The Witness Documentary

Animal Rights Explored

by Shakira Croce

Tuesday February 7, 2006

During life’s journey, one discovers a handful of highly motivated individuals possessing an intense desire to continually better the world in which they live. The poignantly powerful documentary The Witness follows one such individual.

On the evening of Jan. 25, Sarah Lawrence students gathered in the Heimbold auditorium to bear witness to this documentary and engage in discussion with animal rights activist Eddie Lama about his "change in perception" and journey towards a compassionate lifestyle.

In this award-winning documentary, directed by Jenny Stein and produced by James LaVeck of Tribe of Heart, Lama captivates his audience completely by immersing them in his journey from having an aversion towards animals to embracing all creatures great and small and becoming a vegan. Lama’s accomplishments include founding FaunaVision, improving animal rights education by using a multimedia van on the streets of New York and creating the Oasis Sanctuary, a 60-acre haven for rescued, abused and abandoned animals in North Branch, N.Y.

The Witness evoked a mixture of emotions from the audience, from lighthearted laughter with Lama’s warm and clever personal comments to gasps of shock and moans of revulsion in response to the undercover footage showing the cruel treatment of animals by the meat and fur industries. For these industries, animals are nothing more than dispensable commodities.

Coupling this inspirational movie with the opportunity to listen to and converse with its star was enlightening for many students. Many of those in attendance were moved by Lama’s examples of what one individual is capable of accomplishing in his or her lifetime. "After this experience, my friend made the commitment to go veg," said one SLC student.

First year Rania Kokkinis said, "Eddie was the best guest speaker I have ever heard…provoking me to examine how my lifestyle affects other beings."

Lama, who was awarded the Peace Abbey’s Courage of Conscience Award—past recipients include the Dalai Lama and Mother Teresa—answered a variety of questions, ranging from advice on being a vegan activist in a meat-eating society to how to apply the power of example and self-change to a variety of animal rights issues, to his personal experiences throughout the documentary.

The reception, featuring vegan desserts, provided students with another opportunity to converse with Lama, who said, "It’s a beautiful thing to have a college like Sarah Lawrence to congregate and give a voice for the animals."

This event was hosted by SLC’s Students Promoting Awareness of Animal Rights, which meets every Tuesday afternoon at 5:30 p.m. in the Library Pillow Room.

To learn more about The Witness, visit www.tribeofheart.org. For information on Lama’s organizations, visit www.oasissanctuary.org. SPAAR can be accessed at www.geocities.com/animalrightspaar/spaar.html.