More than a paycheck NEWS FROM THE WAR MOVEMENT April/May 2 01 2 Stop the Money Who says this must be so? California Who cares that this is so? Oakland — Northern California War Tax I shudder that the raids and bombs Resistance joins with CodePINK, Occupy have made us less than human. Oakland, and others in GDAMS demonstra - tion, April 17, 12-4 pm, Oakland Federal I wish to go to our deserted schools Building, 1301 Clay St. Press conference, to understand why we are like this. speakers, music, and visuals on the histori - I used to dream of space, cal extent of U.S. military interventions and costs. March to nearby state building to join blue skies and gentler people. protest against cuts to education funding. I heard mother through her burqa Info: (510) 842-6124 or nowartax.org . pleading “Please stop! Petaluma — War tax resisters participate Stop the money. Stop the killing. in The Really Really Free Market Occupy Petaluma Public Event, April 14, 1-5 pm. Stop.” Music, workshops, clothes, art, kid’s activi - Another local explosion, ties, plants, seeds, community! One person can make a big statement. Rosalie more international lies. facebook.com/events/409991702351215 . Riegle, Tax Day 2 011, Evanston, IL. Photo courtesy Our global problem is that continued on page 4 of Neighbors for . guns impose greater force than common sense or vision, which tells me that my mother’s world is crashing. What Does Conscience Require? By Berry Friesen athy Kelly quoted these lines from Hakim of the Afghan Youth Peace aying taxes that are used for war has annual federal tax return to witness for peace K long been a vexing problem for those and against the wars that have become a per - Volunteers in the December 2 011 P whose conscience forbids direct partici - manent feature of U.S. foreign policy? Catholic Worker . Could we express any pation in war. If it would be wrong to take up For Shane Claiborne, the activist who co- stronger argument to protest war taxes by arms and kill, then isn’t it equally wrong to founded The Simple Way in Philadelphia, resisting and/or getting out on tax day? provide the means for another to commit the commitment to Jesus the Nazarene has This year Tuesday, April 17, is Tax Day, the same act? The conventional escape from this prompted him to adopt a posture of “revolu - final day to file IRS returns. It happens that dilemma is found in the legal obligation to tionary subordination” vis-à-vis the federal April 17 is also the Global Day of Action pay taxes. Payment is compelled, not volun - government. “I respect the law and those on Military Spending (GDAMS), which tary, and thus one’s conscience remains clear. who administer it but I also have been called NWTRCC has endorsed. Our action list is “Conscience and Taxes in a Culture of War,” to be prophetic, to expose injustice.” Thus, still growing at nwtrcc.org/taxday2012.php , a March 11 forum in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, when he filed his federal tax return for and we link to the GDAMS website. Call or sponsored by 1040 for Peace and Every 20 10, he paid only 70% of what was due. In email the office with your events right up to Church A Peace Church , asked a different a letter sent along with his return, Claiborne April 17. After that send in your photos and question about the upcoming April 17 tax described his reasons for not paying the report for the next newsletter! deadline: how can we use the filing of our other 30%. continued on page 7

National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee • P.O. Box 150553, Brooklyn, NY 1121 5 • ( 71 8) 768-3420 • (800)269- 7464 COUNSELING NOTES

of non-income-tax-paying households has topped Law School Clinic 40%. The “Other Taxes” page on our website A resister dealing with a frivolous penalty had includes information about other taxes to resist if contacted the Tax Advocate’s office for some help you don’t owe income taxes. Find the link at the with her situation. In the course of the conversa - end of the text on our home page. tion the Advocate suggested the resister try to get help from the law school clinic at a local uni - Ghost Returns versity. After a meeting with the clinic, the resister If you are a nonfiler with reported income received a letter saying they would take the case. (1099s, W-2s, etc.) the IRS computers are pretty The school’s clinic has a low income requirement, More than a good, eventually it seems, at matching that infor - which the resister had met. While much of what mation with the lack of a return for that per - paycheck we do in war tax resistance does not require a son/social security number. We’ve