When the largest denomination of Mennonites in the U.S. met in Kansas City for MennoCon 19, H.A. Penner, along with other Mennonite war tax resisters, had put together a proposal that the Mennonite Church U.S.A. renew its Church Peace Tax Fund. The historical peace church had previously established a war tax alternative fund in the… Continue reading
Personal motivations
Positive Responses to WTR
This string came off the war tax resistance listserve, which you can sign up for here. Ask questions, start a discussion topic, like Angie did, or ask for feedback about an issue related to war tax resistance. Angie got it started: I’m starting this thread to see if anyone has any stories they’d like to… Continue reading
Check It Out!
One of the participants at MennoCon23 (a Mennonite Conference) panel discussing war tax resistance said “Check out NWTRCC’s webpage, it is a comprehensive resource for war tax resistance.” One of the easiest ways to navigate the site is through the search bar. Many of the resources that we bring to tables like we did at… Continue reading
Everyday Nonviolence
“Activating Everyday Nonviolence: Juanita Nelson’s 100th Birthday Celebration and Gathering” is coming up August 17–20 in Western Massachusetts. Although Juanita died in 2015, fellow activists and friends (many associated with Pioneer Valley War Tax Resistance) were inspired by her life’s example to offer a weekend of exploration into everyday nonviolence and the nonviolence of everything…. Continue reading
Change Is Hard, Change Is Possible
An article about how climate change is going to impact federal spending caught my eye today. Mostly it got me vaguely thinking about how difficult it is to change — especially on the national scale. The article is about the Biden administration’s warning that climate change is going to cost the federal government a lot… Continue reading
Take Action Before the Clock Stikes Midnight
NWTRCC Events Last week NWTRCC hosted a War Tax Resistance/Refusal/Redirection (WTR) 101 online. It was an interactive, engaging conversation. We have been hearing from practitioners of WTR who have been living under the taxable income who anticipate that changing or do not see that path as sustainable. It is encouraging to be engaged with people… Continue reading
Robert Randall: Presente / Always Present
Reading my way through the New York Times one morning in May 2020, a photo caught my eye. It was a shot of a crowd from behind, but the one visible sign read “It Is NOT ok to Kill People.” The accompanying article was about the killing of Ahmaud Arbery in Brunswick, Georgia, and it… Continue reading
Paying Dues
It was in the context of the Catholic Worker that I began to learn of the many motivations of those who refuse to pay for war. Lana Jacobs who I lived with in the community in Columbia, Missouri explained to me and others quite simply that we paid our personal property taxes as one measure… Continue reading
Making War Tax Resistance Visible and Accessible 101
NWTRCC will again be participating in the Campaign Nonviolence Action Week offering a War Tax Resistance 101 session on Thursday September 29 at 8:30p Eastern/ 5:30p Pacific. The webinar will be one of more than 4,570 actions worldwide advocating for peace and nonviolence. Pace e Bene has coordinated the week of actions that begins on… Continue reading
People Like You
Utah Phillips begins a song: “One of the things you have to do in this world is to keep track of the people you owe.” Much of my understanding of working class struggles and people resisting injustice has come from song. Songs have the power to convey stories in such evocative ways that can elevate… Continue reading
Let Us Imagine Investing in Preserving Our Natural Wonders
My partner and I were lucky enough to visit Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Craters of the Moon National Monument, Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park in late spring of 2022. And we will visit Jedediah Smith Redwoods State and National Park later this summer, as we often do. These are all extremely beautiful… Continue reading
Reflecting on the Last 40 Years
A lot of cultural shifts were taking place 40 years ago as evidenced by some anniversaries taking place this year. A couple weekends there were a couple remembrances of the events that took place around June 12, 1982 when over 1 million people descended on the United Nations (UN) Headquarters, marching through the streets of… Continue reading