Being a Tuesday I was, of course, joined by Margaret Mills and her subject this week was the renowned author of such books as ROBINSON CRUSOE and MOLL FLANDERS, Daniel Defoe.
You can listen here to what Margaret told me about this author and his Essex connections: –
In addition to the works of fiction and many other writings, he also penned a book about a tour he undertook in 1724 of the whole of the UK, much of which describes what our county was like at that time.
Although Margaret mentions that Daniel Defoe was not keen on Tilbury, she did not mention that he had actually established a brickworks there, and indeed lived in the area for a while.
Prolific writer, he may have been, but in the world of business, he was less successful, and was often in serious debt, thereby consequently ending up behind bars.
On today’s programme we also looked at a case currently being heard by justices in the USA.
In the US there exists a long-held legal process which allows prisoners to dispute their detention.
So now a group of animal rights campaigners are attempting to use that law to seek freedom for a number of elephants – Missy, Kimba, Lucky, LouLou, and Jambo – currently residing in Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado.
The group asserts that the animals, born in the wild in Africa, are showing signs of brain damage because the zoo is essentially a prison for such intelligent and social creatures, who in the wild are known to roam for miles a day.
As such they want the animals released to one of the two accredited elephant sanctuaries in the United States because the group agrees that they could not now live the wild.
In defence of their position, The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo claims that moving the elephants, and potentially placing them with new animals would be cruel at their age, possibly causing unnecessary stress.
It adds that the elephants aren’t used to being in larger herds and, probably don’t have the skills or desire to join one.
During the hearing, the group’s lawyer, Jake Davis, urged the justices to focus on the five “individuals” he represents. and asked them to rule that the elephants can pursue a habeas corpus petition and send the case back to a lower court, which would consider the petition and decide if the animals should leave the zoo.
He added that domesticated animals like dogs, which are familiar with lounging on the couch, are in a very different category to wild animals.
Justice Maria Berkenkotter said Davis had “beautifully and painfully” described the elephants’ rocking behaviour, which the group says shows distress. and Chief Justice Monica Marquez pressed the zoo’s attorney on a main point made by the animal rights group — that the right to habeas corpus has been extended over the years, such as to enslaved people and women in abusive marriages.
Of course those extensions were made to human beings, countered John Suthers, a former U.S. attorney and Colorado attorney general who represented the zoo.
The justices will issue a ruling in the coming weeks or months.
I guess we’ll just have to await that outcome.
I very much hoper to see you again next week,
Scott