heard from lawyer or legal help, contacting such a clinic in Editor some longtime nonfilers who have had the IRS go Ruth Benn your area could be an option in some of these after them for as far back as 9 or 10 years, but usu - sticky situations. Production ally that’s related to some special, large amount of Rick Bickhart income reported for that year. If the IRS gets after Printing and Mailing Revenue Crunch you for, say, 2009, they won’t necessarily demand Lakeside Printing Richard Cebula and Edgar L. Feige (of Jackson- that you file for years previous to that (as far as Cooperative, Madison, WI ville U. and the U. of Wisconsin, Madison) have we’ve heard). If you do not respond to their col - Printed on Recycled Paper attempted to estimate the size of the underground lection letters, they will file for you, and we’ve economy in the U.S. They estimate that 18 -1 9% of seen that called a “ghost return.” The IRS only More Than a Paycheck is a legally reportable income stays under-the-table, bimonthly publication of the calculates the tax due based on the reported which translates to about half a trillion dollars in income and a single standard deduction, so col - National War Tax Resistance taxes each year that the IRS fails to collect. The IRS Coordinating Committee, a lection efforts are usually based on a principal itself hasn’t attempted to measure this underground clearinghouse and resource higher than you really owed. You always have the economy since 1988, but they have worked hard in center for the conscientious option to file yourself, but of course that can mean recent years to find nonfilers. In particular the IRS war tax resistance getting into dealing with the agency you chose to movement in the United takes a dim view of independent contractors and avoid in the first place. If you are not very States. NWTRCC is a makes it a priority to shift people to salaries when collectible (no salary, regular clients, or large coalition of local, regional possible. They’d love to institute withholding for bank accounts) or don’t worry about potential and national affiliate groups everyone who receives pay-for-work, but so far the collection, this may not be of concern. We recom - working on war tax opposition is too strong. mend nonfilers with reported income fill out the related issues. Adding to the federal revenue crunch, more than forms each year in case their circumstances 40% of American households that filed tax returns change after some years, or they need to argue NWTRCC sees poverty, racism, last year did not pay or owe any federal income tax. numbers with the IRS. sexism, homophobia, economic This is the second year in a row that the percentage continued on next page exploitation, environmental destruction and militarization of law enforcement as integrally linked with the militarism which we abhor. Through the redirection of our tax dollars, Many Thanks Network Updates NWTRCC members contribute directly to the struggle for peace and justice for all. All of us in the NWTRCC network are grateful to NWTRCC’s Network List of Affiliates, Area Contacts, Craigslist Charitable Fund for the unexpected grant of Counselors, and Alternative Funds appear on the Subscriptions to More Than a Paycheck $25,000, which we received for educational work early website, or request a list from the NWTRCC office. are $15 per year. this year. Our May meeting in Chicago will include a Please let us know if you are interested in being a discussion on proposals to make the best use of this very NWTRCC contact on our network list: [email protected] or special grant. Contact the office if you will not be in 1-800-269- 7464. PO Box 150553 Chicago but would like to offer input for the process. Brooklyn, NY 1121 5 Thanks to all of you for your continued support and to (718) 768-3420 these groups for recent dues payments and donations: Advertising rates for this (800) 269- 7464 newsletter can be found at Boulder War Tax Information Project FAX: ( 71 8) 768-4388 nwtrcc.org/ads.php or Maine War Tax Funds for Life email: [email protected] contact the editor at New England War Tax Resistance Web: www.nwtrcc.org 1- 800-269 -7 464 . OR Community for War Tax Resisters PAGE 2 More than a paycheck • April/May 2 01 2 international and Legislative

