On Armistice Day, Remember: Wars Cannot End Wars
Armistice Day marked the formal agreement between Germany and the Allied forces to stop fighting on 11/11/1918. The war that ended that day was considered in 1918 to be the “war to end all wars” and so a holiday marking its cessation was declared a year later by President Wilson. In 1926 Congress made Armistice… Continue reading
Chris Coverdale: 42 days in jail for refusing council tax
Recently Peace News and The Picket Line have posted about Chris Coverdale, a war tax resister in the UK who refused to pay his council tax, totaling approximately £1,800, and was sentenced to 42 days in jail. Coverdale argues that paying council tax would support government-sponsored terrorism in the form of war. He has been… Continue reading
Dear Rick Steves – Could You Be a War Tax Resister?
I recently finished reading travel writer/TV show host Rick Steves‘ book Travel as a Political Act. Rick describes himself as an interesting blend of political perspectives: capitalist, Christian, proud American, supporter of marijuana legalization, and… a pacifist! In addition to his specialty helping US residents learn the ins and outs of traveling in Europe, he… Continue reading
Talkin’ Resistance in Amherst
War tax resisters, supporters, and friends gathered for the 30th time in 30 years — an impressive record in our circles. A persistent if changing group of war tax resisters has planned gatherings large and small over a fall weekend each year since 1985. To many the themes, topics, and discussions will sound repetitive —… Continue reading
The Snowden Model and Finding Our Power
I finally watched the film Citizenfour, about the release of the NSA documents by Edward Snowden. The whole film is impressive, but I was struck by this section where journalist Glenn Greenwald is asking Snowden about whether to release his name and ID him as the source of the documents. Greenwald wanted to make sure… Continue reading
After Roseburg: On guns big and bigger
To the Editor: There has been another mass murder shooting in Roseburg, Oregon. A question stares us in the face. Can we expect to endorse mass homicide on the wholesale level and successfully forbid or prevent it on the retail level? As a thought experiment or moral reflection consider this. Since World War II our… Continue reading
Driving Ms. Frances
By Ralph Dolan I runs this high-end chauffeur service, see, and gets this call. Lady on the other end of the line wants a ride across the border into Vermont. Can’t get much of an idea what kind of meeting she could possibly be attending up there in the back woods. I pick her up… Continue reading
Another Look: The Film “Death and Taxes”
Even 5 years after its initial release, Death & Taxes is still relevant to anyone trying to become more involved in the peace movement. The film is a wonderful, light-hearted telling of the lives many war tax resisters have lived and how it doesn’t take much more than a belief to start protesting for peace…. Continue reading
Longest Jail Time for a War Tax Resister
People unfamiliar with war tax resistance assume that if you do it, you go straight to jail, or at least wind up there eventually. “Why aren’t you in jail?” Years ago when I was in the ready-room before appearing on a TV interview program, the host asked me “Why aren’t you in jail?” Similarly, a… Continue reading
Professor Yang Yoon-Mo on Taxes and Jeju Naval Base
At one time, Professor Yang Yoon-Mo was the most influential film critic in Korea. His influence was felt in film festivals, academia, and media spanning the political spectrum. Since that time, he has changed course and devoted his life to the struggle against the nominally Korean naval base being constructed in Gangjeong village on the… Continue reading
Greetings from Jeju Island, South Korea
The Korean Navy is destroying Gangjeong Village (current population around 2,000) and the surrounding area by building a base here. In terms of population, 7-8,000 soldiers and their families are expected in the community. Additionally, bartenders, tattoo artists, prostitutes, and others will be drawn to the area The base itself will accommodate U.S. warships such… Continue reading
Inspired / Inspiring: Julian Bond
On hearing of Julian Bond’s death, I remembered we ran something in the NWTRCC newsletter ages ago where he mentioned a memory of tax resistance. So I looked it up: “Rick Gaumer of WRL New England receives the alumni magazine from the University of Virginia. The Spring 2007 issue surprised him with this story from… Continue reading
