Chimps are not humans. Do we want them to be a "people" the way some Native tribes consider all animals to be a "people?" Are we going to have Wolf people, Bear people, or Rat people?? Where does it end?
I agree that we should not abuse other species, but we are not yet evolved enough to stop that behavior as a species. Perhaps we need to start educating humans on animal behavior?
Animals aren't stupid. Some like to downgrade all that they do to instinct and being "instinctively wise." If they are merely programmed by DNA and not "smart" then neither are we, becuase we are animals too. Our entire view of other life must evolve if we are to make another leap.
Chimps and Gorrillas paint, learn sign language, mourn their loved ones, remember being captured by poachers, adopt other animals, ect. Dolphins play and learn and have been shown to not only memorize words, but they can use abstract reasoning to "theorize" and solve problems. There are also some dogs who can do the same, they don't just memorize things for a snack, they think ahead.
I remember reading a story about a chimp or gorilla who was not an alpha male. This guy learned,somehow, that the other males were afraid of trash cans. He couldn't physically beat the Alphas, so he used his brain and scared them by kicking the trash cans around. Now he gets all the ladies..yeah baby!!
As humans we are deficient when it comes to communicating with the other intelligent species on our planet. We can do better. We can start showing some respect to the other "people" who have earned their right to be here.
DD
