“The play mirrors the efforts of advocates across the world to recognize and defend the rights of ecosystems and species based on the reality that all life has a right to exist” – Grant Wilson
NEW YORK, NY, August 17, 2024 /24-7PressRelease/ — Although its roots trace to India, Muslim scholars of a Sufi order in Iraq first wrote the story in the 10th century CE. The theatrical reading of “The Animals’ Lawsuit Against Humanity” at Climate Week will be the official debut of Rabbi Anson Laytner and Rabbi Dan Bridge’s adaptation of the story for the stage.
Rabbi Laytner will speak at the theatrical reading during Climate Week. He celebrates the play’s interfaith approach to environmentalism, saying, “The message of this tale is shockingly contemporary, but equally surprising is its interfaith history which shows that the Abrahamic faiths all have strong teachings about how to care for other living things.”
Although “The Animals’ Lawsuit Against Humanity” is an ancient tale, its themes are especially valuable in light of the current ecological crisis and speak to how legal systems can be used to enact rights for animals and ecosystems. In the play, humans move to an island previously inhabited only by animals and begin to exploit the animals. In response, the animals appeal to the King of the Jinn, who oversees a trial between the humans and animals. The trial itself is the focus of the play, as animals lament the human disregard for animal life, proclaiming, “There we are in the marketplace, being chopped up and sold, and that’s us! That’s our bodies, that’s our babies!” On the other side, some humans argue that animals are rightless entities ripe for unfettered human use. Though ancient, the play includes humans who could be described as environmentalists, who buy into the animals’ arguments.
Speaking to the conflict between animal rights and human exploitation, Grant Wilson, Executive Director of Earth Law Center (ELC), describes the relevance of “The Animals’ Lawsuit Against Humanity” to modern ecocentrism: “The play mirrors the efforts of advocates across the world to recognize and defend the rights of ecosystems and species based on the reality that all life has a right to exist,” says Wilson. “Many of the arguments that the animals make in the play are the same ones made by ‘Earth lawyers’ in the courts as they seek to create legal frameworks that represent all life, not only humans.”
As the sponsor of the theatrical reading of “The Animals’ Lawsuit Against Humanity,” ELC has played a notable role in advancing the Rights of Nature and animal rights across the globe. With its partner organization, The Leatherback Project, ELC urged the creation of a national law in Panama protecting sea turtles, which was passed in 2023. Domestically, ELC enacted a campaign to advocate for Indigenous guardianship over the rights of Southern Resident Orcas in the Salish Sea of the Pacific Northwest.
ELC’s theatrical reading of “The Animals Lawsuit Against Humanity” will be produced by Liv Boren and Chris Dooly of Jack & Grace Productions and will be performed on September 23rd at Climate Week NYC. Following the theatrical reading, a panel with environmental leaders will explore the play’s applicability to modern-day legal movements and challenges.
Click here to learn more about the event.
Founded in 2008, Earth Law Center (ELC) is a cutting-edge legal nonprofit (501c3) working toward a paradigm shift in environmental law. ELC’s dedicated staff and small army of volunteers work to advance Earth-centered laws and community-led movements that respect and protect all life on the planet. ELC engages in Earth law movements including the Rights of Nature, human environmental rights, legal guardianships of Nature, rights of future generations, animal rights, and more.
Our team of Earth lawyers and experts challenges the conception of Nature as mere property, working to give Nature and other voiceless entities formal roles in decision-making. We aim not only to transform our laws but also to influence the values and beliefs that create their foundation. Led by Executive Director Grant Wilson from its headquarters in Durango, Colorado, ELC has team members and programs around the US and in Latin America, Europe, and Africa.
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