Finding humor in the struggle

| Media, News
"The most interesting man in the world" from the Dos Equis ad says, "I don't always resist taxes, but when I do it's because they fund racist wars."

Do you need a laugh these days? I definitely do. A lot of times, I rely on humor that’s based on things happening in real life. Here are some things that have made me laugh, even if I’m laughing ruefully. The Onion – Military-Industrial Complex Recalls Coming Together After 9/11 this article and video from… Continue reading


Getting some fresh air

| Personal motivations
Collective Redirection organizers, grantors, and grantees at May 2017 NWTRCC gathering in St. Louis, MO

August went by in a flash for me, among unexpected extra work projects (glad to have the extra money), a trip to see the eclipse in Oregon (amazing), keeping up with my activist commitments outside war tax resistance (I think I did a pretty good job), and coping with the daily news of further assaults,… Continue reading


Memes against war taxes

| Things You Can Do
image of Juanita Nelson speaking, with text of quote: " Is it ever right not to refuse to pay taxes, when that money is used to kill? We stand in danger of making a god of the law. An official decree cannot make a wrong thing right. Must I continue to do harm until the state give me license to stop?"

Images have become an integral part of spreading information online. Often called memes, eye-catching images with some text overlaid can easily spread throughout social media. Memes can introduce a variety of people to activist causes, help people connect to new information, and build a sense of community around a cause. NWTRCC shares memes through our… Continue reading


Celebrating “Civil Disobedience”

| History
sepia-toned picture of the backs of early 20th-century soldiers with text superimposed: "I have heard some of my towns­men say, “I should like to have them or­der me out to help put down an in­sur­rec­tion of the slaves, or to march to Mex­ico, — see if I would go;” and yet these very men have each, di­rectly by their al­le­giance, and so in­di­rectly, at least, by their money, fur­nished a sub­sti­tute. Henry David Thoreau, "On the Duty of Civil Disobedience" (1849), nwtrcc.org/Thoreau200years

Henry David Thoreau was born 200 years ago on July 12, 1817. His essay, “Civil Disobedience” (1849), has influenced thousands of protesters, war tax resisters, and direct action practitioners over the years. Part of the essay recounts his night in jail as a war tax resister, while other sections call on people to act in their… Continue reading


More on IRS collection tactics

| Federal Income Tax, IRS

In a previous blog post, we reported the experience of one war tax resister that the IRS typically sends two letters before sending the Notice of Intent to Levy (see picture to the left for an example).  This year, however, a few resisters have reported getting only one letter before the Notice of Intent. One… Continue reading


After Tax Day, the discussion continues

| Federal Income Tax, History
yard sign with Put People First printed on it; a hen in the grass behind the sign

This hasn’t been a typical year for war tax resistance by any stretch of the imagination, and that includes the atmosphere after Tax Day! Even after Tax Day this year, people are fired up about resistance, funding work for justice and peace, and building a better world. For example, Michael McCarthy wrote this week about… Continue reading


Thoreau’s work is still relevant

| History, Personal motivations
Thoreau

By David Gross I am a war tax resister because Henry David Thoreau convinced me to be one. I was looking for medicine: something to help me ease my troubled conscience and to help me sleep better at night. I turned to Thoreau and instead of medicine, he gave me marching orders. This turned out… Continue reading


A budget for war, wealth, and racism

picture of two unmanned drones sitting on the tarmac, one headlined "Afghanistan" and one headlined "US Border" (with US Customs and Border Protection printed on the side of the drone). Text at the bottom: Refuse to pay for wars at home and abroad - www.nwtrcc.org

Nothing in the Trump budget came as a surprise to me. Nevertheless, I often surprise myself with how often I can still feel outraged over the priorities of people in power. I probably don’t need to tell you what a disaster the Trump budget is for those targeted by the US government’s law enforcement and… Continue reading


Highlights: War tax resisters in St. Louis

| NWTRCC News
Matthew Hoh answers questions after his talk at the St. Louis Gathering. Photo by Ruth Benn.

Last weekend, the National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee met in St. Louis, Missouri. It was a great time! First of all: so many thanks to our host, Chrissy Kirchhoeffer with the Dick Gregory Catholic Worker (pictured below next to David from WeCopwatch), who did the bulk of the organizing for our conference in St…. Continue reading


On being a public war tax resister

| Personal motivations
image from the left side of a white woman with long blonde hair typing at a laptop

In my 8 years with the war tax resistance community, I’ve heard a lot about the value of using our real names and sharing our stories in public. Lately, as I’ve pondered the barriers to resistance, I’ve concluded that the ideal of going public needs re-examination. (Please note: I originally drafted this essay prior to… Continue reading