One-third of Americans think animals should have the same rights as people

That figure comes from a Gallup poll released Tuesday in which 32 percent of Americans said animals deserve "the exact same rights as people to be free from harm and exploitation." Sixty-two percent said animals deserve "some" protection but could still be used for the benefit of humans.

Meanwhile, in a Gallup poll from 2012, only five percent of Americans said they were vegetarians. Meaning, either a bunch of people aren't sure what they believe, or a bunch of people think human rights do not include a protection against being eaten. Put a more Orwellian way, the latter explanation essentially amounts to a belief that all animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.

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