of objection based upon religious and moral about contraception and abortion when no Conscience Canada Update grounds. Please consider teaming up with the one is talking about conscientious objection I am a Canadian war tax resister. For the Catholics on the simple principle if you have to the military. For over 30 years, Peace Tax past five years I have been a member and sup - a religious/moral objection, then USA citizens Fund legislation has been introduced in porter of the national peace tax organization should have the right to exemption. Contact Congress without passage. With regard to Conscience Canada ( consciencecanada.ca ). these people religiously/morally objecting to killing people, there is some doubt about this Our members are a diverse group separated tax paid contraception/abortifacents and say re: contraception and abortion; there is no by vast distances. What we have in common we, NWTRCC, have been protesting too that doubt about it when it comes to war. People is the belief that as long as we pay taxes we we have religious/moral objections to tax- with religious and moral beliefs against are complicit in war. Conscience Canada paid war and people want exemptions. killing do not have the same choice to stop works on various levels to promote freedom Teaming up with the Catholics will definitely paying for war as a military conscript who of conscience and to advocate for changes in create great syngery and help the NWTRCC claims status. If you law. Each year we ask Canadian taxpayers to cause! Please no more support by pacifist are so concerned about life, I suggest you consider completing a Peace Tax Return. The activists ridiculing the Catholics. Team up support the Peace Tax Fund bill. return provides two options. Option A is sim - with the Catholics instead, they may be Second, my understanding is that religious ply a statement of conscience against military paving the way for religious/moral objection organizations are not required to pay the spending. Option B provides the opportunity to tax-paid war exemptions. cost of contraception and abortion. The to redirect a portion of one’s tax dollars. We Thanks for your consideration, insurance companies are. Please explain to see this as interim measure until a recognized Beth Bechtel, Haslett, Michigan me how this violates the separation of church legal option is available. and state. The past few months have been busy and Thank you for your support of the above exciting ones for Conscience Canada. In Letter to a Senator and any assistance you provide with passing November, 2 011 Alex Atamanenko, Member Dear Senator Ayotte: the Peace Tax Fund. of Parliament for British Columbia Southern Thank you for your 3/9/12 email. First, I Sincerely, Interior, introduced Bill C-363 in Parliament. find it interesting that there is such concern Ginny Schneider, New Hampshire M If passed into law this piece of legislation would make it possible for conscientious objectors to war to direct the military portion Counseling Notes this was in reference to and was given the of their taxes into a separate peace fund. This continued from page 2 name of another tenant in my building, who bill is a long way from becoming law, but its runs a business. I said that I knew him, but introduction has sparked meaningful debate Tax Collection Scams? had no financial connection with him. The and dialogue. Search on “Bill C-363 Canada” nice lady asked if I could tell her how to to read the bill and find updates online. A couple of weeks ago, the phone rang at 8 o’clock in the morning. reach him. I refused. Conscience Canada members here in She huffed, “Well, you don’t have to be British Columbia are using NWTRCC’s excel - A cheery voice explained, after ascertain - ing my identity, that she was calling about so…” I guess she’s not used to dealing with lent film Death and Taxes at a Peace Cafe New Yorkers. In answer to another question, event. It is comforting and inspiring to know my tax liability. This was not the IRS, but an outfit called Clear-something. Flabbergasted I reiterated that it was not my job to supply that so many others are committed to the by their chutzpah, I said, “How dare you her with information, and hung up. same cause. call me!” and hung up. —Vicki Rovere, NYC —Anna Kirkpatrick Then I began to wonder what records (Editor’s Note: This story remains a mystery. they were working from. Is IRS cooking up Anyone have a similar call? In 2006 the IRS sub - Letter to N WTRCC something new against me? I wished I had contracted to private collection agencies, but stayed on the phone longer and gotten those contracts were dropped in 2009 when the Dear NWTRCC, more information. IRS realized it was more cost effective to just hire In your recent mailing, you included the Then they called again. Cool! I asked what more staff.) Huffington Post article entitled “Catholic Bishops’ Contraception Coverage Argument Ridiculed by Pacifist Activists,” which sup - Occupy the IRS to Support Cindy Sheehan and Oppose