Thomas Gail Haws
859 North Lafayette
Mesa AZ 85201
9 Apr 2017
Internal Revenue Service
P.O. Box 7704
San Francisco, CA 94120-7704
Conscientious War Tax Resistance
Dear IRS Employee,
As a conscientious objector to war, I will not pay my 2016 income tax. I believe war killing is wrong
and therefore I cannot pay for it. There are other ways for nations to resolve their conflicts with one
another besides through war killing.
The U.S. government spends nearly half its budget on war & preparations for war. This type of
spending does not reflect my humanitarian values and therefore I will not support it.
I am paying my self-employment tax ($7,689; line 57). I am sending that amount to you. I am sending
the remaining amount of my income tax due ($11,590; line 78 – $7,689 = $3,901) to the Peace Tax
Escrow Fund of the Purchase Quarterly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends to be held until the
U.S. Government finds a way to wage non-violent war.
I am not opposed to paying taxes. I want to fulfill my financial responsibilities to the country I live in
but I also cannot violate my religious beliefs. The federal government requires money to ensure that
human rights and sustainable moral action are respected and fostered by all governments,
organizations, and people within our borders. But since I know that the majority of my tax dollars will
not go towards any of this, I will continue to redirect my tax dollars to the Peace Tax Escrow Fund of
the Purchase Quarterly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends to be held until the U.S.
Government finds a way to wage non-violent war.
Sincerely,
Thomas Gail Haws
cc:
Representative Matt Salmon
Senator Jeff Flake
Senator John McCain
Purchase Quarterly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends
War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee
