War Tax Resistance Gathering and Coordinating Committee Meeting
Washington, DC
May 3-5, 2019
If you cannot attend in person, there will be a virtual connection for some sessions and the Sunday a.m. business meeting (registration required). All who requested housing will be staying at St. Stephen & the Incarnation Church (1525 Newton Street NW, Washington, DC 20010). Please bring floor mats & sleeping bags. If you would like a bed, please indicate this on your registration.
Weekend Schedule (subject to some adjustments)
Divest the Pentagon – Invest in People
Friday, May 3
The NWTRCC Administrative Committee meets during the day on Friday to plan the Sunday business meeting. If you arrive early, the Washington DC Catholic Worker sponsors a weekly peace vigil (every Friday) in front of the White House (North side of White House on Pennsylvania Ave) from Noon to 1pm. They would welcome anyone who would like to join them.
All Friday events are at the Dorothy Day House Catholic Worker (503 Rock Creek Church Road, NW | Washington, D.C. 20010)
5 pm: Arrival/Registration
5:00 – 6:00 pm: Dinner (Pot Luck)
7:30 – 9:00 pm: Report back from Paki Wieland, Code Pink delegation to Iran
Paki Wieland, longtime activist of Code Pink, will report back from her recent trip to Iran with a delegation of Code Pink and Voices for Creative Nonviolence members. She will also share information about Code Pink’s Divest Campaign. Click here for C-SPAN video of her arrest at Jeff Sessions’ confirmation hearing.
Saturday, May 4
All Saturday programming will be held at the Emergence Community Art Collective (733 Euclid St NW, Washington, DC 20001). They have limited free parking in their parking lot, otherwise, there is street parking.
8:00 – 9:00 am: Breakfast
9:00 – 9:15: Introductions, Schedule Review, Orientation
9:15 – 11:15: Discussion of Strategic Plan for Tax Day 2020 & Youth Advisory Council Report Back
11:30 – 12:30: Lunch
12:30 – 1:45 pm: Concurrent Sessions for Newly interested and Current War Tax Resisters
- 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 Bill Glassmire, Corvallis, Oregon, who became a WTR in 1990 to resist US militarism & Chrissy Kirchhoefer, NWTRCC Outreach Consultant
- WTR 102 Updates, trends, and Q&A for current war tax resisters. With NWTRCC Coordinator Lincoln Rice and the expert resisters in attendance!
2:00 – 3:30 pm: Reports from Eastern Africa & the Southern Border
- David Zarembka was Coordinator of the African Great Lakes Initiative of the Friends Peace Teams until 2016. He lives with his wife, Gladys Kamonya, in western Kenya. He is the author of A Peace of Africa: Reflections on Life in the Great Lakes Region. David will offer an analysis of US participation in the conflicts in South Sudan, Somalia, Yemen, and Eritrea; and how this is accomplished through the military of pro-US countries — Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Djibouti.
- Sue Barnhart, (Taxes for Peace No War in Eugene, Oregon) will share her experience from a very recent trip to the Southern Border in Tijuana, doing support work for asylum seekers. She is in regular contact with organizers at the Border and will provide an up-to-date report on the situation.
3:45 – 5:00 pm: Reports from The Center on Conscience and War & The National Campaign for a Peace Tax Fund
- Bill Galvin, Counseling Coordinator for the Center on Conscience and War, coordinates and trains military counselors, counsels military personnel, and monitors the Selective Service System. He is a Vietnam era conscientious objector, who has been working to support conscientious objectors since the early 1970’s.
- Malachy Killbride, Executive Director for the National Campaign for a Peace Tax Fund, advocates for U.S. federal legislation that would enable conscientious objectors to war to have their federal income taxes directed to a special fund which would be used for non-military purposes alone.
5:15 – 6:15 pm : Supper
6:30 – 8:00 pm: A Peace Economy NOW! Workshop
Presented by Anne Barron Anne Barron from the Peace Resource Center of San Diego & Southern California War Tax Resistance.
Sunday, May 5
Meals & Business Meeting will be held at Dorothy Day House Catholic Worker (503 Rock Creek Church Road, NW | Washington, D.C. 20010).
8:00 – 9:00 am: Simple Breakfast
9:00 – Noon: NWTRCC Business meeting (open to all)
Noon – 1:00pm: Simple Lunch & cleanup