the U.S. Empire ports paying taxes on items that people object Thursday, April 19, 2 012 · 10:30 am to based upon religious and moral grounds. U.S. Court, 5 01 I St., Sacramento, CA 95 814 Some people don’t want their taxes used for Peace Activist and Gold Star Mother, Cindy Sheehan, is a conscientious war tax resister. The war based upon religious/moral grounds. U.S. Attorney, on behalf of the IRS, has summoned her to court to produce requested documents. Likewise, other people (Catholics/other This hearing date is just a few days after Tax Day where millions of Americans will help fund religious) don’t want their taxes used for the war machine with their hard earned money. contraception/abortifacents based upon For updates and more information see cindysheehanssoapbox.blogspot.com or the Facebook religious/moral grounds. Different belief on event page at facebook.com/events/277446032333238 . religious/moral grounds, but same principle More than a paycheck • April/May 2 01 2 PAGE 3 WTR Ideas and Actions

Brought to you by… The Maine War Tax Funds for Life will spend $200 of its redirected tax money for a year long underwriting of a radio program on WERU Community Radio in Maine. The tag line will be, “This program is brought to you by listeners like you, and by the Maine War Tax Resisters’ Resource Center, supporting redirec - tion of and resistance to war taxes since 1982. 525-7776 or wartaxboycott.org.” Readers might consider this idea in their community. Disarm the Census British war resisters organized as “Count Me Out” are boycotting the census. In tax resistance campaigns of yore, census resist - ance has usually come because the census was seen as a prelude to a tax. In this case, the Members of Occupy Bangor (Maine) enjoy their new “Foreclose on war, invest in people” scarves, compliments of NWTRCC, after their General Assembly in downtown Bangor. Thanks to the generosity of NWTRCC donors we boycott has a different cause: the resisters are were able to send about 200 scarves to occupiers around the country. Photo by Mary Anne Royal. protesting against the government’s awarding

Stop the Money Louisiana New York continued from page 1 New Orleans — Vigil and leafleting with Ithaca — Vigil with Ithaca War Tax pie chart flyer, April 16, 4-6 pm, Main Post Resistance, April 16, noon. Location and Colorado Office/Federal Building. Sponsored by Pax info: (607) 277-7426 . Colorado Springs — Leafleting at the Christi New Orleans, (504) 522-3751 or NewYork City —Vigil at Manhattan IRS downtown post office, April 16 , Noon- 1. [email protected]. office, 110 W. 44th St., April 17, 4 pm. Bannering and leafleting during the March at 5 pm with Rude Mechanical Space Symposium, April 17+. Sponsored Maine Orchestra to main post office, 34th St. and by Citizens for Peace in Space, Statewide — Leafleting at post offices and 8th Ave. Leaflet, vigil, sing, dance, etc. til [email protected] other public locations in towns and cities 6:30 pm. Sponsored by NYC War Resisters around the state, April 17. Location list is League, NYC People’s Life Fund, others. Illinois in formation. Maine War Tax Funds for Life Info: (718) 768-7306 or [email protected] . Evanston — Leafleting with WRL flyers, accepts refused tax money for redirection. Main Post Office, Davis at Oak, April 17, Info: Maine WTR Resource Center, North Carolina 8 am-3 pm, Sponsored by Neighbors for (207) 525-7776 or [email protected] . Asheville — Asheville war tax resisters Peace, (847) 644-22 81 or [email protected] . and Occupy Asheville/Financial Working Massachusetts Group co-sponsor rally, picket, street theater, Indiana Worcester — Penny poll and leafleting, leafleting in downtown Asheville, April South Bend — Michiana War Tax Refusers April 14, 10 am - 2 pm, Central Street Post 14-15. Info: (828) 301-6683 or bean poll and leaflet with WRL pie chart, Office. Sponsored by Worcester Friends [email protected]. Meeting. Info: . downtown South Bend, April 17, noon-1. [email protected] Franklinville Area — Plans developing Info: (574) 289-2126 or Michigan for pre-tax day penny poll and leafleting [email protected] . (or whatever develops). To help and info: Royal Oak — Demonstration, April 17, [email protected] . Iowa 3 pm-7 pm, Royal Oak post office. Dubuque — Citizens’ Tax Moratorium vigil Sponsored by Peace Action-Michigan. Oregon Info: or and leaflet with War Tax Boycott cards and (248) 548-3920 Portland — Oregon Community for War . other handouts, Federal Building, 6th and [email protected] Tax Resistance hosts Redirection of Taxes Locust on April 13, 16, and 17, 4-5 pm. Ceremony with talk by Sharif Abdullah, Info: (563) 583-2586 .

