VOA慢速英語：紐約法院裁定大象不是人

VOA慢速英語：紐約法院裁定大象不是人

Happy the elephant may be intelligent and worthy of our care, but she cannot be considered a person, New Yorks top court ruled on Tuesday.
紐約最高法院周二裁定，大象Happy可能很聰明，值得我們照顧，但它不能被視為一個人。
 
The closely watched legal case involved the Nonhuman Rights Project, NRP, and the Bronx Zoo.
這起備受關注的法律案件雙方為非人權項目(NRP)和布朗克斯動物園。
 
Supporters at the Nonhuman Rights Project said Happy is an independent being with complex thinking abilities.They wanted her moved from what they say is a prison-like space she lives in at the zoo.They argued that she should have that right under law as "a person."
非人權項目的支持者說，Happy是一個獨立的人，具有復雜的思維能力。他們說Happy在動物園里住的地方像監(jiān)獄一樣，希望她能搬出來。他們還爭辯說，根據法律，她應該作為一個“人”享有這一權利。
 
The Bronx Zoo, where Happy lives, argued Happy is neither illegally imprisoned nor a person.The zoo and its supporters warned that a win for the Nonhuman Rights Projectcould open the door to more legal actions on behalf of animals, including pets, farm animals and other animals in zoos.
Happy居住的布朗克斯動物園辯稱，Happy既沒有被非法監(jiān)禁，也不是人。動物園及其支持者警告說，非人權項目的勝利可能會為動物(包括寵物、農場動物和動物園中的其他動物)提起更多法律訴訟打開大門。
 
In a 5 to 2 decision, New Yorks Court of Appeals agreed with the Bronx Zoos argument.
最終結果5比2，紐約上訴法院判定布朗克斯動物園獲勝。
 
The courts majority said the law to protect the liberty of human beings does not apply to a nonhuman animal like Happy.The majority added that giving Happy the right to dispute her place in the zoo would have a major "destabilizing impact on modern society."
最高法院的多數人表示，保護人類自由的法律不適用于像Happy這樣的非人類動物。并且，讓Happy有權對她在動物園的住所提出異議，將會對現代社會產生重大的破壞穩(wěn)定的影響。
 
Two judges on the high court disagreed with the majority.They wrote that being an animal does not prevent Happy from having legal rights.They called her captivity "unjust and inhumane."
高等法院的另外兩名法官對此有不同觀點。他們寫道，身為動物并不妨礙Happy享有合法權利，他們稱她被囚禁是“不公正和不人道的”。
 
The ruling from New Yorks highest court cannot be appealed.The Nonhuman Rights Project has failed in similar cases, including those involving a chimpanzee in upstate New York named Tommy.
紐約最高法院的裁決不能上訴。非人權項目在類似的案件中失敗了，包括涉及紐約州北部一只名叫Tommy的黑猩猩的案件。
 
Steven Wise is the groups founder.He said, "We will take a really close look at why we lost, and well try to make sure that that doesnt happen again to the extent that we can."
史蒂文·懷斯是該項目的創(chuàng)始人。他說：“我們會認真研究輸掉的原因，并盡可能確保這種情況不會再次發(fā)生。”
 
Happy was born in the wild in Asia in the early 1970s.She was captured and brought as a 1-year-old to the United States.She arrived at the Bronx Zoo in 1977.
Happy上世紀70年代初出生在亞洲的野外，她在1歲時被捕并被帶到美國，于1977年來到布朗克斯動物園。
 
Im Dan Friedell.
丹·弗里德爾報道。