New York judges are weighing in on whether a 51-year-old elephant, known as Happy, is entitled to the same rights as humans as activists claim she is self-aware and autonomous. NBC News’ Danny Cevallos explains that if Happy were to be ruled a person, she would be considered unlawfully imprisoned at the Bronx Zoo.
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This is what happens when you let Liberals make any decisions. You would think there are more important things going on
Wouldn't an elephant deserve an open plain with grass and trees, instead of being in prison.
This is completely bull sh!t! I have nothing against animals or elephants. But they do this, then they gonna argue about the food we eat being people
If Corporations are allowed to be an INDIVIDUAL, which makes them serial sociopathic… then YES!
HAPPY HAS RIGHTS!
This is ridiculous
personally, Personality is what it takes to gave personhood.
Elephant space at Bronx Zoo is in need of a big upgrade, no doubt, Happy should continue to live there with her caretakers in her later years unless there is a sanctuary of reknown able to care of Happy into the future.
First world problems. What a waste of time.
If she is granted the same rights as a human and is let out of the zoo she will become homeless right?
Ok so is this 51 year old elephant going to pay taxes like all other "people"?
What a waste of time
Humans have destroyed so much habitat from animals, unfortunately zoo's are the only place we can preserve some species.
Resembles Stacey Abrams
Yes the elephant should have these rights. Because of the elephants intelligence what the Bronx Zoo is doing is animal cruelty and should be prosecuted and held accountable for their crimes. 👁
Elephant in the zoo is a person .
Baby in mothers womb is not a person.
Humanity is doomed…..
By that standard all pets would be illegal.
Only in USA!
I think Happy deserves to be at a sanctuary. These animals have emotions so close to human emotions. The zoo is just worried about $$$$$$.
The state of America today an elephant is an animal just like we are an animal treat the animal with respect that's all I have to say are they the same as humans ..Depends on the subject ..All animals have the right to live and be happy and live their lives the way they were naturally intended know if this elephant was born in captivity there's no way it should be placed in wild.. Find a good place for it I don't even know what the problem is aboutMain reason because the commercials is still playing..For a good four minute now and I'm done with this channel
Awarding animals 'personhood' is a very bad idea, as it will lead to their exploitation by various groups 'speaking for them' to further their own agendas, like whats being done now with Happy. Imo, unless and until the animal can clearly communicate its position on a given issue, without the aid of any human, they should be cared for by humans who are held responsible for their health and welfare based on scientific and known principles.
Rights are a purely human cultural conceit, and unless clearly understood and communicated, can be dreadfully misapplied.
Animals don't have rights….but we as humans most certainly have responsibilities.
You have to admit a elapant has more sense than most people in the media do today 😂😆😂😆😂😆
Didn't god give mankind dominion over the animals on page one of the bible? Don't we swear "so help me god" in the courtrooms? Isn't this "One nation, under god" doesn't it say "in god we trust" right on the money? Doesn't our Declaration of Independence say that thier creator endowed men (not elephants) with certain rights? Isn't that god the god of Abraham not the god of Dumbo? ………. Doesn't this argument seem insensitive, naive, unsympathetic, ridiculous, pathetic, inane, childish, ignorant and inhumane?
Maybe an elephant can vote in the midterms; probably republican!
No it can’t. It’s an animal. You can put makeup on a pig it’s still a pig.
Atty Danny Cevallos is making stupid arguments, i.e., raising outlandish questions, and IMO, he’s both dumb and insensitive. Why don’t you put him and Lawrence Tribe, Republican Constitutional lawyer, on a debate platform and see who makes sense?
Cevallos is also lazy. He’s delivering an opinion without having done any research on the biology, psychology, culture, language, etc. of elephants.
Yuck. People like him nauseate me.
Humans treat animals horrifically, EVERY day. And we don't care. I bet that half the commenters here had factory farmed chicken or pig for breakfast. …I remember going to the Chicago Zoo, and being sooo upset by the pace marks on the ground, and seeing the animals' stress and boredom. Humans are selfish af.
Write the Bronx Zoo if you give a f*ck, and think sentient, beautiful animals like Happy deserve happiness.
Out of all creatures…80% of all humans (basically the whole species) have the LEAST ability to feel compassion and remourse. It is HUMANS that need to be kept in a cage.
Happy’s lawyer here! 👩🏻💼🏛🐘 Just to be clear, we are not seeking human rights, or even “personhood rights” for Happy! We are seeking the sole common law right to bodily liberty protected by habeas corpus so she can roam free with other elephants on thousands of acres of rolling hills rather than in tiny lonely enclosure at the zoo. The common law is flexible judge made law (not the constitution or statue)and must account for the science and wisdom of the day. Happy is scientifically proven to be autonomous and it is proven elephants suffer an immense deprivation of their autonomy in zoo environments. We don’t have this level scientific evidence for other species. The legislature won’t let us touch the agricultural industry so there’s no slippery slope there. #freehappy #protectautonomy
Happy wants to be happy
Pretty sure this isn't about the elephant. And pretty sure they hope the court does decide in favor of the Bronx Zoo. I hope they do, too. Because then that shows that not all living creatures, creatures with a heartbeat, can be considered "persons" and thereby have human rights.
worst journalist ever. THEY WERE CLEAR IN COURT that they are not asking for EQUAL RIghts
what kind of crazy activist wasting money on an elephant
Yes.
That elephant is more intelligent than 43% of Americans!
F. C. K. I. N. G. Torture FREE HAPPY
The elephants got American human rights faster than black people 🤣
What about cockroaches? Can killing them be considered inhumane? Anyone, Pls enlighten me?
Ok, so now animals are humans got it. So, don't put humans in a facility for calling themselves horses LOL
Aren’t the words human and person synonyms?
Poor happy. All the children gather 4 crying protest. 😢
If a man can tell me he's more woman than me, Happy can be person 🤷🏾♀️🤣🤦🏾♀️
The police ready to arrest her for public indecency