PAGE 4 More than a paycheck • April/May 2 01 2 Ideas and Actions resources of the contract to run the census to the arms Lunch with John Woolman Su rf ing the Web manufacturer NWTRCC’s website is packed with By Elizabeth Boardman Lockheed Martin. information, so we hope you check it “When I was 18 I War tax resister John Woolman was the fea - often. The “What You Can Do Page” has a whole section on action ideas for refused to fire a rifle tured guest at a recent celebratory luncheon tax day (or anytime). Find that page on military service,” in Davis, California. Woolman, as portrayed by aspiring young actor Jeffrey Viguie, shared under the “Programs” button. John Marjoram told It includes a link to the illustrated the famous “Epistle of Tender Love and a reporter. “I couldn’t live with myself if I col - “how to do a penny poll” page. laborated with a military company.” Caution” of 1755, in which he and 20 others The government is responding to the described their concern about paying the new boycott with criminal prosecutions, and has taxes “intended for purposes inconsistent thus far won over 100 convictions. with our peaceable testimony.” Having met One resister, Derek Shields, said at his together several times to season their con - sentencing: “I’ve only got one thing to say and cern, the 21 Friends concluded that, “though that is I’m a Christian and I wouldn’t get into some part of the money...is said to be for such bed with an arms dealer.” He was fined by the benevolent purposes as supporting our friendship with our Indian neighbors and court and quickly responded that he would David Gross in California just posted not pay: “I’m not going to pay. If I pay that’s relieving the distresses of our fellows,” these purposes are “so mixed” with others that we a trove of newspaper articles about admitting I’ve done something wrong and I war tax resistance going back to 1901! cannot heartily concur in one “without at the don’t believe I have done anything wrong.” He collected them from a big Google —David Gross, sniggle.net/Experiment same time assenting to...practices which we scanning project that has been continued on next page discontinued. If you go to nwtrcc.org/articles.php , you will find a great collection of links April 15, 7-9 pm, Unitarian Church, 12th to stories such as, “Widow Refuses to and Salmon. Annual “Burma Shave” style Pay War Tax,” from 1948; “12 Refuse sign holding with antiwar, pro-peace to Pay War Tax in Philadelphia,” from slogans across bridges during rush hour, 1953, and “Nay Saying Taxpayers April 16. Info: (503) 249-6343 or email Reject Arms Expenditures,” from 1964. [email protected] . Other websites that have important information, especially in preparation Pennsylvania for tax day include: Philadelphia — House party to celebrate War Resisters League, warresisters.org Peace Tax Day and Party for Conscience, April 15, 4-6 pm. Sponsored by Center on National Priorities Project, nationalpriorities.org Activists with Western Washington Fellowship of Conscience and War. Info: (202) 483-2220 Reconciliation pose after their Die-In and Sing-In Friends Committee on National Legislation, fcnl.org or [email protected] . inside the rotunda of the State Capitol in Olympia Global Day of Action on Military Spending, Vermont on Feb 20 (President’s Day). Photo by Robert Tabor. demilitarize.org National Campaign for a Peace Tax Fund, Seattle —Leafleting at Midtown Post Office, Brattleboro — Music, vigil, and tabling, peacetaxfund.org April 17, 10 am-2 pm, outside Post Office. 301 Union St. (at 3rd Ave.), April 17, 11:30 am Mennonite Central Committee, Sponsored by Pioneer Valley War Tax -1:30 pm. Sponsored by Greater Seattle “Turning toward peace” initiative, Resisters. Info: (802) 387-2798 or Veterans For Peace. Info: (206) 297-6746. us.mcc.org/wartaxes [email protected]. Wisconsin Voices for Creative , vcn v.org Washington Milwaukee — Milwaukee War Tax “Our Taxes are Off to War,” Seattle — Leafleting at several Seattle post Resistance and the Casa Maria Catholic dailykos.com/story/2012/02/23/1067636/- offices and maybe outside one or more Worker will have a vigil outside the Army Our-Taxes-are-Off-to-War-2012-Edition “corporate tax dodgers” buildings with pie Recruiting center at 3133 N. Oakland NWTRCC continues to stock printed chart flyers and info on Bring Our Billions (by UW-Milwaukee and two high schools) publications, buttons, bumperstickers, Home Campaign. Sponsored by Western from noon to 1 p.m. on Tuesday April 17th. books, and pamphlets. See the list at Washington Fellowship of Reconciliation There will also be civil disobedience for nwtrcc.org/publications.php or (WWFOR). Info: (206) 789-5565 or those interested. For more information, call the office if you’d like a copy in [email protected] . contact Lincoln at (414) 344-5745 or the mail at ( 800) 269-7464 . [email protected] .

