Brooklyn, NY—May 3, in Birmingham, AL, $93,000 of unpaid “war taxes”—federal income taxes—will be publicly redirected away from the Internal Revenue Service to a New Orleans health clinic and to a group in the Middle East aiding Iraqi refugees. This redirection ceremony will take place during a meeting of the National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee.
For reasons of conscience, over 520 people from 44 states have “boycotted” $325,000 of their 2007 federal taxes. Of that total, $50,000 has been designated for the Common Ground Health Clinic in New Orleans and the Direct Aid Initiative will receive $43,000. The remaining $232,000 has been designated for scores of other humanitarian projects in the United States and around the world.
These taxpayers are committing civil disobedience to demonstrate to Congress how to cut off the funds for this war and redirect resources to the pressing needs of people.
The money will provide healthcare to survivors of Katrina and refugees from the Iraq war, living in Jordan and Syria. (For details on each project, see www.cghc.org or www.directaidiraq.org
The National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee is a 25-year-old coalition of groups who support war tax resisters.
Public Presentation and Press Conference:
When: Saturday, May 3, 2008, 1 PM
Where: Greater Birmingham Ministries, 2304 12th Ave N., Birmingham, AL
Participants:
Antor Odu Ndep, Exec. Director, Common Ground Health Clinic
Noah Baker Merrill, Co-director, Direct Aid Initiative
Boycott Participants attending the NWTRCC meeting
DAI staff in Jordan will participate via a live video conference
On-site interviews with participants can be arranged through the contact cell phone numbers above.
Ruth Benn, Coordinator
National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee (NWTRCC)
PO Box 150553
Brooklyn, NY 11215
(718) 768-3420 - (800) 269-7464
Fax: (718) 768-4388
www.nwtrcc.org
http://www.wartaxboycott.org
Tax season 2008 has arrived. January brings W-2s, 1099s and 1040s to our doorsteps. It¹s time to register for the 2008 War Tax Boycott and bring notice of our resistance to the steps of the White House and Congress. The earlier we register our resistance, the more we will inspire others to join us. The earlier we register our redirection, the better we can plan for the public display our priorities. It only takes a few moments. Just go to www.wartaxboycott.org.
This Year, Together We Can Defund the War It¹s time for taxpayers who oppose this war to join together in an act of nonviolent civil disobedience. We can show Congress how to cut off the funds for the Iraq war and occupation and deny funds for any possible assault on Iran. Instead, let¹s redirect our taxes to the needs of people.
How do we register and prepare to take this stand? Our strength is in numbers. Our numbers depend on taking steps now to be ready to act together in April 2008. Go to the website or call to explore steps to get started in war tax resistance, examine the likely consequences, and join with others. Whether the amount you refuse is large or small, or if you choose to reduce your taxes by legal means, you can register your resistance as part of the 2008 War Tax Boycott.
Where will we redirect our resisted taxes? This 2008 war tax boycott will release resources from the war and redirect them to two designated projects providing desperately needed healthcare services to Iraqi refugees and Katrina survivors. You can also choose your own project.
Who is promoting this act of conscience? Code PINK, the National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance, the Nonviolent Direct Action Working Group of United for Peace and Justice, Veterans for Peace, Voices for Creative Nonviolence, and War Resisters League are assisting with the promotion of this campaign, which was initiated by the National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee.
³If a thousand [people] were not to pay their tax bills this year,
that would not be a violent and bloody measure, as it would be to pay them
and enable the state to commit violence and shed innocent blood.²
Henry David Thoreau, during Mexican-American War of 1846-48
National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee www.wartaxboycott.org http://www.wartaxboycott.org 1-800-269-7464
The illegal and immoral occupation of Iraq continues, the situation in Afghanistan continues to deteriorate, there is the potential for a US attack on Iran, and there are other examples of US military force that causes our security to worsen and our country’s reputation to decline.
All of this is being financed with OUR tax dollars, billions of them, and our needs for accessible health care, educational opportunities, living wage jobs, and a clean environment are all being swept aside.
Below is a list of publications available from the Maine War Tax Resistance Resource Center in case you want more information. You can also talk with me, write, or email if you have specific questions.
Maine WTR Resouce Center Publications
If You Want Peace, Why Pay Taxes for War? basic brochure from the Maine WTR Resource Center (free)
Our Tax Money, Our Choice: A Call to War Tax Resistance (10 cents each) (Summary of basic ideas behind WTR)
Our Telephone Taxes Pay for War (10 cents) (Refusing the phone tax is safe and easy)
Where Your Income Tax Money Really Goes (10 cents) (Annual War Resisters League Flyer)
Why Isn’t Everyone Who’s for Peace a War Tax Resister? (10 cents) (Responses to excuses/reasons)
Practical War Tax Resistance #1: Controlling Federal Tax Withholding (50 cents)
PWTR #2: To File or Not to File an Income Tax Return (50 cents)
PWTR #3: How to Resist Collection, or to Make the Most of Collection When It Occurs (50 cents)
PWTR #4: Self-Employment—An Effective Path for War Tax Refusal (50 cents)
PWTR #5: Low Income/Simple Living as War Tax Resistance (50 cents)
PWTR #6: Organizational War Tax Resistance (esp. for employers) (75 Cents)
PWTR #7: Aging and War Tax Resistance ($1.00)
Students and War (10 cents) (Connects taxes and the draft for students)
Guide to War Tax Resistance (200 page book, everything you ever wanted to know and lots of details on how-to’s) ($12 suggested)
Local Contact: Maine War Tax Resistance Resource Center (Larry Dansinger), 525-7776 or rosc [at] psouth [dot] net
NEXT TAX DAY, WITHHOLD FROM WAR & PAY FOR PEACE!
This fall, the National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee urges all who oppose this war to register and prepare for an April 2008 nationwide boycott and redirection of the federal income taxes that fuel the war in Iraq.
Visit www.WarTaxBoycott.org and learn how you can boycott some or all of your 2007 federal income taxes, if you start planning NOW!
Over the past year, we have voted, lobbied, marched, and taken direct action to end the war in Iraq. Courageous soldiers have refused to fight the war. But Congress has appropriated billions of dollars to continue the war and appears ready to authorize a future military attack on Iran. It¹s time for taxpayers who oppose this war to join together in nonviolent civil disobedience and show Congress how to cut off the funds for this war and redirect resources to the pressing needs of people.
War tax boycott participants are encouraged to redirect their resisted taxes to a project providing health care among Iraqi refugees in Jordan and Syria, a health care center in New Orleans providing care to survivors of Katrina, or to a humanitarian project of their own choosing.
Read a step-by-step guide and complete a registration form at www.WarTaxBoycott.org, or download and print the guide and registration form for tabling at local events! The 2008 War Tax Boycott is sponsored by National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee and endorsed by Voices for Creative Nonviolence, the National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance, and the Nonviolent Direct Action Working Group of United for Peace and Justice.
If you have a website, please copy the button from the Tools page and add it to your website. Send the link to everyone you know! Download the materials for your tabling.
National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee (NWTRCC) PO Box 150553 Brooklyn, NY 11215 (718) 768-3420 * (800) 269-7464 Fax: (718) 768-4388 www.nwtrcc.org www.hanguponwar.org
