i'm not sure you know what i mean by actively participating.
for instance it makes sense to protect people from abuse because it promotes social cohesion. homeless people aren't exempt from this. if they abuse someone they are accountable and if they are abused their abuser is accountable. this is what i mean by participation. participants are afforded protection/rights in exchange for their not violating the rights of others. if they are severely mentally handicapped in a way that makes them unable to meet these requirements then they are likely to be committed to an institution, which is essentially stripping them of many of the rights normal members of society enjoy. animals aren't a part of this because no action by an animal can be taken as a serious transgression to society. they can't abide by any of our restrictions voluntarily so there is really no benefit in trying to afford them rights or protections, other than to protect the conscious of other humans.
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