More than a paycheck • April/May 2 01 2 PAGE 5 nwtrcc news

lives, in the tradition of those who sparked so many reforms in the NWTRCC Gathering aftermath of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire one hundred years ago. Demand a NATO-Free Future LaborArts and the Triangle Fire Coalition sponsor the Clara May 18 -20, 2 01 2 Lemlich Award, and Juanita was among seven honorees this year. The 57th Street Meeting of Friends • Chicago, IL others were Judy West, jazz singer/tenant organizer; Jackie Steiner, Registration begins 5 pm Friday, May 18 musician/anti-fascist activist; Betty Reardon, feminist peace educator; We’re meeting in Chicago to participate with thousands of activists Connie Ling, garment worker organizer; and Connie Hogarth, in the protests against NATO and G8. Plans are in flux with the agitator for civil rights and the environment. NWTRCC Coordinator demonstration shifting from Saturday to Sunday. Stay late on Sunday Ruth Benn accepted the award on behalf of Juanita, who was not able if you can. We’ll be flexible with our agenda, but take time to report to make the trip to New York. on tax day, local actions, and the War Tax Boycott campaign and For more about the award and the March 20 event see strategize our continuing work. NWTRCC’s business meeting is laborarts.org/lemlichawards . M Sunday, and all are welcome. Find registration information at nwtrcc.org/meetings.php or call the office for details. Please register John Woolman by April 30 or sooner if you need housing. If you live in Chicago continued from page 5 and can offer housing, please let us know. The Windy City is going to busy that weekend! apprehend contrary to the testimony which the Lord has given us.” Congratulations, Juanita! The modern-day occasion for the lunchtime celebration was delivery to Juanita Nelson, “war tax resister,” was honored with a Clara Lemlich U.S. District Court of Elizabeth Board- Award for Social Activism at a ceremony on March 20, 2012, in New man’s Claim for Injunctive Relief against York City. The award is named for the 23-year-old garment worker who the Commissioner of Internal Revenue stood up during a crowded meeting, interrupted union leader Samuel for standing in the way of her religious Gompers, and shouted, “I’ve Got Something to Say.” Her speech practice of refusing voluntarily to sup - inspired a vote to strike that led to the Uprising of 20,000. The award port war with her income tax payments. honors women who have been working for the larger good all their The IRS has declared that a person’s refusal to pay war taxes on grounds of religion or conscience is “frivolous.” IRS Jeffrey Viguie as John Woolman. responses to Elizabeth’s protests are Photo by Elizabeth Boardman. inconsistent at best, threatening at worst. The lawsuit seeks to enjoin actions that punish and prohibit Elizabeth’s free exercise of religion, which is protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution. Moreover, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 requires government to accommodate such religious practices in ways similar to accommodation of conscientious objection to conscription. The lawsuit seeks to compel the IRS to establish similar “alternative pro - cedures” for religious war tax resisters. For five years now, Elizabeth has felt led to pay only half of her income tax bill, putting the rest into escrow pending the day that it is no longer budgeted for the Department of Defense. She is under the care of a Davis Monthly Meeting support committee. Bob Kovsky, an attorney who is representing Elizabeth, feels