TMI Show Ep 158: “Happy in the Bronx”

Today on “The TMI Show with Ted Rall and Manila Chan, we’re exploring animal rights. Should animals be granted legal status? If so, which animals and why? The “Happy the Elephant” lawsuit, launched by the Nonhuman Rights Project, fought for Happy, an Asian elephant at the Bronx Zoo since 1977. Living alone since 2006, Happy’s self-awareness—proven by passing a mirror test—sparked the NhRP’s habeas corpus petition, demanding that she receive legal personhood and be transfered to a sanctuary where she would be, well, happier. They argued that her isolation and cramped space were unlawful imprisonment. The Bronx Zoo fought back, insisting Happy is well-cared-for and not alone, calling the suit a stunt. Courts, including New York’s highest in 2022, rejected Happy’s claim, ruling that habeas corpus is for humans only, though dissenters pushed for Happy’s rights. Is animal personhood a legitimate civil rights movement, or a slippery slope? Elephants’ established intelligence—tool use, epic memory, empathy—fuel the debate, alongside landmark cases like Sandra the Orangutan’s. Don’t miss this deep dive into animal rights and legal limits!

Plus:

Today’s Loving Day celebrates the 1967 Supreme Court ruling legalizing interracial marriage, sparked by Richard and Mildred Loving’s fight.

An Air India flight crash in Ahmedabad kills hundreds, including students, after hitting a medical college dining hall. It’s a Boeing 787.

Israel is gearing up for a potential Iran strike, risking Middle East chaos and Trump’s nuclear deal.