Every year as November 11 approaches Veterans For Peace promotes “Reclaim Armistice Day”. In the U.S., November 11, became a legal holiday in 1938 “dedicated to the cause of world peace”. In 1954 it was renamed “Veterans Day” with an emphasis on thanking veterans who wage war. At that point Congress left behind the vows of “war no more” intended on the first Armistice Day at the end of WWI, “the war to end all wars.”
Veterans For Peace (VFP) will be out marching in parades or leafleting crowds with a flyer that is available on their website for anyone to download and use. The demands listed on the flyer are:
- Stop the U.S./Israeli War on Iran
- End U.S./Israeli Genocide in Palestine
- Resist U.S. Intervention in Latin America
- Defend our Immigrant Neighbors
- End the Death Penalty
As part of their Armistice Day campaign, VFP also issued a statement in support of the Taxpayer Alliance Against Genocide (TAAG) and “our right to present testimony and evidence to the International Criminal Court of Israel’s genocide against the people of Palestine.” TAAG was founded to submit evidence of genocide in Palestine to the International Criminal Court; it has shared goals with Taxpayers Against Genocide (TAG) (with which NWTRCC has a relationship) but is a difference organization (info here).
Refuse Illegal Orders
VFP banner at the Times Square Recruiting Center, October 7, 2026. Photo by Ed Hedemann.
About a year ago, six members of Congress, all veterans, released a video telling active duty and National Guard troops they have the right and duty to refuse illegal orders. The video raised a ruckus, but Veterans For Peace jumped into action in support, launching a billboard campaign to spread the message far and wide. There’s a page on the VFP website that defines illegal orders and includes information and support for those in the military seeking discharge as conscientious objectors.
As far as I know, VFP has not issued any official statements encouraging members to refuse to pay for war, although there have been some nascent efforts to develop a tax resistance caucus of some sort within VFP, and many of us have relationships with our local VFP chapter. However, there are many, many veterans who left the military knowing they did not want to pay for any more war and killing. We profiled a few in a blog a while back.
Anyone should be proud to wear this sweatshirt. Photo by Ed Hedemann.
I can’t say I’ve ever thought of “celebrating” November 11 before, but VFP’s Armistice Day initiative does offer inspiration. Here are a few ideas. I’m sure the creative minds in our WTR network can come up with even more ideas.
- Post a “war no more” message on social media.
- Download the VFP flyer and hand some out or post on public bulletin boards.
- Hold up your antiwar sign at the local parade.
- Take some resisted war taxes and donate to the “Refuse Illegal Orders” billboard campaign, or, buy one of the banners to use in your community.
- Tell one other person you’ve never told before why you refuse to pay some or all of your taxes.
November is actually a really good time to get people thinking about the approaching tax season and the choices they have to make.
—Post by Ruth Benn