Dear Friends at the IRS,
We are Quakers and cannot in conscience pay for the killing of other human beings or pay for war and preparations for war. Human life is too precious to drop bombs on people because we do not like their governments. Developing a new generation of nuclear weapons which could put an end to life on our beautiful planet is insane.
Giving the Pentagon hundreds of billions of dollars does not increase the security of our people when we are cutting funds for schools, libraries, job training, and now even the EPA and diplomacy work at the State Dept.
The “war on terror” being fought in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen and elsewhere, and increased use of drones around the world, have NOT increased our security, but have created more enemies of the United States.
Our tax dollars are also being used to prepare for wars with Russia, Iran, North Korea and China which could easily, by accident or intention, become a nuclear war which could kill billions of people. Let’s end the war on terror and all wars and bring our tax dollars home to meet the needs of the American people.
Fifty percent of our tax dollars go for wars and preparations for wars. Together with our IRS Form, we are sending a check for 50% of what we owe made out to the Dept. of Health and Human Services. We ask that you designate all those funds for health, education and human well-being – and NONE for war and killing.
The other 50% (which goes for war and killing) we are contributing to organizations working for peace and justice and programs meeting human and environmental needs in the US and around the world.
Instead of paying for war and killing, we are joining together with others to build what Martin Luther King called the “Beloved Community.” We hope and pray that all the taxes from people worldwide can go for schools, good health care, food and housing for all people on earth, as we help create a healthy planet for our children and all future generations.
Sincerely,
David and Jan Hartsough
