PETA Suit: SeaWorld Whales Are 'Slaves'

[The Straight Story]

PETA Suit: SeaWorld Whales Are 'Slaves'

ORLANDO, Fla. -- A federal court is being asked to grant constitutional rights to five killer whales who perform at marine parks -- an unprecedented and perhaps quixotic legal action that is nonetheless likely to stoke an ongoing, intense debate at America's law schools over expansion of animal rights.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is accusing the SeaWorld parks of keeping five star-performer whales in conditions that violate the 13th Amendment ban on slavery. SeaWorld depicted the suit as baseless.

The chances of the suit succeeding are slim, according to legal experts not involved in the case; any judge who hews to the original intent of the authors of the amendment is unlikely to find that they wanted to protect animals. But PETA relishes engaging in the court of public opinion, as evidenced by its provocative anti-fur and pro-vegan campaigns.

The suit, which PETA says it will file Wednesday in U.S. District Court in San Diego, hinges on the fact that the 13th Amendment, while prohibiting slavery and involuntary servitude, does not specify that only humans can be victims.

http://www.clickorlando.com/news/29588940/detail.html

[Cirque du So-What]

1. My cat is taking notes and interviewing lawyers

Will be hard for her to prove in court that she 'performs,' however.

[Nye Bevan]

11. A cat? My guess is that *you* are the slave (nt)

[Cirque du So-What]

15. By gar, you're right!

I'm an animal too! I won't stand for being my cat's slave any longer!

[Manifestor_of_Light]

2. Fascinating.

I like to see new theories pop up in lawsuits about protected groups.

When I was in law school, from 1980-1985, nobody talked about gay rights or gay marriage.

Times change and new protected classes pop up.

[badtoworse]

3. PETA also wanted ice cream made from breast milk instead of cow's milk

Nothing they do surprises me.

[Drale]

4. PETA's action hurts the animals rights movement more then it ever helps. /nt

[ZombieHorde]

5. Corporations have been declared people; declaring animals people doesn't seem as far fetched. nt

[leftyladyfrommo]

6. PETA would rather see them euthanized.

They believe in better dead than living like that.

[Ignis]

9. Link, please?

[krispos42]

7. Orcas are not "human beings"

Noun
slavery (plural slaveries)

1. An institution or social practice of owning human beings as property, especially for use as forced laborers.
   
2. A condition of servitude endured by a slave.
   
3. (figuratively) A condition in which one is captivated or subjugated, as by greed or drugs.

If orcas were non-human intelligence, then they would be "people", although not human beings, which is probably enough because after all, corporations are "people" too, and they have rights.

[AngkorWot]

8. Don't they disbar lawyers over shit like this?

I'm thinking of the birthers, for example, or the guy who was always suing video games.

[Bladian]

10. Jack Thompson.

I hate that guy.

[Bake]

14. Not usually disbarment, but it does violate Rule 11 of the FRCP

And the corresponding rule in virtually every state jurisdiction.

The lawyer can be sanctioned by the court, which leaves the door open. Most likely, the case will be dismissed and PETA could be ordered to pay Sea World's attorney fees and costs. The court could also impose a fine on the lawyer that filed the crap.

Bake

[flvegan]

12. Glad I'm not late to the show.

:popcorn:

[Nye Bevan]

13. PETA is just totally nuts.

Even though I am a meat eater, I would respect them if they focused on stuff like humane treatment of farm animals and laboratory animals.

[justiceischeap]

16. One could argue there is no such thing as humane treatment

for factory farmed animals or laboratory animals. How can you humanely torture a lab animal? They do advocate for humane slaughter of factory farmed animals.