Cetacean Citizens

Status

Since pre-space times, the higher cetaceans of Earth have been recognised as having full sentient rights, and are socially and legally equivalent to humans. This recognition continues to be held in all human polities that derive their legal and sentient rights legislation from ancient Earth statutes.

Politics

Since 2685, when a communication protocol was established, they have had the right of representation in the Earth Empire Senate, though they seldom attend - usually suggesting that they have "..more significant life-things to exercise..." (direct translation of cetacean thought processes and philosophical constructs is still difficult).
The current Earth Cetacean Senators include Rikkitttichikiti from the Eastern Pacific Higherpod, and Wooooooowaaaaark of the Southern Oceanic whale reservation.

Population

The main centres of higher cetacean population are below (approximately - cetaceans have trouble making sense of the concept of 'census'):
Earth 11.6 million
Nasa 2 million
Glenn 1.2 million
Mir 1.1 million
New Luna 2.1 million
Europ 0.9 million
Lotus 0.4 million
Sirius 1.3 million
Wolf359 0.2 million
New Mars 2.2 million
Agama 1.8 million
Jabneh 0.2 million
Disney World 3.1 million

Outside of Earth, the main species representing Higher Cetaceans are the dolphins as whales do not like interstellar travel.

Contribution to society

Cetacean philosophers have contributed to a range of useful (to humans) debates, particularly on the nature of alien intelligence, and communicating with aliens. A number are working on decoding Boldly Go Alien language (see Boldly Go Operation).
In particular, the cetaceans are highly creative, and work in a wide range of creative endevours - in the arts, music, drama (though dolphin dramas tend to descend into slapstick quite quickly) and visual arts.