War Tax Resistance Gathering and Coordinating Committee Meeting
Purchase Meeting House, 4455 Purchase Street, West Harrison, New York 10604
3-5 November 2023
If you cannot attend in person, there will be a virtual connection for most sessions and the Sunday a.m. business meeting (registration required). All sessions will be held at the Purchase Meeting House unless otherwise noted. There will be plenty of floor space for sleeping bags at the meeting house. We are still looking for local people who would be willing to offer beds.
Weekend Schedule (subject to some adjustments)
Resisting Together
Friday, November 3
6:00 pm: Arrival / Registration / Supper
7:00 – 8:30 pm: International Issues
This session will feature a panel examining the current situation in Israel-Palestine as well as what was missing in this summer’s Oppenheimer film. Panelists: Mari Inoue, attorney and cofounder of the Manhattan Project for a Nuclear-Free World; Nada Khadar, Executive Director of Westchester People’s Action Coalition (WESPAC) Foundation. Before joining WESPAC, she served as a consultant for the U.N. Development Program in the Gaza Strip; Musician Vera Anderson, who is active with the Nevada Desert Experience.
Saturday, November 4
8:00 – 9:00 am: Breakfast
9:00 – 10:00: Introductions, Schedule Review, Orientation
10:00 – 11:00a: Merchants of Death War Crimes Tribunal
Brad Wolf will join us via Zoom to discuss the Merchants of Death War Crimes Tribunal that will be taking place the weekend after our meeting. In addition to the being one of the three principal organizers of the tribunal, Brad is a lawyer, former prosecutor, professor, and community college dean. He also cofounded the Peace Action Network of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
11:00 – 11:30a: Lunch
12 – 1:00 pm: Protest with the Concerned Citizens of Westchester
We will join the Concerned Families of Westchester for their weekly vigil. They have been vigiling every weekend since 2001 and plan on matching that Saturday’s theme to NWTRCC’s mission against federal taxes for militarism. Right now the working title for the demo is “Guns and Butter.” The vigil will take place at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Plaza, 558 Warburton Ave, Hastings-On-Hudson, New York.
1:30 – 3:00 pm: Celebrating Juanita Nelson’s 100th Birthday
Juanita Nelson was one of the founding members of the modern war tax resistance movement in the U.S. During a previous weekend in August, her life was celebrated near her home in Massachusetts (see other article on page 1) and we plan on continuing that celebration. Joanne Sheehan of the War Resisters League and Bob Bady, a longtime friend of the Nelsons, will get us started
3:30 – 5:00 pm: War Tax Resistance 101 & 201
- War Tax Resistance 101 An introduction to the why and how of this form of resistance, with discussion of potential consequences and resource referral. For people new to WTR or just getting started. Facilitated by Chrissy Kirchhoefer, NWTRCC Outreach Consultant
- WTR 201 Updates, trends, and Q&A for current war tax resisters. With NWTRCC Coordinator Lincoln Rice and the expert resisters in attendance!
5 – 6 pm : Supper
Sunday, November 5
8:00 – 9:00 am: Breakfast
9:00 – Noon: NWTRCC Business meeting (open to all.) The agenda and materials for the business meeting can be found here.
