfighting into the principal defender of the apes,” it wrote.
Spain’s conservative Popular Party also complained that the resolution sought to give animals the same rights as humans — something that the Socialist Government denies. Some critics questioned why Spain should afford legal protection from death or torture to great apes but not bulls. But Mr Pozas said that the vote would set a precedent, establishing legal rights for animals that could be extended to other species. “We are seeking to break the species barrier — we are just the point of the spear,” he said.
The resolutions will outlaw harmful experiments on great apes, though activist say that they have no knowledge of any being carried out in Spain. It will also make keeping great apes for circuses, TV commercials or filming a criminal offence.
Keeping apes in zoos will remain legal, but conditions for the 350 apes in Spanish zoos will have to improve. Animal rights activists say that 70 per cent of apes in Spanish zoos live in sub-human conditions. The philosophers Peter Singer and Paola Cavalieri founded the Great Ape Project in 1993, saying that hominids such as chimpanzees, gorillas and orang-utans should enjoy the right to life and freedom and not to be mistreated.
The ape world
— In addition to humans there are three genera of great apes: gorillas, chimpanzees and orang-utans
— The first two are confined to Africa, while the third occurs in South-East Asia
— Humans and chimps share 99 per cent of their active genetic material
— 7,300 Sumatran orang-utans remain in the wild
— The mountain gorillas of the Democratic Republic of Congo have dwindled to 700, and the Cross River gorilla is believed to number only 250
— The UN predicts that some species of great ape could be extinct within a generation
What do you think of this law? Do you think it should be extended to other animals? Or do you think there are other priorities that should be dealt with first?
Apes get legal rights in Spain, to surprise of bullfight critics
Spain is to become the first country to extend legal rights to apes, wrongfooting animal rights activists who have long campaigned against bullfighting in the country.In what is thought to be the first time a national legislature has granted such rights to animals, the Spanish parliament’s environmental committee voted to approve resolutions committing the country to the Great Apes Project, designed by scientists and philosophers who say that humans’ closest biological relatives also deserve rights.
The resolution, adopted with crossparty support, calls on the Government to promote the Great Apes Project internationally and ensure the protection of apes from “abuse, torture and death”. “This is a historic moment in the struggle for animal rights,” Pedro Pozas, the Spanish director of the Great Apes Project, told The Times. “It will doubtless be remembered as a key moment in the defence of our evolutionary comrades.”
Reactions to the vote were mixed. Many Spaniards were perplexed that the country should consider it a priority when the economy is slowing sharply and Spain has been rocked by violent fuel protests. Others thought it was a strange decision, given that Spain has no wild apes of its own.
In an editorial yesterday, the Madrid daily El Mundo noted that the only apes in Spain were “the ones that could cross over from Gibraltar”, and questioned why the country should become “the principal flag-bearer of the apes” cause. “With the problems that Spanish farmers and fishermen are experiencing, it is surprising that members of Congress should dedicate their efforts to trying to turn the country of bullfighting into the principal defender of the apes,” it wrote.
Spain’s conservative Popular Party also complained that the resolution sought to give animals the same rights as humans — something that the Socialist Government denies. Some critics questioned why Spain should afford legal protection from death or torture to great apes but not bulls. But Mr Pozas said that the vote would set a precedent, establishing legal rights for animals that could be extended to other species. “We are seeking to break the species barrier — we are just the point of the spear,” he said.
The resolutions will outlaw harmful experiments on great apes, though activist say that they have no knowledge of any being carried out in Spain. It will also make keeping great apes for circuses, TV commercials or filming a criminal offence.
Keeping apes in zoos will remain legal, but conditions for the 350 apes in Spanish zoos will have to improve. Animal rights activists say that 70 per cent of apes in Spanish zoos live in sub-human conditions. The philosophers Peter Singer and Paola Cavalieri founded the Great Ape Project in 1993, saying that hominids such as chimpanzees, gorillas and orang-utans should enjoy the right to life and freedom and not to be mistreated.
The ape world
— In addition to humans there are three genera of great apes: gorillas, chimpanzees and orang-utans
— The first two are confined to Africa, while the third occurs in South-East Asia
— Humans and chimps share 99 per cent of their active genetic material
— 7,300 Sumatran orang-utans remain in the wild
— The mountain gorillas of the Democratic Republic of Congo have dwindled to 700, and the Cross River gorilla is believed to number only 250
— The UN predicts that some species of great ape could be extinct within a generation
Source: The Times
Comments
The bullfigthing is a different problem, because it is a Popular Party. In general, is very difficult to change a law against a Popular Party in any country. There are many people against the bullfigthing, but there are more in favor, above all adults and old people. Perhaps, the situacion change in some years, but not now.
The bullfigthing is an old tradition of our country, and I think is necessary to keep it, but isn´t necessary to kill bulls. I don´t know if this measure will be possible.
Let's pretend that "hello" with a "w" was a typing mistake! LOL
It´s interesting because our country would be A pioneer in GIVING legal rights to APES.However, I think there isn´t ANY agreement ON this matter between the two more important political parties in the Spanish Parliament.
For the time being, it´s only a proposition with a lot of diFFiculties to be *OVERCOME. ANYWAY, we SHOULD be very grateful for the idea.
*if you overcome a problem you succeed in dealing with it
I hope that the two main parties can put aside their differences for once and agree on a whole range of laws that give animals rights.
See you later, Antonio!
BULLFIGHTING is a different problem, because it is a (3)POPULAR TRADITION. In general, IT is very difficult to change a law, that has been a tradition for many years, in any country.
There are many people against BULLFIGHTING, but there are more in favor, above all adults and old people. Perhaps(4), the situaTion WILL change in SOME YEARS TIME, but not now.
BullfigHTing is an old tradition of our country, and I THINK IT is necessary to keep it, but IT isn´t necessary to kill THE bulls. I don´t know if this measure will be possible.
You seem to repeat mistakes that you have made in previous posts.
You need to practice the use of the definite article ("the"). There are some exercises in the Grammar section.
Remember that when speaking generally, we don't use the definite article. When we are talking specifically we use "the".
Compare these two sentences:
I love Italian food.
I love the food in that restaurant.
You also fail to use subjects when they are needed. Look at these sentences:
I THINK IT is a bad idea. ( NOT: I think is a bad idea)
I like her BECAUSE SHE is really friendly. (NOT: I like her because is really friendly)
I phoned you BUT YOU didn't answer (NOT: I phoned you but didn't answer)
(1)haven't got = don't have (but NOT: "haven't" without "got")
(2) You speak English very well = Your English is very good (well = adverb, good = adjective)
(3)The Popular Party in the article is the political party ie the PP. Don't confuse a party (where you dance and drink) and a public holiday (when you don't work).
(4) Perhaps it'll change = It might change.
I agree with you that it is difficult to outlaw long-established traditions. However, I reject the arguement that just because something is a tradition, it should continue in the same way.
See you tomorrow. We can go over some of the problems that have appeared here, then.