called to support her in her witness and to add a voice to the Quaker principles she embodies and expresses in action. He has a support committee in the San Francisco Monthly Meeting, to which he belongs. The recent luncheon was generously hosted by Jim and Marilee Eusebio. Just before the food was served, “John Woolman” reported that, at Philadelphia Yearly Meeting in 175 7, despite two years of seasoning the moral challenge of the war tax “among Friends every - where,” the committee found that there was no unity on making this a Yearly Meeting platform. “When the tax was gathered, many paid it and others scrupled the payment.” As Friends agreed in 175 7, “it is highly necessary...that Friends everywhere endeavor earnestly to have their minds covered with fervent charity towards one another” on this issue. M For more information about the case or the Pay Under Protest campaign that Elizabeth and other California Quakers are working on, email [email protected] or call (530) 759-1980 . Paid advertisement PAGE 6 More than a paycheck • April/May 2 01 2 Conscience sacrifice has incredible resonance within continued from page 1 American culture,” combining the potent image of Jesus on the cross with the war - When asked if he also would support the making of U.S. military personnel. “This use practice of sending a letter of protest while of religious imagery to talk about war is so overpaying federal taxes, Claiborne said, powerful that continuous war is now seen “Yes. I support provoking our imaginations as normal, and dissent has been largely to witness, to raising the right questions, suppressed. Meanwhile, the peace move - stimulating more conversation and not ment hasn’t measured up to the power of more polarization.” this message.” For Pat Hostetter Martin, a Harrisonburg, Although “the sacralization of war” has Virginia resident who has engaged in tax long been a device political leaders of all witness for nearly 40 years, it all began stripes have employed to win popular with the friends, neighbors and colleagues support, Denton-Borhaug insisted the victimized by war during the ‘60s when stakes are higher now. “The U.S. military is she was working in Vietnam. “I expect the so dominant, and the U.S. war culture so federal government eventually will get the pervasive, that we dare not ignore it. The money I withhold. That’s not the point. threat to the world is too great.” Besides, The point is that I speak on behalf of those she said, it is our faith that is being hijacked victimized by my government’s wars.” for military purposes. When it comes to taxes, what does con - Jack Payden-Travers also began witnessing Shane Claiborne and Jack Payden-Travers. via nonpayment of taxes during the Vietnam Photo by H.A. Penner. science require? Purity may be a pipe-dream, War. These days he works on Capitol Hill beyond our reach. Witness is something where he leads the National Campaign for a ment. “There is great power in symbolic acts, each of us can achieve. And it is what Peace Tax Fund. Citing the witness of the in refusing to offer the pinch of incense.” conscience requires. M Berrigan brothers and their acts of protest Moravian College professor Kelly Denton- during the ‘60s, Payden-Travers urged the Borhaug, shifted the focus from government Berry Friesen is active with 1040 for Peace. For audience not to de-value symbolic acts, such to the need for witness to the church and more information see 1040forpeace.org or call as withholding $ 10.40 from one’s tax pay - broader society. “The necessity of war as (717) 471-9691 or (717) 859-3529 .

