War Tax Resistance Gathering and Coordinating Committee Meeting
The Mission House, 3601 Whitman Ave, Cleveland, OH 44113
November 2-4, 2018
If you cannot attend in person, there will be a virtual connection for some sessions and the Sunday a.m. business meeting (registration required). Saturday & Sunday sessions will be held at the Mission House unless otherwise noted. Friday events will be at St. Paul’s UCC Church at 4427 Franklin Blvd., Cleveland, OH 44113. All who requested housing will be staying at the Mission House.
Weekend Schedule (subject to some adjustments)
The Science of Peace
Friday, November 2
5 pm: Arrival/Registration – St. Paul’s UCC Church at 4427 Franklin Blvd., Cleveland, OH 44113
6:00 pm: Dinner (Pot Luck @ St. Paul’s UCC Church at 4427 Franklin Blvd., Cleveland, OH 44113)
7:00 – 9:00 pm: Welcome and introductions, followed by discussion about the Cleveland National Air Show
(St. Paul’s UCC Church at 4427 Franklin Blvd., Cleveland, OH 44113)
The Cleveland Catholic Workers (Michael Fiala, Jim Schlecht, Jean Kosmac, and Paul Sherlock) will share about local resistance against the Cleveland National Air Show held every Labor Day weekend. The Cleveland Catholic Worker has been leading a Witness at the Cleveland National Air Show for over 30 years. The Airshow functions as a War Show – with fighter jets (F/A Hornets & F-16 Falcons) painted up as ‘Blue Angels’ or ‘Flying Thunderbirds,’ performing incredible maneuvers in the sky, without recognition of their purposes as killing machines.
Saturday, November 3
8:00 – 9:00 am: Breakfast
9:00 – 9:15: Introductions, Schedule Review, Orientation
9:15 – 11:15: Discussion of Strategic Plan for NWTRCC’s Outreach Committee
11:30 – 12:30: Lunch
12:30 – 2:00 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 & Erica Leigh, NWTRCC Communications Consultant
- WTR 102 Updates, trends, and Q&A for current war tax resisters. With NWTRCC Coordinator Lincoln Rice and the expert resisters in attendance!
2:15 – 3:45 pm: Film – The Pacifist
An exclusive sneak peak at the 2018 documentary film, The Pacifist (57 minutes). The film interviews longtime War Tax Resister Larry Bassett, who recently resisted over $100,000 of federal income taxes after inheriting $1 million. Discussion to follow.
4:00 – 5:30 pm: The Science of Peace
The Cleveland Nonviolence Network will share with us their campaign for a science exhibit on peace from a neurological perspective at the local Great Lakes Science Center. The Great Lakes Science Center has been big supporter of the annual Air Show
5:30 – 6:30 pm : Supper
7:00 – 9:00 pm: Film Dispatches to Cleveland w/ Panel Discussion.
(The film & discussion will be at Urban Community School, 4909 Lorain Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44102)
Showing of the Film, Dispatches to Cleveland (2017, directed by Catherine Gund). The film documents the hyper-segregated city of Cleveland in the wake of the police murder of 12-year-old Tamir Rice. It follows ordinary people–long shaken by police misconduct, social discrimination, and poverty–whose love for their home pushes them to work together to bring about real change. The panel discussion with Genevieve Mitchell and Cherima Chungag will follow.
Sunday, November 6
8:00 – 9:00 am: Breakfast
9:00 – Noon: NWTRCC Business meeting (open to all)
Noon – 1:00: Lunch & cleanup
Sunday Afternoon
1:00 – 3:45 pm Counselor Training Philosophies – As there is not enough time for a formal training, this session will consider different philosophies of counselor training (e.g., what makes a good WTR counselor? What is expected of a WTR counselor? Is there a “goal” of counseling? If so, what is it? Counseling with friends vs. strangers. Etc.)
4:00 – 8:00 pm Annual Commemoration of the El Salvadoran Martyrs – For those who can stay, we’ll carpool & join the InterReligious Task Force on Central America for a social hour with live music, a dinner, and a guest speaker from Nicaragua, Marlen Sanchez.
