Yay, more debate!
I swear I only ever come to b3ta for the crudely drawn magenta cocks, but I always seem to end up throwing in my two new English pence in on this kind of thing...

It’s a lovely little discussion going on here, I just have a few points…

Firstly, thank you major general, your post calling someone a twat because they expressed an opinion you disagreed with, without forming any kind of counter argument it was as interesting as it was informative.

Secondly, I would like to congratulate enzyme on cutting through all the tedious ethical debate and discussion with regard to the morality of experimenting on chimps with his "chimps are persons" statement. Many people would have felt inclined to put the words "in my opinion" somewhere in that sentence, but mister enzyme has stuck to his guns and issued this final definitive declaration for the benefit of all persons everywhere.

And lastly, I would like once again to thank major general for his insightful comparison between 18th century slavery, modern sweatshop workers, and in vivo experimentation. I wonder if you have considered contacting UNICEF to pass on the information to children employed in sweatshops that "they are able to move, perhaps to the country to become a fisherman or something." I am sure they will find this information most useful.

I also believe "that in 100 years time or so, people will look back and say "How could people have farmed and eaten our brother animals? How could they have performed vile experiments on them?"" as this opinion is clearly that of a person well educated in these matters, and does not fail to take into account the issues of species, intelligence, and emotional development, no matter what naysayers may suggest.

But seriously, all sarcasm aside, if someone I cared about became terminally ill I would skin alive basket after basket of the cutest puppies and kittens in the world if there was a chance that it would make them better. Would you let that person die, perhaps you could explain why their life is not worth any more than a lab rat or a chimp? If so may I say, that in my opinion (see what I did there?) there is something very wrong with your value system...

Oh, don’t get me wrong by the way, it makes me sick to think of animal experimentation for cosmetic research or any other frivolous reason, I only support in vivo experimentation in the context of medical research.

God, I got awfully sarcastic and preachy there didn’t I? Do apologise for any offence, this argument just winds me up. Also apologies for spelling, I’m sure I slipped up somewhere…
(Lord of Marzipan Fact: Clouds are worse than Hitler, Mon 10 Dec 2007, 13:26, Reply)