Committed Radicals continued from page 8 policy options for domestic and international use. We had a few fundraisers and some events to raise awareness, but unfortunately it was hard to gain much interest and support so it kind of fizzled out. Ruth: When will we have a peace college comparable to West Point, Annapolis, and the Air Force Academy? If we are the number one country of the world, we should set an example and lead the world to PEACE. We must have people in United States who know how to work for peace if they were given the time and a good salary. We need a Department of Peace that has as much power as the other depart - ments have. The Pentagon could become our Department of Peace so the government does not even have to build a new building. Carol: Finally, since money talks, my mother and I have supported the National Campaign for a Peace Tax Fund, which for the past 40+ years has been trying to get a bill allowing conscientious objector status for taxpayers passed in Congress. This bill would establish a fund in the federal treasury to receive the taxes of conscientious objectors, which would be allocated annually to any nonmilitary appropriation within the federal budget. Kudos go to Representative John Lewis from Georgia and Dennis Kucinich, who have been stead - fast supporters of this. Needless to say, this bill still hasn’t passed! Carol and Ruth: We realize that this is an uphill task; however with organizations like National War Tax Resistance, Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance, National Campaign for a Peace Tax Fund, Friends Committee on National Legislation, and Occupy, there is hope that we will have a peaceful world for our children and grandchildren. M Paid advertisement More than a paycheck • April/May 2 01 2 PAGE 7 WTR Profile Committed Radicals By Carol Dotterer

My 88-year-old mom, Ruth Kirk, was visiting career fair where, as in the past, we‘ll hand me in South Carolina when we were asked to out flyers, brochures, peace buttons giving write a profile for this newsletter after we asked students alternatives to joining the military for some Zombie war tax resistance forms and letting them know the facts and their mentioned in the December 2 011 issue. rights. In the spring, we hope to continue Ruth: I sent every senator and representative our bi-monthly vigils for peace, handing out a copy of the book Addicted to War . I sent flyers here too on the cost of war. We are also them a questionnaire to answer about planning on hosting the American Friends the book. Not one of them answered it. I Service Committee’s exhibit of artwork from followed up with a letter a year later saying students in Afghanistan called “Windows you were not courteous enough to thank and Mirrors.” me for the book I sent. I received one reply. Ruth: One year I did not pay income tax. It That senator said he never got the book. It only took them three months to contact me. I seems to me that all our representatives wrote back that I was not paying for war, and benefit from war profiteering, therefore they I know more than half my tax goes to the mil - want to continue having wars. I financially itary. Naturally they did not accept my reason support many peace organizations. for not paying so they added penalties and interest to my tax, and they deducted it from Carol Dotterer and Ruth Kirk meet up at a Carol: It’s easy to see how I got involved in demonstration in the 1980s. the . My mother has always my paycheck. When I realized they would get been a woman of peace and an inspiration to much more money this way, I paid the tax. ton, DC. The national group was the Peace me, as well as many others. Add to this the For several years they have audited my taxes Alliance and the bill they sponsored called for fact that both of us are birthright Quakers, trying to get more, but I paid them in full so establishing nonviolence as an organizing a faith that subscribes and practices the they could not penalize me. principal of American society—a novel idea testimony of peace, and you can see why Carol: About 5 years ago here in Charleston, indeed! The bill would provide the U.S. our lives have taken this direction. Both of we had a group of activists trying to get a President with an array of peace-building us grew up in Philadelphia, the “hotbed” of Department of Peace established in Washing- continued on page 7 Quakerism as well as the home of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. We both like the quote they use: “It’ll be a great day when the Air Force has to have a bake sale to build a bomber!” NWTRCC P.O. Box 150553 Ruth: We had a serendipitous moment when Brooklyn, NY 11215 we met at a peace rally in Florida because (800) 269- 7464 neither of us knew we would be there. I came (718) 768-3420 to the peace rally with a group of people from St. Petersburg where I was living at that time. My daughter was there with a group from Koinonia—an intended peace and justice community—in Americus, Georgia. Now I am active in the Granny Peace Brigade in Philadelphia. We give out flyers with phone numbers of senators and representatives in Please Note: Washington and have petitions for people to If there is a red circle sign to bring our troops home. Every week around your address I call Washington to reduce our military label, this is the last budget and bring our troops home. issue of More Than a Paycheck on your Carol: Currently in Charleston a small group subscription. Send in of us, Charleston Peace, are planning on a renewal ASAP! visiting our representatives when they’re on recess and asking them to cut the military budget. We’re also planning on doing a counter recruitment at a local high school’s