While we are indeed emotional whores, we're also VERY xenophobic as a rule.

People didn't all hate black people back in the slavery days, some would probably consider their slaves as being part of the family, just a family where everyone has their function. Emotional attachment is one thing, giving up control over something is something totally different.

While a lot of people feel a bit of attachment towards their computer, how many don't feel anger when it crashes ? Dogs and fluffy animals might be the exception here, but they're *cute*. Most of us still don't see anything wrong with training them until they totally obey us. And we love them for that. But do we love disobedient dogs ? Most would argue (and indeed have already) that only screwballs threat their dogs like children, we like our pets to do our will.

Now, translate this to androids. We will probably grow attached to them, but the question is how natural we will consider it to give them equal rights ?

History would tell us: No. We have always tried to oppress different groups and only after a long time do we grant them equal rights. Look at how natural gay stigmatisation still feels these days (not even talking about gay marriage just that homosexuality still has a relatively negative connotation which is more often then not fed by the media).

On the other hand: we are more open and less conservative (in the non political sense, as far as that's possible), gay rights have become an accepted issue in large parts of the western world, women having equal rights is seen as natural by most etc. At the very least I see people willing to 'free the androids' from the get-go. They probably won't have too much support in the early days, but given 20-50years, they might win the fight (peacefully).