NARN Blog

VEG HAPPY HOUR: 6pm Wed Nov 19 at College Inn Pub, 4006 University Way NE 

This is a casual group sharing interests in veganism, vegetarianism, and animal rights, just looking to hang out. It’s a social scene for compassionate lifestyles! Anyone interested in learning more about a vegetarian or vegan diet, or activism on behalf of animals is welcome. If you’re already into all of that, come make some like-minded friends! RSVP!

VEG SINGLES: 7:00pm to 10:30pm Thurs Nov 20 at Georgetown Liquor Company, 5501 Airport Way S

Our next protest at Fieck Furs is this Friday Nov 21 from 2:00 to 3:00pm. We’ll have enough signs and leaflets for everyone who shows up. We’re also planning MANY more demos at Fieck Furs at 1607 California St, Everett, including some mid-week protests, plus others we won’t be posting here in order to surprise Terry Fieck. If you have any ideas for future protests, or would like to be part of our Fieck Fur Action Committee, please e-mail us at volunteer@narn.org

 Join us in standing up for furry animals who want to keep the skin on their own backs. Fieck Furs at 1607 California St in Everett makes a business of selling the skins of tortured animals. Every time we show up with our signs, Terry Fieck CLOSES HIS STORE FOR THE ENTIRE DAY. Take a look at Mr Fieck’s rather peculiar vision of “fashion.” Let Terry Fieck know how you feel about fur by giving him a call at (425) 252-8845 or writing him an email: terry.fieck@verizon.net 

Driving directions: -Take I-5 North from Seattle; -Take exit 192 to Broadway; -Turn LEFT at Hewitt Ave; -Turn RIGHT at Colby Ave; -Turn RIGHT at California St; -fur shop is on your left at 1607 California St

“It is hard to fathom that anyone is still wearing fur. It is so plain to see that killing animals for their fur is completely barbaric. The only purpose is vanity.”
—Joaquin Phoenix

When: Thanksgiving (Nov 27th) at 4:00pm

Where: 428 16th Ave E, Capitol Hill

The potluck fun will start at 4pm. People can come earlier (starting at 3:30) if they want to use the stove or oven to cook/heat things. When RSVPing, please list what dish you want to bring, so we don’t end up with 10 mashed potatoes and no pie (or vice versa). There will be some plates and silverware, but you are encouraged to bring your own so we don’t have to break into the paper plates & plastic wear.

When: Friday, Nov. 28th, 9:00am to 11:00am
Where: Meet in front of Starbucks at Westlake Center on 4th & Pine 

Help us take advantage of the post-Thanksgiving crowds downtown to leaflet with veg literature along the Holiday Parade route! It’s been a blast–and hugely successful–in the past.

Want to wear an animal costume and hand out stickers to kids? Want to pass out veg literature to their parents? Want to educate people about what happens to farm animals? Then meet up with us! It’s always a lot of fun. Email David at: volunteer@narn.org

When: Friday, Nov. 28th, 11:00am - 1:00pm
Where: Downtown Nordstrom (5th & Pine entrance)

Join NARN and AFA in observing Fur-Free Friday by asking Nordstrom to remove fur from all their stores, and help us educate the thousands of downtown shoppers about the horrors of the fur industry. There is NO excuse for wearing fur.

“I don’t wear any leather or fur or feathers or any animal products. All of my shoes are from Target and Stella McCartney, who does all non-leather products.”  —Natalie Portman

Northwest Animal Rights Network and Action For Animals are inviting all vegans, vegetarians, raw foodists, and animal lovers out for a night of music, food, frivolity and an assortment of refreshing beverages. Bring a vegan dish or drink to share, and enjoy yourself with other compassionate healthy people!

The Big Vegan Holiday Party is Saturday Dec 20, from 6:00pm to Midnight at the Capitol Hill Arts Center at 1621 12th Ave on the corner of 12th Ave and E Pine St. Here are directions. Bring friends, lovers, and family, but for sure bring yourself!

Our protests on 10/18, 11/8 & 11/15/08 seemed more like parties, with such great folks who came out to show people what the University of Washington is doing to baby monkeys in the name of curiosity. 

The whole thing was Jessica’s idea, really. She realized that with the Husky football homegames there’d be tons of people walking and driving right by UW’s Infant Primate Research Facility at the Magnuson Health Sciences Center.  She realized this would be an excellent opportunity…

So this is what we did: With some of us coming all the way from Canada, Olympia, Lake Stevens, Renton and across the Montlake bridge, we gathered at the corner of NE Pacific St & Montlake Blvd. Holding signs depicting UW’s abuse of primates, Jessica, Shivani, Kelli, Annie, Marley, Amanda, Ted, Valerie, Lori, Bryan, Patty, Nancy, Rabbit, Shelly, Rachel and David were the voices for sentient beings imprisoned in experimentors’ cages. As Jessica put it, “Our protest rocked!”

Afterward we all went out for delicious vegan food at Hillside Quickies, talking while we ate and laughing about Saturday Night Live, ‘67 Mustangs, being a vegetarian in the Army in Iraq, and various nonsense and serious subjects alike. Who knew protesting animal cruelty could be this much fun? As Ted said of the day, “It was awesome meeting all of you guys and I had a blast for my first animal rights protest!” 

UW is the most federally-funded animal research facility in the country, receiving over $270 million last year from NIH. The university holds captive over 16,000 animals, including 3,000 primates.

At the Primate Center, UW researchers cut holes into macaque monkeys’ skulls. Recording cylinders are attached so that electrodes may be fed directly into the brain. The monkeys are then confined to restraint chairs and forced to perform behavioral experiments. Juice or water is often used as a reward in these experiments. To make the experiments more effective the primates are deprived of fluids except when they are performing the experiments.

These experiments have been going on for decades with no conclusive results. In addition, these projects are very similar to one another, potentially duplicating experimental procedures.

At this Seattle Animal Rights Meetup, a local lawyer outlined everything an animal rights activist needs to know in this day and age. She explained First Amendment (free speech) rights as it relates to activists. 

Stay tuned for Part 2 in January about Fourth Amendment (search and seizure), Fifth Amendment (self-incrimination) and Sixth Amendment (right to counsel) rights. Stay safe, be smart, and know your rights!

We came out in the lousy weather to hold up a large banner that said “HOLIDAYS ARE MURDER ON TURKEYS” on the Aurora overpass during morning rush hour. Rachel, Dave B, Bryan, Sarah, and David held the banner in the rain and waved at drivers. This sounds like a crumby experience, but it was actually fun, hanging out with other cool vegan activists. Unfortunately the turkey costume didn’t arrive in time, so Sarah couldn’t wear it, despite her enthusiasm. But a couple of media people took photos of us, so we might see something about us in the news. And many, many drivers were invited to consider the torture that so many beautiful birds are put through, simply because of a tradition.

Wayward Cafe has new owners, and is reopen for regular hours (Tues-Sun, 9am-4pm). They will keep much of the menu the same, make some new additions, and bring more consistency to the restaurant. Visit them for their tasty food at 901 NE 55th ST (just off of Roosevelt on 55th).