What do elephants have to do with human babies? Do elephants and other animals deserve as much concern as a human being? Today's commentary addresses a recent article in which some people seem to think so. Read on for Judie Brown's insights.
A headline caught my eye recently. It read, "Why Elephants Require Legal Personhood," and was written by Steve Wise, the president of the Center for the Expansion of Fundamental Rights. He was expressing his concern over a zoo's treatment of three Asian elephants — Billy, Tina, and Jewel. According to a lawsuit, these elephants seem to be routinely abused, as everything about their habitat and those caring for them is anything but good for the elephants.
While I agree with the concerns that should be expressed for any animal that appears to be abused by those caring for it, there is a line that must be drawn when it comes to personhood — a category of identity that refers to human beings. Among those who have made the point eloquently is Nancy Flanders, who wrote, "A 'human being' is defined as 'any individual of the genus Homo, especially a member of the species Homo sapiens; a person, especially as distinguished from other animals or as representing the human species.' There isn't a definition of 'human being' that excludes the unborn."
And that's the point. The culture of death would argue that the term should refer to only those who are born. Yet, the fact is that common sense would take issue with this kind of discriminatory segregation, for it sets aside an entire class of humans and alleges that they are less than equal to the rest of us. Cont. Reading
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