Letters

Taxing Issues

image of black mailbox with 10 IRS envelopes sticking out the top

The IRS has been so quiet lately that it’s been hard to find topics to write about — except for interesting historical notes or the horrors resulting from the massive U.S. military budget. But three people got in touch recently with three different issues. At a time when war tax resistance seems pretty quiet too, it’s always encouraging to be reminded that resistance continues. One meeting —in person! — was about whether or not to catch up on filing state taxes. This resister has been a federal and state nonfiler with a low income for a few years. Now, due to changes in her employment and the fact that the IRS filed for her one year and is trying to […]

Richard and Carolyn Yoder 2019

Dear Friends: We have sent our U.S. Individual Income Tax Return for 2019 electronically. Of the total tax that is due the IRS, we are withholding $200.00. We do this as a way of honoring our values, giving concrete expression to our opposition to war and the use of our tax dollars for financing war. We are members of the Mennonite church, one of three historic peace churches in the United States, which teaches that war and preparation for war are contrary to the will of God, and that the path to long-term peace is through justice, non-violence and loving our enemies. Article 22 of the Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective states that “As disciples of Christ, we […]

David Hartsough 2020

Dear Friends,   This year Tax Day is July 15. Thought you would be interested in this letter my wife and I have written the IRS refusing to pay for wars and preparations for wars. We find it very difficult to pray and work for peace and then pay for wars. We would welcome your thoughts about how you respond our government’s demands that we continue to pay for their wars and all the senseless and immoral bombing, droning and preparations for even a nuclear war which could put an end to all life on our beautiful planet. For more information about war tax resistance, go to NWTRCC.org (National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee). Dear Friends at the IRS, We […]

Carol Caffrey

April 15, 2020 IRS Fresno, CA 93888-0002 To whom it may concern: I am withholding half of my taxes because I am a Christian. Killing is against my conscience as stated in the 10 Commandments. Taxes for the military kill directly and indirectly. Directly, when there are wars, drones, or perhaps some military actions. Indirectly, by taking over half the money in the yearly budget which could otherwise go to support so many lives. Thank you for listening, Carol Caffrey  

War Tax Resister Profile: Howard Waitzkin and Mi Ra Lee

 [Editor’s Note: The following are excerpts from a letter that Howard Waitzkin and Mi Ra Lee wrote the IRS and included with their 2017 tax return. Thank you for sharing!] Statement of Resistance from Howard Waitzkin to the IRS for Tax Year 2017: I am a Conscientious Objector (CO) to war, based on religious and ethical beliefs, as recognized and certified 36 years ago by the U.S. Selective Service System. My beliefs as a CO have prevented me from participating in military service. However, I have devoted my whole professional career to many forms of alternative service, trying to meet the unmet health and mental health needs of active duty military personnel and veterans, as well as those of other […]

Aaron Falbel 2019

To Whom It May Concern: Enclosed please find my federal tax return for the year 2018, which I have filled out honestly and accurately to the best of my knowledge. However, I have not enclosed payment for the amount indicated on line 22. I have redirected this amount to organizations that promote peace, justice, reconciliation, and healing. Allow me to tell you why. The Trump Administration has undeniably made the world a more dangerous place. Not only does the Administration plan to increase our already-bloated military budget to an astonishing $750 billion, but they propose to add $7.87 billion to “replace and modernize” America’s nuclear arsenal. This, plus the planned withdrawal from the INF Treaty, can only rekindle a new […]

Susan Lee Barton 2019

To the Internal Revenue Service Copies to : Rep. Dwight Evans, Senator Bob Casey, Senator Patrick J. Toomey, President Donald Trump To my government representatives, My 2018 tax return says that I owe $215 in taxes. I am once again writing to explain why I will not pay the amount I owe to the federal government. Currently the majority of every tax dollar goes to pay for past, present, and future wars. I can not pay for war. As much as I value our country’s laws, I believe that God’s laws must come first, and God tells us, “Thou shalt not kill.” In addition to paying for foreign wars, the 1033 Program transfers excess military equipment to civilian law enforcement […]

Jennie Kogan 2019

Dear Congressman Himes, Senators Murphy and Blumenthal and Mr. President, I am going act in accordance with the Article 1 in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, join the movement of conscientious objectors and refuse to pay 24% of my federal taxes this year. Instead, I will redirect that money to supporting human rights because the federal government is lacking significantly in doing so. Article one states that “all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights,” yet the United States budget and resulting actions of the military do not align with this article. It is well documented that millions of civilians get killed by US Troops every year. We spend significantly more on private contractors and […]

Tom Haws 2019

Dear IRS Employee, As a conscientious objector to war, I will not pay my 2018 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 ($7,055; line 57). I am sending that amount to you. I am sending the remaining amount of my income tax due ($1,577; line 13) to the People’s Life Fund to be held until the U.S. Government […]

David and Jan Hartsough 2019

Dear Friends at the IRS, We 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 immoral and 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, diplomacy work at the State Department., and transition to a renewable energy future. The wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen and elsewhere, and increased use […]

Fred Burks 2019

Dear friends in the IRS and others concerned about integrity in government, I am withholding 12% of my taxes again this year as I cannot morally or spiritually support the indiscriminate killing of many thousands of innocent civilians by the US military in recent years. If another country’s military were to kill US civilians, there would be a huge uproar. Yet our military kills civilians with impunity, listing them as “collateral damage.” Besides being immoral, this is clearly turning family and friends of those killed against the United States and creating even more terrorists. The US military additionally repeatedly commits illegal acts by carrying out wars that have never been declared by Congress, violating Article I Section 8 Clause 11 […]

Larry Bassett 2019

Dear Sirs: I am sending this annual letter to Mr. Trump and Mr. Warner and Mr. Kaine and Mr. Cline. You bring to mind the founding fathers – white men. And also the often quoted phrase about how all MEN are created equal. We conveniently ignore the historic denigration of women, blacks and Native Americans. Some of that denigration carries forward even today. My annual letter generally focuses on the massive military spending of the US. I am a part of a very small group of people who as conscientious objectors to out of control military spending and war making openly refuse to pay some or all of our federal income taxes because such a large percentage of those taxes […]